Brian

Tested both Edge and Chrome, everything working fine and all pics visible.

I know next to nothing about these. Contact I have dealt with before in other edged weapons asked my opinion of this, and I'm not going to take a guess. To me, look like a genuine but mass produced wartime one. Mass produced blade with artificial/no hamon. No point disassembling. Can anyone give their opinion and maybe average value in Europe on these? Thanks in advance.

Please keep personal comments in private, and posting personal info beyond what people have given is frowned upon. Posts edited.

Buy both. Worry about how you'll afford them later. You'll always find a way. Never regret buying something you want, otherwise what are you working your whole life for?

Tempted to agree with you Geraint, but I do see a lot of semi decent work there, more than would be required just as an export piece. I suppose this could be a Meiji period special order piece for some occasion. Shape looks inspired by a Bashin, and the whole thing does seem diminutive. Maybe made for a lady, who wanted something flashy. Either way, it is a genuine Japanese piece, and definitely has some interest. I guess we'll know more once we get a translation.

Very typical and clear Chinese fakes, of very low level.

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/52285-tsunagi-maker-sought-in-north-america/#comment-546002 Mike Virgadamo is kinda under the radar and doesn't really publish contact details online, but I think his phone number is in the book, and someone will have pm'ed you his details.

Forget Google. Search this forum for those last names and all will be revealed

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ray also recommends Josiah Boomershine.

Well...it's a real antique Japanese katana. Likely a few hundred years old. In that condition, it's hard to really say much more about it.

Love it when you research something Mal. For someone relatively unknown, you have presented more info than many recorded smiths have available

Japanese utility knife/tool, used in woodwork and other crafts. Very traditional, going back hundreds of years. Basic and effective.

Been proven to be false. There were no specific "tankers" or "pilots" swords.

I'm of the thought that this may have been left over from a polish, where the polisher didn't think it worth removing more. A sensible decision. Of course it could have happened later, but the possibility exists it was just not shown well in the pics/video. That said, it doesn't bother me too much. These "nail-catchers" would be far more serious on a Juyo or TH piece. But on a wakizashi of average quality, I don't think they are too serious. It's up to you and what you paid of course. But they aren't by any means a critical flaw, although undesirable.

Worst of the worst when it comes to fakes unfortunately. Nothing there remotely genuine.

It's upside down. Please edit and rotate. Can't even see a mei.

Jacques, You're wrong, whether Shinsa has progressed that far with "modern swords" or not. Have you downloaded the RJT documents and requirements and seen what was necessary for a sword to be made and stamped by them? Aside from fake star stamps (no different from examining any other sword) a star stamped blade with a genuine RJT stamp is considered a Gendaito.

Yeah, maybe a leather retainer strap for a wartime mount.

Don't think this one would satisfy anything aside from the desire to own something "old" Yes it's genuine, but it's never going to be more than just a project blade that likely no-one will get to. Cost of restoration would be far more than the outcome value. Your call. If it's in the low hundreds, maybe something just to display, but I wouldn't spend any sort of real money on it.

It is rare to find a sword with original koshirae. These were changed often over the life of a sword, and almost always you can consider them as replaced at some point. Not a big deal. The 2 holes means it was remounted at least once, and they drilled a new hole...again extremely common. The blade is usually the important part, the fittings are secondary unless they are very high quality. Find a restorer who can add sekigane to your tsuba to tighten it up. Not a very difficult job. If a sword comes with a very good tsuba, very often it will be swapped out for another one when selling. Don't worry too much about your fittings.

Star stamp is the prize. Means it's a RJT smith, meaning it's a Gendaito, handmade from tamahagane. Likely a decent sword.

I would put money on the fact that this was redone at some point on a knifemaker belt sander or arsenal level. The Japanese were fussy about quality, even late war. Fairly obvious if you are in the knifemaking world. Sharp edges on all the stamps and grooves shows it too. Plus the surface finish is a belt finish, not the usual buffed one. Not serious though, since they are monosteel I don't think it detracts much. Nice sword and as Sam said, a rare one.

Well done Dale, wish you success, and thanks for all you do with these publications.

The ones I have seen had real blades, although nothing spectacular. Shin shinto mainly. But it's a very striking koshirae and must have meant a lot to someone.