Possible to date this poor mumei katana blade?

[Logan09]

Before someone says anything I am not the one that dunked this in acid to reveal the hamon! Blade had been poorly ground on with something and my best guess this was the only way to pass it off to someone.

 

Anyways, is it at all possible to tell the period of this based on my bad photos(Which are out of order, sorry)?

 

Blade is 24-7/8"

Sori is 9/16"

Overall is 32"

[TheGermanBastard]

HEllo, I think it is an interesting look piece and I would want to hink that it is Koto. Either Nambokucho or Muromachi. I tend towards Muromachi. I wouldn't worry about the acid wash ... atleast you now know where you are at. Boshi is still healthy. What is a bit worrysome is that the Shinogi Gi does look rounded. It will need a good foundation polish to fix this but should work out. The down side is the condition of the tang and this can't be fixed. Also you will notice that there is a dip near the Hamachi. This sword has seen a lot of modification in its geometry.

 

If it is wortyh of a polish I can't say.

[ChrisW]

Oof.. this thing has been mangled. But if there's still enough steel there, it can be brought back. But Luis is very right about the nakago, its pretty eaten up. It really all depends on if it can still be traced to a particular age/school/smith and if you're willing to spend the money that it would take to bring it back.

[Ken-Hawaii]

That sure looks like the nakago was welded onto the blade. There's just enough crud that I can't be certain, but the angle doesn't look right.

[PNSSHOGUN]

There is something extremely suspect about that Hamachi area.

[TheGermanBastard]

I have to agree to the others observations! THhis may have been indeed been welded on. If this is the case then the blade is dead.

[Logan09]

I was wondering about this bizarre area myself.

[TheGermanBastard]

Hm, looking at the top / Munemachi it does not look wleded but there are some akward redish looking spots towards the blade that remind me of welding. Anyway this does not look good at all. 1st of all it would have to be determined wheter this has been welded. If welded then disgard the blade. If not welded it is still ugly and little that can be done about it in the area. Unles it is a good qualit pre Muromachi blade you should neglect it.

[vajo]

I'm with Luis. It looks welded and it is in bad shape.

[Logan09]

Thanks for the replies. The "redish" looking stuff is I believe surface rust that has been acid washed over(it runs up most of the Mune).

 

As far as it being welded, if it was they did a crap job on attempting to hide it. For what it's worth, the Shinogi lines up on blade and nakago.

 

Either way I'm out $100. But it has a habaki, so to make me feel better I'll say $80. Once again appreciate the replies.

[TheGermanBastard]

Hello Logan,

 

well if not weleded - Atleast I can not see a potential welding line on tehg Munemachi - then you might get a window done. Howevere all of this is probably only worth it, if the blade is pre Muromachi. As far as I am concered O can npt say whetere Muromachi or Nambokucho ... my gut feeling tends towards Muromachi with that Notare Hamon.

[Logan09]

Thanks Luis, I think the blade would cost way to much to have polished. And honestly as you said I don't think it would be worth it. There might not even be much left. The opposite side of the blade has many "Ji-Are"(sp?) And I have a feeling they're gonna open up like a can of worms if polished.

 

It would be nice to have a window polish done just out of curiosity. Maybe in the future if I come across a good source in the U.S.

[TheGermanBastard]

Hello Logan,

 

well there are plenty of good polishers in the USA but it would cost USD 200.00 + to open a window and usually if you decide to not polish it, that cost will be lost.

 

If somebody does an acid wash on a Nihonto then he knows enough to be dangerous. So what he saw after the wash rathe rmade him sell the blade than keep it. That person was not an unexpirienced seller.

 

Also since you mentiom that there are Kizu that is another reason to let it go. Sometimes you can polish them out but most of the time they will get worse during polishing.

[Dave R]

Thanks for the replies. The "redish" looking stuff is I believe surface rust that has been acid washed over(it runs up most of the Mune).

 

As far as it being welded, if it was they did a crap job on attempting to hide it. For what it's worth, the Shinogi lines up on blade and nakago.

 

Either way I'm out $100. But it has a habaki, so to make me feel better I'll say $80. Once again appreciate the replies.

 

 Are you saying that you bought this for $100?

[Logan09]

Sadly yes, Dave.

[Dave R]

Sadly yes, Dave.

 

 Not what I meant mate. At $100 you cannot really lose. Not worth polishing ok, but you would have little trouble moving it on at no loss... to someone who just wants a "real samurai blade". I have in fact done just that myself with one of my "dogs", sold it to an online gamer who was delighted to have the real thing at an affordable price!

[SAS]

My advice...find a polisher who will address that specific area, etch it, and that will show any heat affected zone (HAZ) from any welding.....if no HAZ appears, it is more likely to be corrosion from....something, maybe residual acid, immersion, etc. PM me for more discussion.