atma-san

I forgot to mention this before, but is it worth noting that my gunto saya is of the leather variety slipped over an older original black lacquered saya? Would this date it just before the war? From what i've read, the old black lacquer saya indicates the blade was around and mounted pre WW2. I can snap some pics of the saya if you guys want to check it out without the leather on it.

I have actually bid on quite a few of his items recently and was outbid at very strange times and prices. I didn't think much of it till seeing this thread. I never stay high bidder for long on his blades. Even really poor condition ones that I didn't think other people would want.

I will be attending. What are these discount cards? I will be bringing someone along so a discount couldn't hurt. :D Gabe Hagan

The fact that I can see hada from folding, and I think some nie pooling under the nio line in the wider part of hamon. This would make it gendai if traditionally made? Or still showato? I'm still kind of unsure of difference. Showato are always nontraditional? Thanks for the clue in seki dirrection. Gabe Hagan

Good to know thank you. Why do you think it is showa era? Gabe Hagan

Wow. Way to make a mysterious blade even more so. The sword society in my area could polish up the blade for around 700$. I think I will have it done eventually, as it is never being sold anyway. I doubt anyone could kantei it by pictures until it is polished besides. In august i'm going to bring it down to SF for the sword show and get some opinions in person.

I posted crappy pictures of my blade a while ago but it wasn't much help to you. Over some emails with a local expert(Bob Mccoy, he lives in my state, I bought his book recently) who i'm not sure if he posts here. He helped me to translate the single kanji which is very far down on the very end of the nakago. All the blade has is katakana for "mu". Does anyone know what this could mean? School? Province? It is in a strange spot and the only kanji on the blade. The blade seems fairly old as in person the nakago looks black, much darker than in my awful phone pictures. I'm still trying to get better pictures of the hamon, the bad polish makes it tough though. It starts as gunome/midare then turns to a beautiful kosuguha to the kissaki which has very full boshi that almost makes it to shinogi in turnback. There is also no yokote, I think it is a shobu style with chu kissaki. As soon as I can get some good pictures I will post them. The more I research the blade the more mysterious it is. It seems very well made by all accounts, the grain is so tight i'm having a hard time naming the hada type. In the meantime, any information you guys can provide on a possible meaning for "mu" in katakana would be great. Sorry for rambling. Gabe Hagan

Seems similar actually. I guess someone hacked at them for no apparent reason. Thanks for placing origin country. I thought marble too, but i'm starting out in polishing so i'm clueless. Thanks for letting me know it is some dumb chinese thing and idiot decided to hack at. Gabe Hagan

It is the exact size and shape of most waterstones. besides the both sides have been used to polish the edge or something. You can tell it has been used a lot. I'll take A picture of the sides. Note: Even though they used the sides for whatever, the polishing surface was kept PERFECTLY flat, you cant feel the ridges if you run a hand/blade across it. It's perfectly smooth. http://s9.postimg.org/b56rs0dkf/CAM00429.jpg http://tinypic.com/r/2qnbiv6/8 I'm obviously gonna epoxy or something. I meant does anyone have an idea what it says or when it could be from? Maybe which kind of waterstone it is... I posted a picture of the inside composition if it helps. Edit: Fixed first image in this post. Signed, Gabe Hagan

I noticed someone broke it recently(very upsetting) and didn't bother to tell me. It seems very used and possibly old. I'm also not sure if the writing is even Japanese. Also, why would they paint a polishing stone?(besides it being pretty) The stone has very fine crystaline structure on the inside, and the polishing face is a higher grit than any stones I currently own(maybe someone knows which stone it is?) So yeah, anyone have thoughts on this? Had it for a while, wish I had kept it in a display case now... http://i57.tinypic.com/28l86tf.jpg http://i60.tinypic.com/352gb50.jpg http://i62.tinypic.com/2gw5puq.jpg Signed, Gabe Hagan

I did't read the thread yet so it might have been said, most young people don't have the spare cash. I'm only 23 was lucky enough to inherit one. I can barely afford a 300$ production blade, let alone a genuine article. Not at my current stage in life. Gabe H.

Oh wow, good to know. I'll post some better ones tomorrow then with proper lighting, and a real camera. Gabe H.

I'm a lover of all things Japanese, and plan to keep it. I plan on having a Japanese sword collection, nihonto and modern production(to chop things and beat up). Guess I was lucky enough to not start collecting with a total lemon. If it is any indication of nie the hamon line really sparkles when the light hits it. 2 pictures of full blade coming(also bad, but like I said, I will update in a couple days when it is oiled and i'm not using my phone camera.) Sadly this is best lighting in my house, so best I can o for now. Thanks for any help. http://i58.tinypic.com/2607fgx.jpg http://i62.tinypic.com/16m0lj.jpg http://i61.tinypic.com/2evs2df.jpg Gabe H.

Look in the first post. I should have the kit to oil it in a few days, ill take some with a real camera then. Any information on the kanji character or how the steel on nakagao looks would be great. Also would it be worth getting polished/restored professionally? If it would cost more than the blades value, is there a cheaper american based polisher someone knows of? I would love to have the rust and scratches taken out, and refinished. Edit: Here is the other side of nakago. Im finding a place to upload a bad picture of the full blade. It was too long for here. Gabe H.

They were too big. I cropped them. Here is a couple more. Gabe H.