Scott A. Roush 18 Posted February 8, 2014 here is the blade at 800 paper, vinegar etch, Flitz and 1000 grit loose silicon carbide. Looking into options for taking it finer.. The blade looks dark due to lighting.. it's actually a bright mirror in normal light. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scott A. Roush 18 Posted February 8, 2014 Another thing.. what is something like this actually called? The blade length is 5 3/4" .. so too short for tanto I guess. Is it technically a 'kwaiken' or 'kaiken'? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joe pierre 21 Posted February 8, 2014 Another thing.. what is something like this actually called? The blade length is 5 3/4" .. so too short for tanto I guess. Is it technically a 'kwaiken' or 'kaiken'? yes, i think k(w)aiken applies here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaveJ 47 Posted February 8, 2014 another name for kaiken (懐剣 katakana: かいけん) is also known as futokoro katana, futokoro means something like "tucked in your clothes" and this is the samurai equivalent of a pocket knife or a hidden knife not usually meant to be carried through the obi (sash) as other nihonto people sometimes confuse aikuchi and kaiken, aikuchi is still a full sized tanto and may have elaborate mounting, menuki, tsukamaki, etc, just no tsuba (ai kuchi = "meeting mouth" because the koiguchi is next to the tsuka)...whereas kaiken are additionally very simple or unadorned, and usually have no kurikata, menuki, or kozuka slot, and are often shorter (to fit easily in a sleeve or belt fold)... thoughts from kashima~san: http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/kaiken.html http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/koshirae.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabin -Haraldr- Piedbois 1 Posted February 9, 2014 More, quick ! : Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
