Tadeusz Westawic on mon 3 nov 97
Hi All,
Some time ago I saw a program on PBS featuring several Japaneese artists
who had been declared "National Treasures" by the Japanese government. I
remember Hamada was among them. One of the artists was a smith and the
samurai sword making process was shown. In preparation for the final
tempering of the blade, the maker deposited a clay slip on the face of
the blade near the back edge. The blade with the slip in place was
heated and then cold quenched. The slip acted as a thermal ballast to
cause slower cooling of thick back of the blade while allowing the
cutting edge to cool quickly and temper. The finished blade wore an
attractive pattern where the fire, clay slip and cold quench had
interacted.
I want to know the word that the Japanese steel forgemen use to
designate the slip application in swordmaking, or the word that they use
to name the pattern left on the blade by the slip.
Can anyone help me?
Tadzu
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