NIOI · sword polishing · Leiden
(01) Kongō-dō · removing rust
000

Japanese sword polishing
and records. Leiden, since 2011.

[email protected]
Oude Vest 141, Leiden

Macro view of a Rai school blade: straight suguha hamon with fine nie crystals along it.
(a.)The register

Bladeswe polished

Six recent blades from five traditions, with the record we keep of each: measurements, what we found, what we did, and a rubbing.

Owners' names are not published

(a.)Bizen Osafune SukesadaBizenEiroku era, 1558-157068.2 cmHadori2024 Bizen · 68.2 cm · Hadori · 2024 (b.)Mumei, attributed to the Rai schoolYamashiroLate Kamakura, early 14th century70.9 cmSashikomi2023 Yamashiro · 70.9 cm · Sashikomi · 2023 (c.)Sōshū TsunahiroSōshūTenshō era, 1573-159266.7 cmHadori2025 Sōshū · 66.7 cm · Hadori · 2025 (d.)Mumei, attributed to the Tegai schoolYamatoNanbokuchō, 14th century69.4 cmSashikomi2022 Yamato · 69.4 cm · Sashikomi · 2022 (e.)Kanemoto, MinoMinoMuromachi, mid-16th century64.8 cmHadori2026 Mino · 64.8 cm · Hadori · 2026 (f.)Mumei, Osaka shintō, Sukehiro schoolOsaka shintōEnpō era, 1673-168170.0 cmHadori2021 Osaka shintō · 70.0 cm · Hadori · 2021
(b.)The rubbings

Six oshigata

An oshigata is the blade's fingerprint: the outline and ridges taken in graphite on washi, the tang rubbed whole with its file marks and signature, the hamon drawn in by hand while looking at the steel under a lamp.

Oshigata rubbing of Bizen Osafune Sukesada(a.)SukesadaOshigata rubbing of Mumei, attributed to the Rai school(b.)Rai schoolOshigata rubbing of Sōshū Tsunahiro(c.)TsunahiroOshigata rubbing of Mumei, attributed to the Tegai school(d.)Tegai schoolOshigata rubbing of Kanemoto, Mino(e.)KanemotoOshigata rubbing of Mumei, Osaka shintō, Sukehiro school(f.)Sukehiro school