Dynasty Forge katana repolish with Japanese finger stones

[Justice]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a seconds model Dynasty Forge katana that was scuffed during assembly. Since I have been hybrid polishing for quite some time which uses sandpaper polishing and acid enhancing the hamon, I tried for the second time (I tried it on a wak first) to polish the blade using fingerstones.

I had some very good results... :)

Here is the blade as it looked before the polish.

http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/haji1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/haji2.jpg



And here is what it looked like after polishing it with hazuya and jizuya stones...







http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/haji3.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/haji4.jpg







Now, for those of you interested in antique nihonto, you will see the immediate difference. The folded steel (hada) is actually quite faint and dark, and this contrasts well with the bright hamon pattern. There was no acid enhancing the hamon, this is the steels actual shade through the use of hazuya stones.



The effect I am trying to reproduce is this... (the picture is big so I'm just linking it).

http://www.nihontoantiques.com/images/uda%20daito%20ss2.jpg

The hamon is not 100% clearly visible because the hazuya whitens the blade so much the pattern almost disappears. I'm going for something like that, but with a little more hamon actually showing.

[Ben]

Good job dude. I can definately tell the difference. Where did you get those stones from?

[Mako]

Great work Aaron.=D>

I love sites like Moses Becerra's.

[Dotanuki]

Wow, Aaron with every post you continue to impress.

[Justice]

Thanks guys.

I have some much sharper pictures now. Unfortunately I am close to these So Cal fires going on (I'm in no danger, in the middle of an asphault jungle...) but the sky has been orange and dark lately.

Here's some clearer shots.

http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/haji5.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/haji6.jpg

[Justice]

Good job dude. I can definately tell the difference. Where did you get those stones from?

I got my stones off eBay. Most places sell hazuya and jizuya seperate, but this one seller sold them together in a small pack and I've made good use of them.

[Justice]

Here's some more...

tsuka wrapped in a black leather battle wrap, the tsuka also has a full wrap of rayskin. The habaki and seppa are antiqued, and the blade is near its final polish. I added a Higo style fuchi but I don't have the kashira, so i just ordered one.

http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okat1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okat2.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okat3.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okat4.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okat5.jpg

[Ben]

That sword is beautiful. I really like the unique tsukimaki style. How does that menuki stay attached?

[Tony Ferrill]

Excellent work,sir!May I ask how much time is invested in this endeavor?
Tony

[RedZorak]

I have never really been a fan of leather ito, but that is an excellent job. I really like the look of the leather in the battle wrap.

[Mako]

I've tried to find fault with the katate-maki and failed,I also think the Higo style fuchi blends in with it admirably.
You're a very talented man Aaron. =D>

[Justice]

Here's a bit more. I've redone the polish on the blade a bit, now the hamon is more clearly outlined during the hazuya polish. I tell you, that was hard.

http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okatf1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okatf2.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okatf3.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/aaronjustice/.Pictures/web/okatf4.jpg

[Mako]

Outstanding.=D>

[Dotanuki]

Yes, I agree, that is some incredible work you do there.

[bobO]

Justice,I can't wait to see what you do down the road.I really like the battle wrap and the new polish.

[Brian Brazier]

Aaron you do very nice work, were you taught these skills, or was it all trial and error? Did you need any stitches after working with the finger stones?

[Justice]

Aaron you do very nice work, were you taught these skills, or was it all trial and error? Did you need any stitches after working with the finger stones?


All trial and error, I haven't had any formal training at all.

None of the cuts were serious, but they STUNG. That was worse than the original pain of the cut.

Pretty much everything including tsukamaki, polishing, rayskin, lacquering, it was just getting the nerve to try it out and see what works. there are plenty of online tutorials, but being told what to do and being shown what to do are two different things.

[Brian Brazier]

All trial and error, I haven't had any formal training at all.

None of the cuts were serious, but they STUNG. That was worse than the original pain of the cut.

Pretty much everything including tsukamaki, polishing, rayskin, lacquering, it was just getting the nerve to try it out and see what works. there are plenty of online tutorials, but being told what to do and being shown what to do are two different things.

Your work looks very good, and has inspired me to have a go at some rattan wrapping to start, then mabe some polishing. When you do Tsukamaki do you use the folded paper under the ito? I have asked you before I think, but you use a wood glue like elmers for rattan wrapping right? and does it bond better if you sand the laquer off the saya first?

[bobO]

I also have been inspired by our new forumite.I have a saya i can experiment with.I have it sanded down and ready to go.So it's off to the old ladys hobbie shop for rattan.

[Justice]

Your work looks very good, and has inspired me to have a go at some rattan wrapping to start, then mabe some polishing. When you do Tsukamaki do you use the folded paper under the ito? I have asked you before I think, but you use a wood glue like elmers for rattan wrapping right? and does it bond better if you sand the laquer off the saya first?

Hishigame is REQUIRED for a good tsukamaki. So many places skimp out and try to do tsukamaki without it, and without it the wrap is doomed. The hishigame fills the gap that will be under every twist of the ito. Leather ito *might* not need it as much, but I still used it anyways. My early tsukamakis were pretty bad. Tightness is fairly easy, it's shaping that's a real killer.

Rayskin works fine with wood glue, but you would have to go for something better for rattan. I use a brush on super glue applicator.

Super glue bonds great with rattan, and bare wood bonds well too, but on the lacquer works fine as well. Many modern lacquers are virtually identical to super glue in composition. What will happen is the super glue will eat into the lacquer a bit and bond with it. Maybe you can scuff it up slightly before applying the glue.

As you can probably gess, there really is no going back one you start...

[Brian Brazier]

Thanks Aaron, I will give the Rattan a try on one of my damaged Saya (my cat knocked over my Masahiro Bride Sword while it was on the stand and chipped up the laquer pretty bad).

[Dotanuki]

For anyone interested you can find the polishing stones here;

http://stores.ebay.com/Japanese-Culture-Books-and-Artifact_WOQQcolZ4QQfsubZQ2d999QQftidZ2QQtZkm

[rick]

thanx dotanuki mom always said get a hobbie