not exactly “ethnographic”...
I took a one-week long smithing class and made this. Yes, I have videos of me hammering the red-hot steel.
I was inspired by the 12th century sword “Hocho Masamune". The "yaki-ire", quenching the steel to harden it after applying clay to the blade, came out perfectly, and the hamon is clearly visible.
My friend and colleague Michael Bell of Dragonfly Forge taught the class. I made the sheath and handle, sort of "Shira-saya" style, after I got back.
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