flemming7x64

Greetings out there from Denmark, an acquaintance of mine has this nice, signed Bizen wakizashi, but a couple of the characters couldn´t be translated for him. Perhaps a kind soul can help identifying the last letters or sword as a whole, please? I´m attaching files showing nakago, please judge for yourselves. This is what he has been told so far: The first 4 signs are supposed to mean: "Bizen kuni ju", the 5th likely: "Mori" or "Kami". The rest of them are so far a puzzle. Can anybody give some assistance, please? Lots of thanks for your time and kindness, - on behalf of Mr. Kim Johansen, Denmark, - Flemming

All right, if only I read kanji or elder. Thanks! / Flemming

Hello again, Rich! Try and take a look at this - to me the kanji signes are completely identical: http://www.samuraisword.com/nihonto_c/index.html

Amazing, Rich! Never thought it was so old!(assuming we´re talking about the very same smith). Lots of thanks and appreciation from here! - Flemming

Greeting to all of you out there! Once again I kindly ask for help on identifying the eventual time of the smithing of a wakizahi by "Yoshiro" of the "Hakushu Povince". Last time I honestly(being new to this intruiging world of Nihonto) took some beating for polishing a very rusty blade. This time - I promise you gentlemen, that I learned my lesson. Thanks for the pieces of good advice as well as criticism(the nosebleed has stopped now). This time I was so so lucky as to(not easy in Scandinavia in these times) to get hold of a wakizashi, seems to have taken some beating through time, but (to me) still wonderful(please study photos). This time I only touched it by ONLY giving it a moderate layer of choji oil to prevent it from further rust/oxidation. Total length is 57,2cm , nagasa 45,9cm. The blad is signed "Hiroyoshi, Hakushu Province". Can anyone please tell me something about this swordsmith or age of the sword, please? With kind regards and appreciation, Flemming, Denmark

Thanks everyone, got the picture, the nosebleeding has stopped, learned my lesson and will be "diving" quicker next time. Not offended by the well meant pieces of advice. Hope to have the opportunity to ask some other time before excercising blasphemy. A good day to all of you and thanks again for the advice. Flemming

Greetings to all of you out there from Denmark. I´the lucky owner of a Shingunto Sword handforged app.1940 by swordsmith Hattori Masahiro, Gifu prefecture(signed). Now this sword including scabbard was as goes for the blade in a terrible state. Since I´m a knifemaker in my sparsome leisuretime, I do know something about making, repairing and restoring knives and blades. My heart just couldn´t bear watching the blade keep corroding. Since it´s not a 100.000 dollars blade I decided to give it a polish though perhaps "removing" some of its marks of history. I have therefore been working for about two months very carefully restoring the sword to its earlier beauty(to my own mind). Though only to the point, where you still sense and see its former function and good craftmanship(please study photos). In the process I used at least a dozen different grind/grid stones, etc, some of them Japanese. However I need to enhance hamon, and thus reading a whole library on the net(including an English/Japanese one), I´m unsure how this is done - it seems there are several ways, but which is the most "secure" way - if any? Can anyone please give me a hint to enhance hamon´s former beauty? With lots of thanks and appreciation Flemming

Thank you also. Sir! Regards Flemming

No, you are quite right! Hanging it from a nail was only to be able to take decent photos from it. Thank you very much for your help. Regards Flemming

Hello and goodday to everyone out there, here from Scandinavia! Since I´m new to collecting Japanese swords my knowledge of the same is ditto(though I try hard to watch, read and hopefully learn). With this message I was hoping some might help me out identifying a wakizashi, I recently bought. I realize it´s not a "million-dollar-sword"(and that it also needs a good, professional polish), but to me it obviously means a lot though. As mentioned I know nothing of the sword besides that it was captured during WW II, and brought back to the States by a gentleman vet. It seems as if it´s a lot older though(seems at least the upper tang has been filed/changed sometime in history - 18th/19th century?). It also appears to be signed - please see attached photos). I would really appreciate any kind of help. With thanks and appreciation for your time and effort Best regards Flemming