Japan is known as the Land of The Swords and Japanese were the people who are skillful craftsman and swordsmen who now the art of perfection. The art of Sword making was the work of the mountain monks and this was later passed on t the blacksmiths of Japan and they carried it on for generations to generations. Making swords in ancient Japan was a very sacred work as the priest had to wear their divinely robes and would cleanse themselves by sprinkling the holy water and prayed to God for their success in their task of making these word . These people didn’t work alone and many people helped them in making swords.
After making the sword there are other people who are skilled in the craft of sharpening the blade and polishing it so that it would be really exquisite and unique. All this was done by hand. People also make sword with wood and they are called Bokken and these sword are mainly used for martial arts practice.
Togishi:
Modern Days Sword Sharpeners are called Togishi and they are skillful craftsman who know how to deliver you the goods in perfect conditions. Togishi is a skillful craftsman that has all the knowledge of Japans’ culture and tradition and polishes and sharpens the sword according to the period and style the blade is designed.
Handling Samurai Japanese Swords:
Handling the samurai swords is a very skillful task as they are specially designed to cut flesh and they are also sensitive to human skin and because of these contacts can turn into rusts. So its best to use a white cloth to wipe the stains from the blade otherwise the sharpness of the blade will be affected. But people who decorate their Samurai swords in the home don’t require to be sharpened and they just need to be rust free so that the moisture doesn’t spoil its polish.
Things that are required to sharpen and polish Samurai Swords are:
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Sharpening Kit:
These kits can be easily brought from any store and it contains all the necessary tools that are required to sharpen and maintain the sword.
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Sandpaper:
The sand paper is made from coarse fine grit and sued to rub on the sword before sharpening it.
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Oils:
The oil helps to keep the sword rust and dust free.
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Japanese Water Stones:
These stones are used to sharpen the blade and they are two types. One is the natural one and they are very expensive so people usually use the artificial ones as they are cheaper and you have to wet these stones before sharpening and rubbing the sword blades.
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Grit:
This is used to measure the abrasiveness on the sword.