Japanese

Definition

Irregular. See midareba, choji midare.

Japanese

Definition

Various activities, distinctive features of the steel seen inside the hamon and ji, created during the hardening process.

See hataraki in hamon and hataraki in jihada for an overview of different types of activity.

Japanese

Definition

A surface between the shinogi and the hamon. See also: jihada, jigane, hira.

Japanese

Definition

A tempered cutting edge of a blade.

Japanese

Definition

A distinct temper line between areas of softer (ji) and harder (ha) steel along the edge of the blade.

See Hamon Types for more details.

Japanese

Definition

A way to preserve mei (signature) on the tang when shortening it (see o-suriage) by cutting it off the original position and reattaching it to the altered nakago.

Japanese

Definition

A way to preserve mei (signature) on the tang when shortening it (see o-suriage) by bending it around to the opposite side, therefore leaving it upside-down.

Japanese

Definition

The shaku is an archaic Japanese unit of length which is commonly approximated to be 12 inches (1 foot). As with other measurements, it was originally derived from nature: the average length between nodes on bamboo. Since 1891, the shaku has been defined to equal 10/33 meter (approximately 30.3 cm, or 11.93 inches), or 3.3 shaku to the meter. A single shaku is divided into 10 sun (寸).

1 shaku = 11.93 inches (30.30 cm)

1 shaku = 10 sun
1 sun = 1.193 inches (3.03 cm)

1 sun = 10 bu
1 bu = 0.119 inches (0.303 cm)

1 bu = 10 rin
1 rin = 0.01193 inches (0.0303 cm)

Japanese

Definition

The fan-shaped part of the blade above the yokote and the ko-shinogi. It may be whitened by polish. It's size is described as 'large' or 'small'.

Japanese

Definition

A notch on the blade side. See machi.