Up to -50%
-50%

The Craft of the Japanese Sword

$34.94

In stock

In case of uncertainty in size choice, please send an email to sales@arawaza.com so that we can provide you with additional information that will help you in your size selection.

SKU: BF030
Description

Description

Well over a thousand years old, the tradition of sword making in Japan is one
of the most highly regarded metal crafts in the world. When all sword
manufacture was prohibited in Japan for seven years after World War II, the
age-old techniques were in danger of being lost forever. Today, in the hands of
a new generation of practitioners, the craft is making a startling comeback.
Connoisseurs say that the swords being produced now are the equals of anything
made in Japan in the past few hundred years.

This book takes the reader into the workshops of four of Japan’s leading
sword craftsmen. Each craftsman has a different role in the manufacture of a
blade. Yoshindo Yoshihara, the swordsmith, begins with raw steel made in a
traditional charcoal-fuelled smelter and refines it by folding and forging,
gradually shaping it into a sword with a hardened edge. Okisato Fujishiro then
sharpens and polishes the sword with fine stones to reveal the color and texture
of the steel. Metalworker Hiroshi Miyajima makes the small copper-and-gold
habaki collar that fits between the blade and the scabbard. Finally, Kazuyuki
Takayama carves the hilt and the scabbard out of a single piece of wood.
Black-and-white photographs show every stage of the manufacture, while important
information on history, metallurgy, and modern-day appraisal is presented in an
extensive introduction.

The swords made in Japan today are not, of course, intended for actual use.
But their design, the quality of their steel, and the techniques used to create
them still derive from the sword’s historical function as a lethal hand-held
weapon. A sword must be razor sharp, light, well balanced, and strong, but not
so brittle it will break. In the perfect resolution of these qualities lie the
beauty of the blade and the challenge of the craft.

This book demonstrates how brilliantly Japan’s sword craftsmen today have met
this technological challenge. The impulse of the craft now is to preserve the
utilitarian object and yet create an enduring art for the modern age. While many
fine books on sword appreciation exist, these deal primarily with older blades
or problems of appraisal. The Craft of the Japanese Sword is the first book in
English devoted entirely to contemporary sword manufacture, and will thus be of
enormous value to metal artists everywhere, as well as to collectors and
students of weaponry.

Reviews

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “The Craft of the Japanese Sword”

Your email address will not be published.

Shipping & delivery

Shipment within 24 hours when our inventory allows, and the payment transaction is finalized. Shipping is at cost prices and our handling fee is $4.00 per parcel. Shipping and handling fees are at the expense of the customer. We ship using Canada post. Please specify if another form of shipping method is preferred. Any and all import fees charged by the destination country is the responsibility of the client.

While most Web sites offer a flat shipping rate, our state-of-the-art shopping system calculates automatically in real time the exact shipping charges according to the delivery address, weight and dimensions of the items you choose. You can select from a variety of shipping services that suit your needs.

Excusable delays can occur with Canada Post or any other shipping company. Arawaza shall not be liable for delivery issues that are beyond its control.