A diary about polishing a sword

[Bob Coleman]

In order to properly approach the polish of Nihon-to, the following must be identified so please respond
1. What is the age of the blade?
2. What is the school of the blade?
3. What type of steel are you dealing with?
4. Does the blade require a sashikomi or keisho polish?
5. What type of stones are going to be required?
6. What is the gigane and the hamon of the blade?
7. How do you bring out the gigane?
8. How do you handle niku?
A minimum five year apprenticeship is required to learn the art of polish and kantei. Do not lecture e on the fact that you know more about polish than I do. I have been a serious collector and student of the Japnese sword for over 40 years. I have lived in Japan and spent many days watching master polishers ply their trade. It takes nearly a year for the polisher to be able perfect the manner of sitting to do togi.
These are valid points that I doubt you can answer. Just another amateur not knowing what the blade really is and possibly destroying it. There is much more to togi than making the steel shiny.

[juoneen]

I don't mean to have my comments seem like piling on, but Japanese swords collecting, and understanding the swords is even difficult for the Japanese who in general have lost much of their technical knowledge , especially about certain period swords ...not to mention some Japanese polishers can make mistakes too.
Nazi items are nothing compared to Japanese metallurgy , for those who are reputable in the art of restoring swords.
Be that as it may, I think bob was misunderstood, and is trying to educate and help, not hurt....as this may save you in the future , as many rare swords tend to hit the market that have histories and high value you may run across.
It pays to join a sword club if possible that has long time collectors like,bob in it, who share their knowledge, but remember this one thing...and this bothered me about the hobby especially and that is if you have a rare sword , no matter how friendly other sword collectors are, if you find a really rare sword, they will not act like it is so, as everyone is out for themselves, so never forget it, but at times like this the advice was sound, and it pays to do it right , but it also has to be the right value sword...to make it worth while .
We all have to learn the hard way...but EJ peppins outlines on sword information is worth studying, so you know what to look for when buying to determine what to buy , at what price...so if you do not consider the advice sound It is like trying to talk to someone looking at an ss dagger who checks the blade for sharpness, and puts their hands on it without wiping it down after...just etiquette IMO, same with polishing swords ....if it isn't worth polishing , it should be left as found....but it deliberately is not something that can be learned from any book , as book polishing lessons are like restaraunts recipes, always some secret left out .
I think you have learned a good lesson and hopefully you will be receptive to the good intentions sent your way and is the beginning of the quest to learn more about the hobby since you now have an interest. Otherwise your work didn't change the value for the better on this sword, but possibly just may have hurt. Anybody agree other than bob who has thirty years in studying these swords at least.
Whatever you do , don't think you can go into the polishing business after six months of research....and to to others wanting swords polished , beware of having anybody polish any sword who does not have a long time reputation in that specific business . This is a good thread to learn what not to do .

[gunto]

Dont polish swords! You dont know what you are doing. Sword would be ruined.

[nickn]

In this case the sword was ruined and would never have received a proper polish

[blinky]

In this case the sword was ruined and would never have received a proper polish

Right. It's not like it's an "important" blade and as Ben has said, he bought it so he's free to do what he wishes to it. I think the big fear with this thread is that it might give confidence to someone to try and tackle a polish and end up ruining a nice sword.

[nickn]

I had a late generation tadayoshi wakizashi in terrible condition
I sent it to a well known polisher in Japan who turned it down saying the skin steel would not survive a polish hizento having thin skins
I gave it to an amateur and it came Back fully intact so I got a well know uk polisher to finish it papered 3rd gen
So for this sword an amateur saved it's life

But I suggest playing with old worn out swords with flaws
Anything else give to an expert for a polish metal is easy to take off it cannot be put back on

[BenVK]

I did sound arrogant and I'm sorry, but how do you expect me to react to all the negative comments?

If you were at a car show, would you walk up to one of the owners and tell them to their face that their restoration is all wrong and they shouldn't have painted it that colour or put those wheels on etc etc? If you did that, what reaction would you expect to receive?

But it seems it's perfectly ok on the internet to criticise someone's hard work and I should have known it would turn into a lecture and remonstration.

[BenVK]

I think the big fear with this thread is that it might give confidence to someone to try and tackle a polish and end up ruining a nice sword.

I don't think there's any fear of this thread doing that now!

[blinky]

Yeah, I'm afraid to even touch mine now

[Bob Coleman]

I recall an unsigned sword that was black from oxidation as it had been stored many years without fittings. Nothing was visible and it could only be judged by shape. It certainly to many would fit in to the category of being bought cheap and not something anyone would invest money in. It was rescued from an amateur polisher by an individual who recognized the possibility of value in the piece. It was polished in Japan and judged Juyo Token by the NBTHK as mid 12th c. Katayama Ichimonji. This is an example of why the untrained should never try polishing.

[Bob Coleman]

I did sound arrogant and I'm sorry, but how do you expect me to react to all the negative comments?

If you were at a car show, would you walk up to one of the owners and tell them to their face that their restoration is all wrong and they shouldn't have painted it that colour or put those wheels on etc etc? If you did that, what reaction would you expect to receive?

But it seems it's perfectly ok on the internet to criticise someone's hard work and I should have known it would turn into a lecture and remonstration.

Ben-
My posts have nothing to do with hard work. Hard work that is incorrect in approach will always be incorrect. As you were unable to reply to any of my questions, you must realize you are lacking in the knowledge and training to take on such a task and further, in the future, possibly take on work from others. This field is very different from restoration of visor caps at which you excelled. Please understand my posts were informational backed up with facts and intended to be that, not criticism.

[nickn]

Bob
99.9+ % of swords do not warrant a $2000+ polish
Most are not art objects so it doesn't really matter what the owners do to them
Nick

[Bob Coleman]

Nick-
I would agree with your statement with the caveat that few know what they have and there is the conundrum.

[Brian Robinson]

I wouldn't bother Bob.
There is really no point. They will continue to ruin swords and make sure they don't survive for the next generation.

[Bob Coleman]

I wouldn't bother Bob.
There is really no point. They will continue to ruin swords and make sure they don't survive for the next generation.

Brian-
I agree with your statement. I hope only to save one decent sword from destruction. I have seen too many blades ruined by ego and no skill. I recall one guy who learned his "skill" from studying wood block prints. He wrecked a lot of blades before he was finally hounded out of the hobby.