© Copyright Robert Cole 2015 - No copying or distributing Masamune __________________________________________ Sword Making at YAMANOUCHI

 

MASAMUNE SHO-SO to KA-REKI  Born: 1264, died: 1343 (t: SHINTOGO): OKAZAKI-GORO. 
          Late-KAMAKURA/Early-NAMBOKUCHO SUGATA. Forever known as the greatest 
          SOSHU sword smith. His reputation trumpeted by all authorities from all 
          times and all sources. He made TACHI and TANTO. ZAIMEI (signed) TANTO 
          are found, TACHI are almost always MUMEI or O-SURIAGE NAKAGO and 
          therefore without signature. All swords, like paintings, are validated 
          by the work, not by signature. TANTO can be expected between 7 Sun and 
          9. He enjoyed producing a wide MIHABA SUGATA. His swords are strong. 

          Early were 7 Sun KOFURI UCHIZORI with FURI-SODE NAKAGO. 
          Later, we see more MU-SORI NAKAGO. 

          SUGATA: His time, and the swords they made, walked from Late-KAMAKURA 
          SUGATA, to Late-KAMAKURA/Early-NAMBOKUCHO SUGATA and then to the fully 
          developed O-KISSAKI NAMBOKU SUGATA. He was born at the end of Mid-
          KAMAKURA, lived into the NAMBOKUCHO.

          Remember, a late KAMAKURA SUGATA is a normal SHINOGI-TSUKURI NIHONTO 
          shape compared to the coming NAMBOKUCHO SUGATA of long, wide, straight 
          with large O-KISSAKI. The transition shows a graceful curve, wider in 
          the mid and reaching for an elongated KISSAKI. It almost appears subtly 
          similar to the famous SOSHU TANAGO NAKAGO. 

          MUNE: MITSU-MUNE and IHORI-MUNE. His MUNE will be shallow, or not 
          highly raised.

          He created his TANAGO "Fish-Belly" NAKAGO to be uniquely swept back to 
          a small KENGYO or YAMAGATA-shaped JIRI. His TANAGO NAKAGO are 
          tastefully stylized and not exaggerated. A few TANTO appear KURIJIRI 
          but may not have been originally. Even small TANTO with a relatively 
          straight tang, smoothly resolve to a small JIRI. NAKAGO-MUNE may have 
          a very slight NIKU. His well-shaped TANAGO-NAKAGO were a consistent 
          statement to his SOSHU school position. 

          JI-TETSU is KO-ITAME where HADA runs to the point where, in some pieces 
          has been called O-Mokume. There is JI-NIE and can appear as NIE-UTSURI. 
          The KITAE has CHIKEI and NIE in various places. It is famous that his 
          thinner blade allowed a greater abundance of surface NIE and YUBASHIRI 
          effects, such as TOBI-YAKI and grouping NIE. 
          Special MASAMUNE Note: CHIKEI can be strewn through the steel. At 
          times, abundant dark CHIKEI is seen twisting in the grain and gives 
          the Jitetsu the appearance of Lace Agate.

          HAMON is generally NIE-DEKI, NOTARE GUNOME patterns where MIDARE 
          unevenness is taken to the extreme. His figures are dynamic storms. 
          NIE can be MURA-NIE and NIOI is FUKASHI or deep. YO or TOBI can be 
          seen.
          Early work was influenced by SHINTOGO KUNIMITSU, where KO-NIE DEKI 
          on HOSO-SUGUHA, KO-MARU BOSHI. YAKIDASHI flares up near the MUNE in 
          a manner to mimic SHINTOGO. 
          Then we see KO-MIDARE BA and SUGU ASAKI-NOTARE, gently undulating 
          HAMON line, and the rise of his SOSHU GUNOME-MIDARE special trait of 
          wildly oblong and stretched figures. MIMIGATA GUNOME O-MIDARE BA 
          shrouded under NIE and NIOI with KINSUJI and INAZUMA arcing through 
          the grain. KINSUJI can be particularly bright.Some swords show a long 
          SUGUHA line that becomes ever wider toward the upper, in NIE.


          BOSHI can be MIDARE-KOMI or TSUKI-AGE with shallow KAERI. He can show 
          an active O-MARU BOSHI that will be covered with NIE or NIE HAKIKAKE 
          and with KINSUJI. 

          MASAMUNE YASURI is KATTE-SAGARI.

MASAMUNE
MASAMUNE SAKU

Dark CHIKEI defines wildly forged steel

Don't Forget...