HOME > How to make Japanese sword (An outline)

How to make Japanese sword (Outline )

0.MAGANE-FUKI or KANE-TUKURI ( Preparing Raw Materials )
Most famous process is TATARA, a traditional iron smelting. Raw steel, TAMA-HAGANE, is refined out of the TATARA with river iron sand and charcoal. There are another ways to prepare the materials: rectifying old Japanese steel scraps etc.
1.MIZU-HESI & SEN-BETU ( Re-melting for Carbon Control and Selection )
The lump of TAMA-HAGANE is heated and hammered into flat sheet. Then the sheet is struck and broken into little pieces and sorted into some variety of iron based on hardness.
2.TUMI-WAKASI ( Element Adjustment )
The small pieces are stacked, heated and struck into a lump of iron.
3.ORIKAESI-TAN REN ( Lapel Forging )
The lump is extended, folded lengthwise and welded into the lump of iron again. This process is repeated about 5-6 times. The process is done for a pure iron, high carbon content iron etc each.
4.TUKURI-KOMI ( Forming the Steel Stock )
Inner structure of a sword is constructed into a lump with the several kind of iron.
5.SU-NOBE ( Forming the Blank )
The lump is roughly lengthened into sword length.
6.HI-TUKURI ( Shaping the Blade )
The shape of a sword is formed with forging.
7.ARA-SIAGE ( Rough Grinding and Filing )
The shape of the sword is made complete with using file etc.
8.TUCHI-OKI ( Creating the HAMON, pattern of hardened edge)
Before quenching, the sword body is covered by a clay-paste in order to avoid over-quenching.
9.YAKI-IRE ( Hardening the Edge)
The sword is quenched.
10.KAZI-OSI ( Forming the Sword )
Whole shape of the sword and thickness are modified with roughly polishing.
11.TOU-SIN CHO-KOKU ( Chasing the Sword Blade )
The blade of the sword is chased.
12.NAKA-GO SI-TATE ( Tang Finishing )
YASURIME, file mark left by chisels, is put on a tang and the name of smith is engraved on it.

The process of the Japanese swords excepting a swordsmith
1.TOGI-SI ( Polisher )
TOGI-SI sharpens and cleans the blade to reveal fine details.
2.SIROKANE-SI ( Metalsmith )
SIROKANE-SI makes HABAKI, a blade guard, and TUBA, a hilt, and so on.
3.SAYA-SI ( Sheath maker )
SAYA-SI creates a SAYA, a sheath, which hold the sword.
4.TUKA-MAKI-SI ( Grip maker )
TUKA-MAKI-SI covers TUKA, a hilt, with sharkskin and winds it with twilled string.
5.NURI-SI ( Lacquerer )
NURI-SI coats the SAYA with japan.
6.MAKIE-SI ( MAKIE craftsman )
MAKIE-SI decorates the SAYA after coated.