the craft of the japanese sword

[Rogier]

Didn't know where else to post this:

Has anyone here read: The craft of the Japanese sword
written by Hioko Tateno Kapp & Yoshindo Yoshihara

It is quite expensive and I'd like to know if it's worthwile before buying it.

[Dan Harden]

Consider it a good primer for forging in the Japanese style. It is not a definitive work.
If you are interested in gaining knowledge of forging and metallurgy and how this relates to the Japanese style, you should read other books on forging steel and metallurgy in general. That will give you a more balanced view of just where the Japanese Katana and its craftsman stand in comparison to the rest of the world both historicaly and currently.
A note of caution-if you are of the "I'm in love with anything Japanese" and "Japanese swords are the best in the world" type -a study of other cultures smithing will afford you quite a surprise.

Craft of the Japanese sword:
As a smith it didn't tell me anything new, as someone who forges Katana it didn't offer anything new either. If you haven't done any smithing, it will proabably give you a good basic understanding of the craft. But only the basics.
I am not a polisher or saya maker. But I am told by those who are, that the saya and Polishing sections only touched on the basics of those crafts as well.

For a primer, I highly reccomend it.


You might want to get "The new conversations with Japanese swordsmiths" By Tamio Tsuchiko as well
It has even less smithing information but is a good background read.

There isn't any _one_ book that is going to give you a good general knowledge of smithing, steel, and metallurgy. And the narrow topic of the Japanese sword has a lot of misinformation attached to it, due mostly to the iggnorance of the writers.
I would love to see a book written by a modern smith who has studied metallurgy asking detailed questions to a group of Japanese smiths. Not about the Japanese sword "standard" or "challenging" a great sword of the past or styles. I would love to hear shop talk about their opinions of steels, heat control, their opinions on held temperature rates for grain growth and then quenching heat for the formation of Nie. Their off-the-cuff opinions on the end user quailities of Nie VS Nioi, their opinions of Sponge iron or electrolytic iron in smelting compared to tamahagane, and any related use of modern steels etc, etc.
In short I would love to hear them talk about smithing and not about the Japanese sword standards they have to meet. That would be a fun read. "Conversations with Japanese smiths" was to light and barely scratched the surface at all. It isn't a technical book by any means.

cheers
Dan

[Rogier]

Originally posted by Dan Harden
A note of caution-if you are of the "I'm in love with anything Japanese" and "Japanese swords are the best in the world" type -a study of other cultures smithing will afford you quite a surprise.

cheers
Dan

Thanx for the reply Dan.

Believe me I've past that stage a long time ago it went away when I started reading on the subject and lurking on www.swordforum.com



would love to see a book written by a modern smith who has studied metallurgy asking detailed questions to a group of Japanese smiths. Not about the Japanese sword "standard" or "challenging" a great sword of the past or styles. I would love to hear shop talk about their opinions of steels, heat control, their opinions on held temperature rates for grain growth and then quenching heat for the formation of Nie. Their off-the-cuff opinions on the end user quailities of Nie VS Nioi, their opinions of Sponge iron or electrolytic iron in smelting compared to tamahagane, and any related use of modern steels etc, etc.

Good idea... maybe a nice little project for yourself?

[Rogier]

I just check on an online bookstore... could you by any chance mean:

The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths by Tamio Tsuchiko?

[Dan Harden]

Sorry
Yup that's the one.

Now where did I come up with the new "conversations" with?
Anyway, good luck, it's a very detailed, deep and engrossing subject. Hopefully you will get a good base knowledge.

Just don't start forging. Forging is highly addictive. Avoid it at all costs!! And don't forget to wear your welding glasses :cool:
Dan

[gendzwil]

If you're only going to have one book about how nihonto are constructed, that's the one. I agree it's not enough depth for someone like Dan but for a guy like me it's just the right level. Most of the other books I've seen on nihonto are from a collectors point of view, whereas Yoshihara & Kapp gets into it from the perspective of a modern smith. Could have done with more information on smithing and polishing and less on the habaki, or perhaps replace the whole habaki section with a section on tsuka construction.

[David T Anderson]

Originally posted by Rogier
Has anyone here read: The craft of the Japanese sword
written by Hioko Tateno Kapp & Yoshindo Yoshihara

It is quite expensive and I'd like to know if it's worthwile before buying it.

I agree with the others in that this book is a decent overview of Japanese swordmaking, despite some gaps. I have it and I think it's worth having, but it doesn't include much of anything that can't be found on a variety of websites. A nice-to-have rather than a must-have...

[Arman]

I'll disagree a little bit here and say that I think it really is a must-have book. It may be an unnecessary book for those so involved with smithing that it simply doesn't provide any new, or in-depth, info for such people.

But for those of us simply interested in the general history, forging process and terminology of the japanese sword, I found the book an excellent buy. It is fairly accurate and informative, written by well-known, licensed sword-smiths. When Dan says it is a good primer, that is exactly what it is. I would say, however, that it is an excellent primer.

I have also found the new book by the same authors (Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths: From 1868 to the Present) another great book on the subject, complete with numerous interviews/articles on many of the great swordsmiths of the Hesei (current) period.

I wouldn't trade in my copy.

Regards,

Arman Partamian

[Tetsuo]

I agree with the general consensus here.

It's a great book to have to satiate those who only want to know the general gyst of the processes undertaken in making a Japanese sword. Granted, it doesn't go in depth into the process, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the few (if not only one) books out there that maintains a good balance between being diversified and specific enough to the details that focuses on the Japanese sword. I think it's not a must-have, but a should-get for those in the sword arts, IMHO. But also, to put it in its proper perspective, there's not another book out there like it.

[Dan Harden]

Gees.......just mention polishers and one shows up. I thought you were taking a break from all this hoo-ha, signing off for a while and working?
Does your wife know where you are? ;)


I just want to be clear that I said I highly recommended it. And Jesse got me thinking, and I think I agree-there isn't any single book like it to be found.

Cheers
Dan

[Chidokan]

Go on Dan, write a book!!!
BTW, you forgot to mention ear protectors, the noise is a pretty big factor as well... makes the neighbours complain a lot as well!!!

[Dan Harden]

Ahhh yes...noise!
When I fire up my Fifty pound chambers power hammer to draw down billets it certainly disturbs my neighbors. The deer, otters, and squirrels.;)
God bless the country.

cheers
Dan
P.S. Do not, I repeat -do NOT start smithing. Forging hot steel is very addicting and can be hazardous to your relationships. I've been suffering withdrawals of late.

[Tetsuo]

Originally posted by Dan Harden
Gees.......just mention polishers and one shows up. I thought you were taking a break from all this hoo-ha, signing off for a while and working?
Does your wife know where you are? ;)

I just want to be clear that I said I highly recommended it. And Jesse got me thinking, and I think I agree-there isn't any single book like it to be found.

Cheers
Dan


Dan,

Errr...last I looked, I don't have a wife;) I think you might be melding me and Ted into one person. I'm his apprentice and that's his website in my signature. Now I gotta try and find enough alcohol to drink and drown out the image of Ted and I morphed as one person:D.

[Kendoguy9]

Hey Dan,

I've heard you speak a few times about making "nihonto-styled" swords (America-to?). I've never seen any of your work. It would be very nice if you threw up a few pics somewhere of your work. What styles do you work in? I'm partial to Hizen Tadayoshi style, ko-Gassan, and ko-Bizen although a nice Yamato blade will make me drool. Do you do any non-Japanese style work too? I have recently become interested in Scottish Baskethilts, and always enjoy seeing basket designs ;)

RE: the topic...

"The Craft of The Japanese Sword" is a great book and well worth the $50 or so. It might not be the end-all be-all of forging, but I don't think it ever was supposed to be. Besides Yoshihara sensei couldn't justify the tens of thousands of dollars he gets on his swords if he gave all his secrects away :) You know, if you talk to any serious sword collector (not me, I'm too poor) they will tell you that they spend thousands of dollars on books about swords. Many of the better books (most in Japanese) will run you upwards of $300 each. So I don't think $50 is to out of line. It is also a nice hardback book. You may also be able to get it for less on Ebay.

gambatte!!!

[Chidokan]

yeah, some piccies would be great! Alternatively you could send me some of your work, strictly for evaluation purposes of course...;)
I promise to only section a few for examination of the crystalline structure...:D You can have them back sometime in the next forty years of course.

Tim Hamilton

[Cady Goldfield]

Originally posted by Tetsuo

Errr...last I looked, I don't have a wife;) I think you might be melding me and Ted into one person.

Waitaminnit. I thought Ted has *alpacas*. Oh, wait. He has a wife, too. :D