The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-03-13
OLD JAPANESE ART
Swords OF Perfnmed Steel That
Cannot New Be Made.
MARVEL or A CRYSTAL BALL
Rubbed Into Perfect Sphere by Hand,
II Would Be Difficult to Duplicate It
With Modern MachiRery--Legend OF
the Secret Of SN~ordmaker.

UVG SeGTGI OV . SRNOTVtWaNtNs
Steel made more than 800 years ago,
with sweet odor put In so that the
metal still retains the scent-that is
one OF the secrets of an old japanese
sword maker described by Reginald f.
st. Fere Vaile of London. Mr.. Vale
is an amateur collector and his en-
thusiasm for the beauty OF old Japa
nese art has carried him far back
into the centuries.
Mr.. Vale actually owned sword OF
scented steel one time, but 1t was
stolen from the office OF his lawyer
several years ago. He regards this
loss rs the greatest a collector could
face and feels sure that he will never
get that sword back agnln.
1.-THE perfume was delicate and
pleasing" he said. ut is not the only
sword of the kind in the world. The
royal collection at Vienna has one. and
there are two or three more which
have retained their fragrance for all
these hundreds of years.
''The scent is actually part of the
bAttis hG SWOAu Wdb iuNdbGu III a
wood sheath, which gave forth no Odor.
The handle of the sword was OF wood,
which was easily removed and which
gave no odOr. The makers names.
father and son. were on the steel of
the handle.
81 entertained group Of Sheffield
steel men at my home several years
ago and just as surprise for them !
had the sword on the table. They were
boastlng abont what great steelmak-
ers they were, and then asked them
to smell the sword. They were the
most surprised men you ever saw.
'Steelmakers,' said There is
some real art in making steel; let us
see you equal that They could not, of
course"
Mr.. Vaile said that there are hun
dreds Of mechanical tricks of the Jap
anese artisans Of hundreds of years
ago which have been lost These men
have made many articles which can
not be duplicated with modern machin.
cry.
81 have in my home a crystal ball six
inches in diameter" he said at Is as
round as billiard ball; 1t will stand
any test for roundness. That was made
by hand several hundred years ago. 1t
would be difficult to make 1t now with
machinery, If 1t is possible; but think
of the years Of toll and the special abil-
ity required for man TO rub a block
Of crystal into perfect sphere"
Mr.. Vale said that old japanese
princes kept hordes of men at work,
paying them fairly well. These men
had food and lodging assured for the
rest of their lives, and they didn't have
to hurry with their work.
He told of one cabinet started by one
man for the prince who employed him
but who failed to finish it. He died
and the prince died. The son of the
artisan took up the work, expecting to
finish il for the son of the former
prince. They both died, and the cabi-
net was finally finished by the grand
son of the original cablnetmaker and
presented 10 the grandson OF the orig
innl prince
'"rhere was one sw0rdmaker who had
the trick Of making dagger with a
very hard steel point, which gradually
grew softer toward the handle. He did
this by taking dagger blade of uni
form hardness, packing 1t in clay which
was thicker toward the handle. In this
way when he heated the pack the heat
was graded, being strong at the point
and soft near the handle
''The secret lay in the temperature OF
the water he put IL In after heating
1t. No one could discover how hot the
water WIS or how long he kept the
mass IN the water.
"He had several young men working
for him, and one of these men, a trick.
ster was anxious TO learn the secret
The old man prepared bis bath In a
private tent One day he was coming
out of the tent with newly finished
sword under his arm when the young
man darted past him and stuck his
hand IN the water
''rhe Did man wheeled and struck
out with his sword. He cut so quickly
that he severed the young mans arm
before the young mans nerves could
convey any idea OF the temperature Of
the water to his brain-Or so they
say"
One " the old swordmakers had the
peculiar knack OF making swords
which, of themselves continually
searched for trouble. "Blood drink,
ers," these swords were named. There
was one OF them In the Bowes cOllec-
ton, which was sold 10 England aeven
or eight years ago.
zone OF my friends bought this
sword" said Mr.. Vaile. "He was ex-
planning it's peculiar nature to some OF
us. One of the men laughed at the
superstition Just as he was In the
middle OF gunfaw the sword slipped
out OF It's sheath, the handle struck
the floor and the point fell against his
leg, He was severely cut. ] saw this,
and. while l myself don't attach any
supernatural power to the sword, that
series OF facts keeps me from laughing
at II, New York Sun.
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Eai- Marnino