Latest Addition

[EdWolf]

Hello to all,

 

I want to share with you my latest addition. The nakago is signed but hard to read. I think the first kanji is KAMI but I’m not capable of reading the other kanji characters. Maybe one of you can help me. Some specs of the blade: Nagasa 65 cm, Sori 2 cm, Nakago 17.5 cm, blade width near munemachi 2.8 cm, munemachi 2.4 cm, a niju-habaki. The saya has some little scratches but is still in a nice condition. The lower part of the saya is reinforced with copper. Feel free to comment.

Regards,

Ed

[EdWolf]

and some more pictures...

[tokashikibob]

Good looking blade Ed,  can you see any characteristics in the forging?   Maybe a inspection and window is warranted by the togishi?

[SwordGuyJoe]

It's tough to make out the second kanji, but looks like Yoshihiro or maybe yoshifusa (but that may be my imagination).

[Ray Singer]

To my eyes, looks like Yoshihiro as well.

[EdWolf]

It's hard to capture the details of the blade structure. Hope this helps.

Regards,

[EdWolf]

one more...

[raaay]

HI Ed

 

hard to tell by the photographs supplied, looks like someone has attempted a DIY clean-up   job on the blade IMHO , you would need to let a fully trained polisher see it to make a proper assessment  for the restoration work and  to see if the blade could take another  polish, if that's the road you plan to go down, or just enjoy sword as it is.

[EdWolf]

Ray, I think you are right about the DIY cleaning job. I’m relatively new to Japanese sword collecting. I’m trying to read as much as possible and I’m enjoying this forum. I don’t know anybody in person in the collecting society so this forum is my only source for honest opinions. Thanks for that guys! All information (sword smith /time period) will be highly appreciated!

This sword maybe needs a good polishing but for now I will enjoy it for what it is. Looking at the blade and trying to identify all the parts and learning the Japanese names is great fun. Are there good sword polishers in west-Europe?

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

Ed, based on these images I would be a little concerned in that a hamon is not readily evident. There's a shadow and a bit of wave like midare that can be seen, but that looks drawn in to me, hope I'm wrong. 

 

Please keep in mind, especially as a newbie, that there are a lot of poor quality swords out there just waiting for a new owner to come along, in addition to many, many, many swords that have been altered and undergone a wide assortment of changes over time. Some good, some not so good. It's best not learn about the not so good through experience.

[tokashikibob]

Enjoy as is for awhile and learn then upgrade to a better blade when opportunity arises and enjoy the hobby.  Read Carvell's "Shogun" if you have not already.

[Jean]

James Clavell, Bob and not Carvell

[Vermithrax16]

No expert for sure and can't read the glyphs   good geometry but yes another polish maybe brings out hamon. Beautiful sword.

[EdWolf]

Hi to all,

Thanks for all the replies and given advice. The hamon is visible but you need a good light to see it. With my camera, it is almost impossible to catch. The curve and lines of the blade are nice. Although the finish is not the best I enjoy looking at this sword. Maybe not the best approach for a starter but I buy my sword for a low price. The risks are limited and even when I sell the individual parts it will almost cover the total costs. If I buy a sword for a high price there must be some paperwork with it

BTW, like most of us I have read the novel Shogun by James Clavell. Loved it.

Regards,

Ed