Shugyosha

Hi Piers, Apologies if this is a silly question, but is there not a detailed write-up in the papers that might suggest its origin? You did say it had Tokubetsu Juyo papers...

On a historical or anatomical note, it's also the most difficult test cut as the blade has to pass through both hip bones and the base of the spine. So the blade is an excellent cutter.

Hi Steve, Sorry to be picky but isn't that the ryou kuruma cut - so a single body cut through the hips and then dotan barai - into the earth mound below.

Hi Rodriguez, Yes you’re right looks like Kanemoto to me.

Houki Kuni Yoshiyuki. Next one is Tanba kami Yoshimichi.

Tanba ju Inoue Katsukiyo.

It’s in the article entitled Tokubetsu Juyo results 2020. It shows the concentration of Juyo swords by age. sorry can’t link it as I’m on my phone.

Nah, I’ve got a shed full of them. Had to move them out of the house to make room for all the Honjo Masamunes. 😄 Seriously though, Darcy is probably the person to ask as he has a breakdown of Juyo swords by age. In fact it might be on his blog at Yuhindo.

Dunno, I’ll leave that to the gunto guys but I wouldn’t buy in that condition (even if a genuine WWII blade).

Good spot Chris - I only looked at the tang.

Yes you’re right - it’s a wartime blade at best. I can see a stamp of remains of one and it has the usual chippy signature associated with Gunto.

Hi Vittorio, A day in November, Showa 19th year = 1944. Showa began in 1926 and the first year isn't counted so 25 + 19 to get 1944.

Sorry Paul, I wasn't disagreeing with you but, even without Covid, I struggle to get out and see swords for a number of reasons including my tendency to follow the path of least resistance and simply look at pictures on line.

I certainly do and it is what has always held back my appreciation of this subject.

Hi Paul, I'm assuming that, as is often the case, there is a more nuanced view of sumegane/ shingane debate than I had appreciated until now. 😄 Juan, There's a thread here on shingane, the photo at the start show it fairly clearly: And some pictures of sumi hada: https://yuhindo.com/aoe-tsugunao/#shield This article (at the bottom) discusses the nature of sumi hada: https://markussesko.com/2015/05/05/kantei-2-jigane-jihada-1/

It's a kantei point in some koto blades from the Rai, Enju and Aoe schools and in shinto Hizen blades where it is called sumigane and isn't necessarily considered a flaw. This is in keeping with the idea that some flaws seem to be more forgiveable in schools or individual smiths otherwise known for high quality work: Muramasa blades often have the hamon dipping perilously close to the edge and I can never remember whether it is Hankei or Kotetsu whose blades tended to come with kitae ware pretty much as standard. Why this should be the case I don't know but, as in most things Nihonto, exceptions to rules are the norm rather than the exception.🤪 Ultimately, as Paul suggests, you are the one who will spend time looking at it so you need to be happy with the package. Also, you might want to have one eye on a potential resale as, if it has caught your eye, you can rely on it standing out for a potential buyer.

C’mon Adam, you describe yourself as logical and free thinking and going against the herd when all you do is invent some bullsh!t and dogmatically defend it to the death. At least the so called “gurus” on here attempt to back up their arguments from verified sources with a view to resolving a question that has been posed. You’ve bleated about people’s unwillingness to study, well it’s actually because they have studied that enables them to construct a logical argument or hypothesis. You can’t because you haven’t, but you expect your view to be given equal credence to theirs. Then you start throwing your physical size into the argument as though the threat of physical violence would make your view correct. As George says your lack of self awareness is truly staggering. Spend some time reflecting on what you say and do - ideally before you say or do it. It will make you a better person.

Thanks Paul. It’s easy to forget sometimes (for me) that the pool of knowledge around the subject is continually evolving.

Absolutely. It only got published because it is a representative work. If it was gimei it wouldn't be in there.

Hi Christian, Sorry to be repetitive but I can’t see where the Shinogi fits into this. Also the page you referenced doesn’t show the widening at the mune shown in Bruce and Dave’s pictures.

Hi Bruce, I understand that but was confused by Thomas’s explanation. I don’t believe it’s present on all blades and what you have shown is a widening of the mune. Does the blade also become wider at the mitsukado?

Hi Thomas, I'm struggling to visualise what you mean - surely the shinogi can never be higher than the mune? It's something I'd noted on later swords, maybe shin shinto onwards but is perhaps lost with repeated polishing in older blades? Obviously it's more apparent in some sugata: u-no-kubi and kanmuri otoshi for example but I too would be interested to hear if there was a specific name for it.

And the blade - nothing not to like there.

Hi Robert, Here's a couple of pages from Roald Knutsen's book, Japanese Polearms, that give examples from different time periods:

It's the shorter of the legs. I assumed that front and back legs were side by side...unless of course it's got a tripod thing going on.