cutting and cutting
After cutting we cleaned the dojo top to bottom and then chilled under the air conditioner with beverages and grapes.
Did I mention it was stupendously, unebarably hot? As in 30°C outside, easily 35°C inside. Where in the world has the typhoon season gone?
Izumo Daijo Ishibashi Masamitsu
My new friend. 2.3.7 length, 1070 grams of pure Edo Period joy.
Went by Sakaguchi-san's shop to pick it up, after having new fittings and tsuka (handle) put on that are more to my liking.
Actually not as heavy as I remember, with a decent profile and a fair amount of meatiness. Will try it in class on Friday, and will probably try cutting with it on Saturday as well. Not too much fear of bending it unless I try something stunningly silly.
Will be a trick getting used to a sword with so little audible feedback. The lack of bohi ("fullers" as the grooves that run lengthwise along the sides of the blade are called in the West) means a lack of the distinctive ha-oto (whistle or woosh) that you get with a decent cut. The geometry of this blade means it displays enough air to make a slight noise, but nothing like the whining-two-year-old-wants-a-Barney-DVD-and-some-apple-juice-RIGHT-NOW that my previous blade makes.