MASTERPIECE BY YOSHINDO YOSHIHARA.
EARLY KOTO, AOE SCHOOL STYLE
EXCEPTIONALLY LARGE PROPORTIONS!

BLADE STYLE:  HIRAZUKURI ( FLAT SIDED ), IORI ( PEAKED) MUNE.

TYPE: "O-WAKIZASHI" OR "O-TANTO"

NAGASA (LENGTH): = 16 1/4", - 41.2 cm..

MIHABA (WIDTH): = 1 5/8", - 4.3 cm., 1 3/4" FROM
THE MUNE MACHI TO THE CUTTING EDGE. "EXTREMELY WIDE"
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE APPROX., DUE TO CONVERSION FACTORS
(SHAKU, TO CM., TO INCH'S )

SORI (CURVE): = 3/16", - 0.8 cm.

HADA ( GRAIN STRUCTURE ): DENSE "KO-ITAME" ( TIGHT FINE WOOD ),
"JI-NIE" ( SPRINKLED WITH * MARTENSITE CRYSTALS *[ MS ] ), "CHIKEI"
( GRAYISH LINES OF [ MS ] FLOATING JUST BELOW THE SURFACE.  AIDS IN REVEALING THE "THREE DIMENSIONAL APPEARANCE OF THE HADA".
"UTSURI" ( LIKE LOOKING AT THE REFLECTION OF THE "HAMON" ( TEMPERING)
IN A TRANQUIL POOL OF WATER ( VERY IMPORTANT ).

 

 

HAMON ( TEMPERING PATTERN ): LARGE RARE, " SAKA CHOJI "
( SLANTING, LIKE CLOVER LEAFS IN THE WIND, OR LIKE BILLOWING SLANTING
CLOUDS )! "NIOI DEKI" ( NIE THAT IS VERY FINE, [ MS ] CRYSTALS THAT ARE SO
FINE THEY LOOK LIKE COTTON ). "SAKA ASHI" ( SLANTING VERTICAL STREAKS ), AND "YO" ( LEAF SHAPED PATTERNS OF TEMPERING ). THIS STYLE OF HAMON IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DO, THUS IT IS SELDOM SEEN. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE HAMONS, I HAVE EVER SEEN.

 

BOSHI ( TEMPERING IN THE POINT ): "KO-MARU" ( SMALL INSIDE CURVE OF TEMPERING, WITH TURN BACK )

 

 

HORIMONO (ENGRAVING): IN "HI" ( GROOVE'S)
GIN ZOGAN ( SILVER INLAYED). DONE BY: YOSHINDO!

 

 

NAKAGO ( TANG ): "SUJI KAI YASURI" ( SLANTING FILE MARKS ), "KURI JIRI" (  SLIGHTLY ROUNDED, TANG END ) "TRANSLATION": SEE NAKAGO ( TANG ) PHOTO, BLADE WAS MADE IN 1989.