Nihonto Message Board

D.Sweet · Chu Saku Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Maryland

I would much appreciate any comments/opinions/information anyone has on this Wakizashi.

I purchased this blade from Ed a year ago come January.
It was labeled as a kanmuri otoshi zukuri, but the mune flares out at the kissaki making me believe it is unokubi zukuri.

Nagasa - 38.1cm
Nagako - 12.9cm
Sori - 1.5cm
Kasane - .5cm
Nakagojiri - Kurijiri
Yasurime - Kiri
Jitetsu - appears to be tight ko-itame could be ko-mukome or mix
Hamon - gunome-midare mixed with ko-notare
Boshi - Jizo

I will gladly add more pictures by request if it can help. Thanks in advance.

-Donovan

BC Smith · Chu Jo Saku Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 35

Hi Donovan, kanmuri otoshi zukuri is very similar to u no kubi zukuri. what sets them apart is the shinogi ji slopes rather sharply to the mune in the central part of the blade much like a naginata forming a diamond cross section of that central part before returning to near normal at the kissaki.
Pretty certain I described that right.

[/img]

Bernie

D.Sweet · Chu Saku Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Maryland

Ok then i was correct to say that it is unokubi zukuri. Thanks for reinforcing my opinion.

It is hard to see it through the pictures i posted but the geometry is just like the diagram you posted.

-Donovan

Nobody · Kenkaku Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 834 Location: Tokyo

Hi,

I believe that the wakizashi is Shobu-zukuri (菖蒲造り). It is not always necessary for Shobu-zukuri that the shinogi line exactly pass through the point (Ref. p. 194, 入門日本刀図鑑, Tokuno Kazuo).

I do not think that the wakizashi is U-no-kubi zukuri or Kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri, because one of major features of the styles is that the lower half of the Shinogi-ji is not slanted.

D.Sweet · Chu Saku Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Maryland

Here i took some pictures that better show the sword structure. You can see where the shinogi ji tapers towards the mune, and even though it is a hard shot to get you can see where it flares back out in the kissaki.
Sword is still in oil for the pictures.

Also i would love it if anyone else had any opinions/comments on this. Could this have been a cut down naginata? Is it common to find unokubi zukuri wakizashi that were never naginata?

-Donovan

Nobody · Kenkaku Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 834 Location: Tokyo

In the full length shot on your first post, I did not see the part shown in the latest photo (attached). Then I think the style is not Shobu-zukuri. Where is the part in the full length of the blade?

John A Stuart · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:25 am Post subject:

I think it might be easier for you to decide if this is a naginata naoshi. Does the nakago look cut or reshaped? I think not. If you determine it is unokubizukuri, which I think it is, that means it was built as a wakizashi and the nakago is ubu. If from a naginata it would be naoshi and not tsukuri. Do I see remnants of a mei by the mekugiana? John

D.Sweet · Chu Saku Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Maryland

To answer Nobody.
The shinogi ji starts to slope about 6cm from the munemachi. It is really a hard thing to photograph on the full length of the blade without the right lighting. If i only had a studio spot light or something.

John,
Thanks for answering that. Also it is not the remnants of a mei, unfortunatly.

John A Stuart · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:49 am Post subject:

Hi Moriyama san, Here is where it is on the full length photo. Not easy to see.

Nobody · Kenkaku Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 834 Location: Tokyo

John A Stuart · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:13 am Post subject:

Yes I must be looking at a reflection. I asked him about a mei. He said no. I had thought it might be a nagamaki naoshi, as well, but thought the blade too short. Does it look reshaped to you? John

Yoshii

Hello out there
In my opinion it is a unokubi zukuri wakizashi.
Look at the fact that there is a ihori mune at the point and there is no ko shinogi present. It dont look like a naginata naoshi to me.
I myself do own a unokubi ko wakizashi with a length of 33,1 cm and a kanmuri otoshi zukuri wakizashi with Tokubetsu Kicho certificate of the NBTHK with a length of 39,2 cm.
Greetings Jos

D.Sweet · Chu Saku Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Maryland

Here is a close up of the nakago. The bumps in the steel and the far away shot give you a bit of an optical illusion. Also they are not very prominent, but you can see the yasurime running complete horizontal. Which also gives the impression of a mei in the full length shot. So much so that i had to remove the tsuka and inspect it just to be sure i didn't miss something i hadn't seen before. LoL

If it is naoshi it is very well done.
What are the chances of narrowing down time period and maybe even school with a blade like this? I wish i had more books! but collecting on a budget is a slow going process.

-Donovan

mariuszk · Jo Jo Saku Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 142

D.Sweet · Chu Saku Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Maryland

I will post a bit better picture of the boshi. Though it is a real hard thing to photograph. The sword is in decent polish, but the polish on the shinogi-ji makes it a bit hard to make out and even harder to photograph.

#1 points to the start of the turn-back
#2 points to where it finally reachs the mune.

This still might not be jizu, but that was my newb opinion :P

Please keep any comments/critisim/opinions coming. Any are welcome.