Hataraki

Terms in this category:

Glossary Termsort icon Definition
ashi

Literally 'legs', usually made of nioi, which extend from the hamon to the cutting edge.

There's been an opinion that ashi was developed consisting of softer steel within the yakiba to localize the breaks and prevent the blade to be broken in half. When stress is applied to a section of the blade, the blade would chip at the harder areas because the ashi around it would absorb the stress.

An example of ashi can be seen here: Hataraki @ NihontoCraft.com.

Types of ashi

ko-ashi - small ashi.
nezumi ashi - 'Rat's feet'. Small numerous ashi.
choji ashi - clove-shaped ashi.
gunome ashi - zigzag-shaped ashi.
saka ashi - slanted ashi.

choji ashi
丁子足

Clove-shaped ashi.

hakikake
掃掛け

Similar to sunagashi, but with thinner lines resembling brush strokes.

An example of hakikake can be seen here: Hataraki @ NihontoCraft.com.

hotsure
ほつれ

Activity which looks like stray lines from hamon into the ji.

inazuma
稲妻

Activity in the hamon similar to kinsuji, but resembling lightning. Inazuma runs out from the hamon into the ji and then back into hamon. Kinsuji is found only inside the hamon. 

An example of inazuma can be seen here.

kinsuji
金筋

Lit. 'golden line'. A small straight whitish line of nie inside the hamon, similar to inazuma.

An example of kinsuji can be seen here.

ko-ashi
小足

Small ashi.

An example of ko-ashi can be seen here.

kuichigai ha
喰い違い刃, 喰違刃

Lines of hamon, which are not completely aligned, creating a gap or a break in hamon. It's common in Yamato-den blades.

An example of kuichigai ha can be seen here.

nezumi ashi
鼠足

'Rat's feet'. Small numerous ashi.

nijuba
二重刃

Lit. 'Double hamon'. A second line of hamon which appears parallel to main hamon line. Triple line of hamon can be referred to as sanjuba.

An example of nijuba can be seen here.

saka ashi
逆足

Ashi slanted towards the tip of the blade.

sanjuba
三重刃

'Triple hamon'. See nijuba.

sunagashi
砂流し, 砂流

An activity which resembles sweeping sands (lit. 'flowing sand'). Usually appears inside the hamon parallel to the cutting edge.

An example of sunagashi can be seen here.

uchinoke
打ちのけ

Small crescent moon shapes of nie appearing like nijuba in the ji close to the hamon.

An example of uchinoke can be seen here.