Masakari Japanese Broad Axes By Shigehiro - 206mm

Brand name: Shigehiro(重廣)

Smith name: Unknown

Steel: Carbon Steel

Jigane: Unknown

Blade width: 206mm

Full length: 810mm

Manufacture Era: Before World War II 

Total Weight: 3018g

Accessories: -

Additional Information: Used, in good condition. It comes from a retired carpenter in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. I have restored and sharpened it up to a 1000-grit stone. If you continue sharpening from this point, I believe it won't take long to achieve a sharp edge. During the sharpening process, I noticed that although the soft iron (jigane) visually resembles modern soft iron (commonly found on contemporary chisels), it feels significantly softer on the stone. Additionally, the steel (hagane) exhibits excellent toughness, making its performance perfectly suited for its intended applications.

The wooden handle is beautifully crafted and has been exceptionally well-maintained, developing a rich, amber-like patina. It is clear that this was one of the previous owner's most cherished tools.

The axe itself is crafted with remarkable precision, showing absolutely no traces of being shaped by a modern electric grinder. I confirmed this with Mr. Tsuchida Noboru, who explained that its shape was achieved entirely through the blacksmith's masterful forging techniques. Furthermore, the kurouchi (black finish) on the axe is a naturally occurring oxide layer formed during the quenching and hardening process, rather than a painted coating.

There are three distinct marks stamped on the axe. 'Shigehiro' (重廣) is the blacksmith's maker's mark; the meaning behind the 'Marusa' (マルサ) mark is currently unknown; and '600 Monme' (六百匁目) indicates the weight of the axe, meaning it weighs approximately 2.2 kg.

Regarding the blacksmith Shigehiro: First and foremost, it is certain that he was a blacksmith from the Aizu region. The name "Shigehiro" appears in two reference books: Aizute Katari (pages 38–39) and The Nokaji (Rural Blacksmiths) of Aizu (pages 170–173). However, it appears that these two books are referring to two distinct blacksmith families using the same "Shigehiro" name.

By comparing the maker's mark on this axe with the one illustrated on page 38 of Aizute Katari, clear differences can be observed. Therefore, I lean towards the conclusion that the Shigehiro who forged this axe belongs to the family documented in The Nokaji (Rural Blacksmiths) of Aizu. It is highly likely the work of either the second-generation Watanabe Ushimatsu (渡部丑松, 1849 – March 7, 1915) or the third-generation Watanabe Matsushiro (渡部松四郎，1879 – 1959).

A linguistic note: In the reference materials, the kanji '廣' is written in its simplified form '広'. This is because, following the Japanese script reforms in 1946, the older character '廣' was still permitted for use in proper names, but the simplified character '広' became the standard for general use.

For the uses and usage videos of this axe, please refer to this website: https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/hatsurou-kai/