Two people,one bench
(b.)Who does the work
Polisherand recorder
Sora Inaba
Nine years as an apprentice and assistant to a polisher in Okayama prefecture, then two years polishing for dealers in Tokyo. In Leiden since 2011. Every blade on the bench is polished by Sora, start to finish.
Merel de Wit
Trained as a paper conservator. Takes the oshigata, the photographs and the measurements, writes the condition record and handles the post and the paperwork with owners.
(c.)Prices
Priced bythe sun
| Work | Price |
|---|---|
| Full polish, hadori or sashikomi | €150 / sun |
| Window (a few cm, to judge a blade) | €180 |
| Oshigata with measurements | €240 |
| Written assessment | €90 |
| Shirasaya (storage scabbard), made by a sayashi we work with | from €650 |
| Insured return by courier, NL / EU | €65 / €120 |
One sun is 3.03 cm, measured as the nagasa: from the notch at the back of the blade to the tip, in a straight line. Prices include VAT.
Length23.1 sun
Full polish€3,465
On the bench6-8 wk
An estimate for a blade in fair condition. Deep rust or chips add time; we always quote in writing before starting.
(d.)Sending a blade
Photographsfirst
- (1)Photograph it. Both sides in daylight, the point, the tang with any signature, and the whole blade. Send them with the nagasa.
- (2)We reply within a week with what we see, whether a polish or a window makes sense, a written quote and a date on the waiting list.
- (3)Bring it or ship it. Bring it to the workshop by appointment, or send it insured in a hard case. Rules for carrying and shipping swords differ by country; check yours first. We do not arrange export papers.
- (4)It comes back with its record: the before and after photographs, the measurements, our notes, and the oshigata if you ordered one.
(e.)Questions
Asked often
Often, but not always. A traditionally made blade with its shape intact usually is. A blade with deep pitting, a crack, or one that has already been polished thin may be better served by a window and an assessment. Send photographs and we'll tell you.
No. The hamon goes through the steel; polishing shows it. What polishing does remove is steel, which is why we take off as little as the blade's condition allows.
Hadori makes the hamon read as a bright white shape and suits most blades. Sashikomi keeps the hamon exactly as it is and suits blades with a clear, active hamon and grain. We suggest one in the quote. See both on one blade.
You can visit once the blade is past the stones, usually in week three or four, to see it under the lamp before the finish. Visits are by appointment.
In a shirasaya, away from heaters and damp. Wipe it with a soft cloth and a thin coat of choji oil every two or three months, and never touch the steel with bare fingers. We include a short care sheet.
(f.)Write to us