The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-07
N, sEcoN4 AVENUE

forseroum was darkened. to make u eas-
Ter to judge the right glow OF the steel
On the forge. The hlAde was covered Win
loam or clay from one to three-sixteenths
OF an inch thick. and narrow strip was
scraped bare a. the cutting edge vari-
GUS smiths. with varied fances. scrape
\ on with straight, or dentAted. e. wavy
lines: and the pattern always remains att
er the tenperfng ID over.
The blade was heated. with great care
that Il should have Just the right cherry
glow. and plunged into the bath Here. too.
the fancy or the traditions Of the maker
family dictate different methods some
plunge the sword m perpendsculariy. some
horizontally. with the blade downward.
some with the edge downward. The blade
was kept In constant motion. The part
that had keen covered with loan was very
soft when the steel had cooled: tbs part
that had been scrapesf bare was very hard.
The curve OF the finished blade was .
marvel Of accuracy.
The finished sword h usually engraved
with the makers signature. bat the best
smiths are 80 proud OF their work. and II
has 10 the expert eye 30 much individuality.
that they disdain any signature The sword
II finished on a whetstone by careful and
tedious rubbing. and 10 polished with fine
stone and rice powder. Some ancient rule
OF the art has fixed upon winter A. the best
season for polishing q sword.
Testlng the Ftnished Blade.
To be really valuable and worthy Of =
place In Q notieman's collection the blade
must be tried AT an execution. on one or
more men At single blow. On one blade
there can be seen. recorded In gold letters.
the fact that it cut through three bodies at
one stroke. Sometimes a sºaker who
has not proper pride and reverence for
his art win try hig sword on eadaver or
on carcasses OF sheep. but the sword 50
tested can never have the dignity and value
Of one tried on living bodies There are
other tests. such as cutting coins, hairs and
leaves, but these minor forms, like most
OF the other details OF swordmaking. are
often hereditary. and the maker tries his
blade on exactly the same objects and
by his MISREPRESENTATION and his an
cestors before him.
A large number Of the swords bought by
strangers In japan and taken home to be
displayed with mulch pride and circum-
stantiai relation OF swersimaking legends
are gross frauds. The sword that is really
valuable should have. fastened to the heft
by wax seal. the linen tag Of the Inn
perial Inspector certifying Its date, its max
er and It's test.
Judging blade.
Sao&ilS q Riauc - 40 HUGH VI Ill oAt rs
Is the judging OF porcelain or gems The
greater the contrast between the blue Of
the soft steel and the white Of the tenn
pered edge the better the blade. The line
between the two colors should not be too
fine. On the side OF the blade are usually
paIer spots. shaped like little clouds. and
placed symmetricaily at intervals Of a few
inches These are the s'innoy." adding
much to the value and beauty Of the sword
and made by a trick OF tempering.
Capt. ZallnSki found that Toledo blades,
as far as the secret OF their manufacture
could be learned. were made by almost the
same method used by the Japanese. He
broke an old Toledo. and. putting the fracr
ture under microscope, found It's texture
apparently the same that OF the Japan
ene sword --Nevy York Evening Post