The Craft of the Japanese Sword

The Craft of the Japanese Sword
Author: Leon Kapp
Publisher: Kodansha International
Total Pages: 176
Release: 1987
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN: 9780870117985

From raw steel to tempered blade, this text presents a visual account of thencient craft of swordmaking as practiced in modern Japan.

Art of the Japanese Sword

Art of the Japanese Sword
Author: Yoshindo Yoshihara
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 592
Release: 2012-09-10
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN: 1462909965

In The Art of the Japanese Sword, master swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara offers a detailed look at the entire process of Japanese sword making, including the finishing and appreciation of Japanese blades. Japanese sword art stands out in many ways: functionality as a weapon, sophisticated metallurgy and metalsmithing, the shape of the blade itself--all contribute to the beauty of these remarkable weapons. The Art of the Japanese Sword conveys to the reader Japanese samurai sword history and Japanese sword care, as well as explaining how to view and appreciate a blade. With 256 full-color pages, this sword book illustrates in meticulous detail how modern craftsmen use traditional methods to prepare their steel, forge the sword and create the unique hardened edge. By gaining a good understanding of how a sword is actually made, the reader will be able to appreciate the samurai sword more fully. Topics include: Appreciating the Japanese sword History of the Japanese sword Traditional Japanese steelmaking Making the sword Finishing the sword

Bokken

Bokken
Author: Dave Lowry
Publisher: Black Belt Communications
Total Pages: 196
Release: 1986
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN: 9780897501040

Focusing his expertise on the techniques and history of the bokken—the wooden training sword used by both ancient samurai and today’s swordsmen—the author maintains that training with the bokken is important on two levels for the modern practitioner: to build the physical stamina, rhythms, and adroit body movements of traditional swordsmanship and to achieve something of the animating spirit of the traditional swordsman. This history of the bokken combines the author's concise, eloquent writing style with more than 100 photographs to provide the reader with the traditional and modern perspectives of this vital, historically rich practice tool.

The Art of the Japanese Sword

The Art of the Japanese Sword
Author: Kunihira Kawachi
Publisher: Ribun Shuppan Company
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2006-07
Genre: Swords
ISBN: 9781891640414

The more than thousand-year-old art of sword making in Japan is one of the world's most brilliant metalworking traditions. In danger of being lost when sword manufacture was prohibited after the Second World War, today the art is making an astonishing comeback in the hands of a new generation of swordsmiths. In this book master swordsmith Kunihira Kawachi introduces through beautiful color photographs examples of swords that he has created or restored. Questions and answers covering many aspects of sword culture are followed by a thorough chapter teaching how to care for and appreciate Japanese swords, and a discussion of the many legends surrounding the swords of the most famous swordsmen in Japanese history. A central section illustrates the tools and techniques for making Japanese swords with more than 50 color and monochrome photos. Finally, a chapter of essays presenting the lives and opinions of those involved in sword making in Japan today is followed by appendixes listing such useful information as the best museums in which to view fine sword collections around the world. This modest book is packed with information of use to all connoisseurs and collectors of Japanese swords, as well as anyone interested in Japanese metal crafts or martial culture.

Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords

Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords
Author: Markus Sesko
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 554
Release: 2014-09-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 131256315X

This completely new encyclopedic reference for the Japanese sword contains about 2,500 terms, many of them illustrated by photos and drawings. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords is an A-Z general encyclopedia covering each and every part of the sword: the blade, the mountings, the fittings, and all their different interpretations. Further, this encyclopedia also explains the literal or etymological meaning of each Japanese term and provides an even deeper insight into the subject.

The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords

The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords
Author: Kōkan Nagayama
Publisher: Kodansha International
Total Pages: 384
Release: 1997
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN: 9784770020710

Connoisseur's Book Japanese Swords is a Kodansha International publication.

Samurai Sword

Samurai Sword
Author: John M. Yumoto
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2013-01-08
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN: 1462907067

The samurai sword: a symbol of the spirit of old Japan, it embodies the samurai's steel discipline, unswerving devotion and peerless skill. With its creation, a feat of craftsmanship passed down by generations of artisans, the samurai sword is generally considered to be superior even to the famed blades of Western Damascus and Toledo. The Samurai Sword Handbook is a precise exploration of the samurai sword designed for sword collectors as well as anyone intrigued by these ancient blades. Detailing the origins and development of the samurai sword, its historical background, styles, famous schools and differences in construction, this revised edition of the classic reference outlines methods of identifying and researching the sword, as well as caring for it properly. This must-have for sword lovers is sure to be a bestseller. Topics of this Samurai book include: Japanese History and the Samurai Sword Types of swords Parts of the sword Blade shape, construction, and grain The making of the sword Inscriptions and their readings Care and maintenance Appraisal and value Relative point values

The Japanese Sword

The Japanese Sword
Author: Kanzan Satō
Publisher: Kodansha International
Total Pages: 218
Release: 1983
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN: 9780870115622

One of the foremost experts on the Japanese sword describes their history andppreciations in this book, with photographs and illustrations.

The Art of Tsukamaki

The Art of Tsukamaki
Author: Thomas Buck
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 136
Release: 2014-11-25
Genre:
ISBN: 9781505226140

Tsukamaki, combining aesthetics, form and function, is the deceptively simple Japanese art of sword handle wrapping. Dr. Buck's work presents a general historical overview of the evolution of Japanese samurai swords and sword mounts, as well as step-by-step instructions and diagrams for 25 specific types of sword handle wrapping. It also includes a compact visual glossary of Japanese swords, general temper patterns and common signature characters. As a reference book, it is both an excellent introduction to the art of Tsukamaki, and a complete how-to guide for the beginner tsukamaki-shi, or sword handle wrapper.