03/27/2023
After sitting in storage for 16 years, I decided it was time to start restoring this wakizashi I was gifted when I was 19. When I was given this sword the blade had already been in storage for an unknown length of time, possibly since the early 1900s, and the oxidization of the steel reflected that. I've spent tens of hours at this point removing what I could without damaging the blade. It's a slow but worthwhile process, with each pass of emery cloth revealing more of the incredible patterning in the folded steel.
I plan on bringing this piece back to life over the next several months in an effort to learn new techniques and skills, to create a piece of historically significant art, and to honour the efforts of the original creator of this beautiful specimen.
