© Copyright Robert Cole 2015 - No copying or distributing
Judging Quality
* Beauty is but An Aspect*
The classic route of identification, starting with SUGATA (see APPRAISAL OF BLADES - KOTO), becomes a matter of course. Through it date, province, school and hopefully smith have been ascertained. One comes to know whether an individual piece is a particularly good example of the work of an individual smith. At some point the intrinsic quality of the piece is judged, over and above all other considerations. It goes to the sword itself; revelation of the inner secret. It should be said that while the peculiar genius of some of these gentlemen have left us guessing at utterly unknowable secrets, defining the quality of a piece falls to understanding three main points, the heart of which is STEEL. These points follow in order: STEEL - The quality of steel throughout the piece. The smith's ability to make good steel. INTEGRITY - Sword construction considered as structural integrity only. How well the piece is put together. TEMPER - Quality of tempering and of tempered steels. Homogeneity of temper ("temper" refers to the YAKIBA and state of crystalline steels). In short, judgment is made on quality of steel and structural integrity of manufacture. As important as any aspect in appraisal, a sword is also judged in virtue of its VALIDITY AS A WEAPON. In this respect, understanding sword quality becomes not only a judgment of steel but knowledge of the history that dictated style-change. With study, one develops the sensibility and understanding to know for what purpose an individual sword was actually made, be it social, martial or artistic. It was always specific to an actual history. On this point it might be useful to add that in old Japan a complex and intricate system of secular and non-secular groups with varying and sometimes arduous disciplines existed, quite beyond the normal class distinctions found elsewhere in the world.Swords were kept in these social orders, in many cases, for succeeding generations. Some of these pieces wear this rich pedigree plainly. For the appraiser, historical integrity is as much an importance as how well knit the steels. Quality will, however, always resolve to steel. The fineness and purity of old steel, and the many coveted and lost secrets of making it. Note: Iron (the key of steel quality) was traded between individuals or between towns located within the relatively closed trading communities along one of The Eight Roads of old Japan. For this reason the steels in KOTO work have quality characteristics unique to the area of origin. (see THE FIVE SCHOOLS and KOTO - The Eight Roads)
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