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Post by Lonely Wolf Forge on Jan 3, 2014 1:52:21 GMT
Heres a really interesting video by one of my favorite sword smiths, Walter Sorrells. In the video he demonstrates that contrary to popular belief, Hira zukuri geometry blades arenot necessarily just for trick cutting light targets, and that they can be made in such a manner that they will perform just as well as any other
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Post by uchiha998 on Jan 3, 2014 16:49:00 GMT
Yeah I just mentioned this video, in a reply to post about the new Munetoshi Hira-Zukuri blade.
I think that some of the idea that Hira-Zukuri blades are not very strong comes from the fact that many, if not most, of the Hira-Zukuri swords out there are designed strictly as mat cutters and trick cutters and they are therefore thinner than most Shinogi-Zukuri. I would love to know the specs on the blade Walter Sorrel uses in this video. Of course, we should all be careful not forget that this a Walter Sorrel blade and not a production katana. And it is likely a blade that he designed purposely to be a really tough Hira-Zukuri blade.
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Post by johnwalter on Jan 5, 2014 3:33:17 GMT
Heres a production hira on bamboo. viewtopic.php?f=22&t=17119Something to think about.While I have not researched the use of this blade geometry in ancient Japan,it is a historical design.And the Japanese of those times were not trick cutters. The Yuki is a Korean samgakdo design.Similar to hira zukuri,not hira zukuri.Im not gonna open the debate of who copied who and all the KSA vs JSA mess.But dont mistake the Yuki for a traditonal hira zukuri design.It should be said however that there are samgakdo blades capable of cutting bamboo,MAS comes to mind.The Yuki is purpose made for trick cuts.Razor sharp,really thin and light.Made to slice thru mats and be fast and easily maneuvered for less experienced cutters to make trick cuts,period.Im not saying their arent good cutters using it,but the sword is what it is.
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Post by Richard Arias on Jan 13, 2014 18:36:08 GMT
The modern fear came around 2001 or so when the VP of the Toyama fed "Big Tony" Alvarez Broke a moster 32 in hira that was 8mm thick at habaki 5mm at kissaki widths were close to XL geometry but thicker. It was a prototype that looked like a Bugei blade in its make and finish (High End Folded Powder Steel Hanwei). The sword broke when he tried to cut 12 to 6 on a big mat. He tried to angle out to save the peg and ended up hitting the 4x4, taking a chunk out and then planting the blade into one of the 2x4 legs. You can guess what happened.... SNAP! A clean two piece break.
In the aftermath hira geomery was said to be the reason. But at tha time Big Tony was 6'8 350lbs. When a man that size outs pressure on a sword after its planted into solid wood guess what happens.... it breaks. The sword had done months of demos and competition cutting Yoko Narabi (lots of mats side by side) and Futomaki (big mat roll). Even futomaki with 1in oal dowels in the center. The sword had no bends or chips. It was looked at by Ted Tenold before it broke on the day. In the end even howard clark said on a forum that any blade aside from an L6 of course would have broke. In an email Big Tony tried to tell me that a rockwell test showed it to be to hard. But I believe that to be a load of bull so a great swordsman does not have to accept he made a mistake. Even monkeys fall from trees after all.
Blades of thick build are not popular hira or otherwise because the no niku thin mune blades cut easy and make cutting look pretty overall. This fad came from the Hataya Kotetsu and the Toyama and Batto feds cutting competition winners and the profile of blade they used.
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