KATANA, O-suriage, (Aoe)


blade length 69.4cm,  curvature 1.2cm,  thickness at the base 7mm, width 3.1cm,  weight 750g
 
It is a genuine "Aoe" school Katana from Nambokucho period (14th century). It is shortened as its original tang cut off, O-suriage. It must be a long tachi blade as its original. The style, broad and long blade with O-kissaki, means a fashion in Nambokucho.
 
The tang is newly re-shaped probably in Muromachi period (16th century).


 
The steel is a Namazu-hada what is typical in Aoe school during the late Kamakura period to Nambokucho period. Namazu-hada means a spotted appearance that made of two different coloured steels.








 
The hamon is a straight pattern (Suguha), including natural appearances like kochoji, komidare, kogunome, koashi. It still keeps enough width, and mainly made of tight temper line.








 
On the whole, it is a healthy blade with wide and thick meat, and enough hamon. And the steel illustrates a typical appearance of Aoe school's spotted steel. The spotted steel is not a problem, but the total quality of the steel is not very excellent, because some parts of the temper line become mild.
It must be a blade in Aoe school, though it is not a top class in them.
It is good to study real Aoe blade in Nambokucho period.
 
 
 

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