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    Yakiire (Edge Hardening) and Curvature

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    DANIEL DIAZ
    This document discusses the process of yakiire, or edge hardening, and how it results in curvature of the blade. The blade is heated unevenly, with the edge reaching a higher temperature than the body. Upon quenching in water, the edge cools faster and transforms into martensite, expanding slightly. Meanwhile, the body cools slower and transforms into pearlite, contracting. This causes the blade to curve towards the back edge, giving it its characteristic curvature.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Yakiire (Edge Hardening) and Curvature

    Uploaded by

    DANIEL DIAZ
    73 views1 page
    This document discusses the process of yakiire, or edge hardening, and how it results in curvature of the blade. The blade is heated unevenly, with the edge reaching a higher temperature than the body. Upon quenching in water, the edge cools faster and transforms into martensite, expanding slightly. Meanwhile, the body cools slower and transforms into pearlite, contracting. This causes the blade to curve towards the back edge, giving it its characteristic curvature.

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    This document discusses the process of yakiire, or edge hardening, and how it results in curvature of the blade. The blade is heated unevenly, with the edge reaching a higher temperature than the body. Upon quenching in water, the edge cools faster and transforms into martensite, expanding slightly. Meanwhile, the body cools slower and transforms into pearlite, contracting. This causes the blade to curve towards the back edge, giving it its characteristic curvature.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    73 views1 page

    Yakiire (Edge Hardening) and Curvature

    Uploaded by

    DANIEL DIAZ
    This document discusses the process of yakiire, or edge hardening, and how it results in curvature of the blade. The blade is heated unevenly, with the edge reaching a higher temperature than the body. Upon quenching in water, the edge cools faster and transforms into martensite, expanding slightly. Meanwhile, the body cools slower and transforms into pearlite, contracting. This causes the blade to curve towards the back edge, giving it its characteristic curvature.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    Yakiire (edge hardening) and curvature

    by
    C.U. Guido Schiller

    1) After forging and final shaping the blade is covered with clay, a
    thick layer on the body and a thinner layer on the edge where the
    Yakiba will be. After the clay has dried, the sword is placed in a
    charcoal fire until the temperature reaches approximately
    700°Centigrade (1290°Fahrenheit) on the back and 800°Centigrade
    (1470°Fahrenheit) on the edge. Due to the heating the blade gains
    somewhat in dimensions, and the tip curves a little upwards. It is
    then plunged into a container with water of a temperature of about
    20°Centigrade (70°Fahrenheit).

    2) In the water the edge, which has a thinner clay coating, cools off faster than the main
    body of the sword - the thicker clay, together with the greater thickness of the blade itself,
    keeps the heat longer than in the edge portion. The material at the edge contracts, and two
    seconds after the swords has been put into the water the blade curves slightly towards the
    edge; this is called Saka-zori or Gyaku-zori ("reversed Sori").

    3) Five seconds after the blade


    got immersed in water, the
    rapid cooling of the edge
    caused a transformation of the
    steel structure from austentite
    (a nonmagnetic solid
    solution) to martensite (a very
    hard and brittle solid solution
    of iron and carbon), resulting
    in an expansion of the edge.
    The body of the sword,
    cooling off slower and
    loosing its expansion which
    was caused by the heat,
    crystallizes into pearlite (a
    mixture of iron and cementite
    [iron carbide]). In other
    words: the edge expands
    while the back shrinks, thus
    gaining a Sori towards the
    back, the typical shape of a
    Nihontô.

    sources:
    conversations with Takano Yukimitsu
      and Ohno Yoshimitsu   
    NBTHK - Tôken Bijutsu # 52

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