Togishi Studio Japanese Sword Polishing

SOME WORDS ON TOGI

Togi--sword polishing--is an art in itself, a perpetual study of tradition which can take more than a lifetime to master. A true togishi should never stop learning, nor should they feel that they has reached the limits of the art. There are none. A togishi should polish only for the true love of the sword and not solely for money.

I am a togishi, an artist who continues the creation of the blades forged from steel. The tosho, or swordsmith, will bring a blade to life and I reflect that tosho's work as I see fit without straying from the tosho's style. In other cases I am restoring or preserving older swords.

Please note: I do not pass off any of my togi work to others, i.e., students or second party craftsmen. The outcome is solely my work alone.

In this art there are no short cuts of any kind. Short cuts can be seen a mile away and are often indicative of poor polishes. The work that I bring forth is nothing short of superb. With the traditional teachings I apply the very same techniques to modern steels, which in many cases proves to be a very difficult task.

I have trained in the art of togi for many years. I have customers from all over the world and my returning customer list continues to grow. My dedication to the arts is reflected in my work. It is not about merely picking up a sword and putting it to a stone. You must understand the Japanese sword--nihonto--and that knowledge only comes with years of study. I strive for perfection, to push beyond my abilities to further my skills as a togishi. I have had the privilege of polishing blades for several noteworthy smiths in the US, some of whom choose to work strictly with me. I am honored to be working so very close with them and to behold their craft.

U.S. Smiths I Strictly Work With:

-Anthony DiCristofano

-Michael Bell

-Rick Barrett

I have also polished many blades by Howard Clark, Adam Coleman and Louis Mills.

WHAT IS A PROPER POLISH

A proper polish is done solely with the use old and modern Japanese techniques. If the polish is done correctly, all of the lines should be sharp and well defined. There should not be any depressions or rounded surfaces along the ji of the blade. The blade's ji-hada should be clearly visible and all the details brought out. There is no substitute on technique when finishing a blade. The finish should only be done using natural stones. The use of anything else will likely hide or mask over the blades ji-hada and/or details such as nie, nioi, ashi, kinsuji, inazuma and nijuba just to name a few.

Another sign of a proper polish is that all of the blade's geometry is consistent throughout the body of the blade. As the above mentioned there should not be any dips or roundness of any kind. Please note in some cases if the blade had been badly damaged or poorly polished from years prior the work of preservation and not restoration will be executed. This would not allow for a blade to be corrected and restored fully but to merely preserve the blade.

***WARNING***

Polishing left in the hands of someone inexperienced is very dangerous. This type of service is an injustice to the art and can cause irreparable damage to the blade. Once metal is removed there is no way to put it back. Proper training is the key here to insure a blade receives proper treatment. There is simply no alternative.

It seems to be a trend now days to become a craftsmen in some area of the Japanese sword. New sites can be found popping up offering polishing, habaki and so on. Becoming a professional does not happen within a few weeks time. Proper teaching of the craft is the key point. This means the teaching one receives comes from another who has been taught professionally. So a dojo buddy or a do it yourselfer does not fall within that realm. There is no justifying a person with no proper training and poor polishes damaging new or old sword. Even if they like to tell you how much they love the craft and the Japanese sword. If the truly did love the craft and the art of the Japanese sword they would stop what they were doing!

Beware of low cost polishes and the "do it yourselfers" who offer a type of polishing service. These are not proper polishes.

Beware of polishers who feel they have had their training through many years of Martial Art training. This does not qualify a person to polish! I have seen many swords damaged by these people.

Modern knife / sword makers also beware of. Some claim to hold the skills of a polisher and damage or alter a blades shape beond repair! They are BURN AND BUFF JOBS.

Beware of sandpaper polishers and the use of acids! Acids over time will create rust and pitting on the blade.

The use of grinders, buffers, acids and/or modern abrasives such as sandpaper should be prohibited. I refer to these types of polishes as "burn and buff jobs," and they will damage the blade.

In my time as a polisher I have seen to many swords damaged due to improper polishes. Some have been salvageable, whereas others were not. Finding someone with the required knowledge and skill level is the key to avoiding this disaster.

If you feel unsure that the togishi has enough training and skill ask for a few professional references. This should not include their next door neighbor, grandfather or their dojo buddy.

INSITE INTO MY TOGI

This is just a short run down of some of the stages of my polish as there is much more that goes into a traditional polish. There are many things that you will not find by reading a good book or visiting a web page. Some of these things are kept secret within the craft; one can only truly learn of the process through proper instruction. I hope this helps you get an idea.

- SHITAJI -

I put many long hours into each blade I polish. My polishing is done traditionally, using all Japanese polishing stones. One of the most important areas focused on is keeping and/or correcting the geometry. The Japanese sword is made up of many surfaces and lines. Some of these areas are the ji, shinogiji, shinogi, ko-shinogi, mune and iori. Not all of the blades I receive have the geometry set or in good existing condition. As a polisher, you must have the skill to shape a blade by stone. The geometry is set in the very beginning foundation polishing stage. The stones used in the foundation polishing--shitaji--are coarse to fine grit. I cannot stress enough how important this stage is. Without the use of proper skill a blade's geometry can become flawed and in some cases damaged.

- SHIAGE -

Small thin stones are used in the finishing stage of the polish, shiage. The stones used at this point are hazuya and jizuya. These finer stones are worked across the hamon and ji surface of the blade. Doing this will not only remove fine scratches left behind, but will also continue to whiten the hamon and the jihada will be very visable now. The hazuya stone is worked across the hamon and the jizuya across the ji. Things that may be brought out when done properly at this time are ashi, nie or nioi, and utsuri. This is the most enjoyable stage of polishing for me. I really enjoy watching the beauty unfold.

Nugui--iron oxide--is applied to the blade in the final step. This step is purely cosmetic; it darkens and brings out the details in the steel. Nearing the end the boshi is polished using the hazuya stone. This is a long, very time consuming process. The boshi will have a matte white finish when completed. The last step in the whole polishing process is burnishing. The shinogiji and the mune are the areas that will be burnished in this process.

MODERN WORKS FROM U.S. SMITHS

As stated before I do with close with sword smiths within the United States. These smiths are producing some the the finest swords around. Their work is very true to traditional and can be seen in every piece made. Some steels can be different to that what you would find with Nihonto. A few of the smiths work in Japanese steel that is imported from Japan. The following is a list of steels you may find the smiths work forged from.

Modern mono steels: One single piece of steel. At times will show natural grain structure. This steel will not produce the same ji-hada found in Nihonto.

Orishigane: This steel is a mixture of irons made by the smith himself. The iron is collected and the carbon is brought to what is found in Nihonto. Each smith has their own mixture.

Tamahagane: This is steel from Japan! The smith will import this steel straight from Japan to be used in the forging of higher end swords.

Please note: Tamahagane is a word used very freely in todays time. You will see it used in listings ranging from production swords to custom makers. Self made steel from sand even made within tradition is NOT tamahagane. This steel must come only from Japan for it to be true tamahagane. So please do not be fooled. Make sure you are getting the reaal thing before you pay high dollar amounts.

TRAINING YOUR EYE

There is a lot of information you can find out there on Japanese swords both modern made and Nihonto. With that being said there is a lot of misinformation (myths) and nonsense out there also.

Here is the best way I can help you answer all of your questions. Pick up a few of the books listed below. There will be a wealth of information at hands reach. And yes much of the information you will find applies to modern made swords in the U.S.. I have no doubt you will learn a lot from them and will start to develop a good eye. In the end a proper educated buyer is the better buyer. And if you still have questions, like always I will most happy to answer any of them.

"The Craft of the Japanese Sword"
Its shows in detail the painstaking steps involved in the making of a Japanese sword.

"The Art of Polishing the Japanese Sword"
Likewise this books shows the amount of attention and detail that goes into the traditional polishing of a Japanese sword?h

"Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths"
Looks and swordsmithing history from 1868 up to present times with some good interviews with top smiths in Japan.

"The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords"
This book covers Japanese swords from the very beginning and takes a look at each of the gokaden as well as work from Shinto and Shinshinto times.

"The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths"
Contains some very interesting interviews with some top Japanese sword smiths.