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Hi Adam, Why do you think my sword is an uchigatana and not a kodachi? If you can give me your rationale, it would shed a lot of light on what I have been getting at: kodachi vs. uchigatana. I don't have a strong opinion either way. I just want to learn. This discussion of kodachi vs. uchigatana is turning out similar to what (former) Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said about hardcore pornography. He couldn't define it, but "I know it when I see it." It's just my attempt at humor. I hope no one is offended at my remark. On with nihonto - please join this thread if you have opinions to add! Regards, Hoanh

Jacques: *NICE* example! Jean: Thank you! I just bought a sword from a collector in WA near the Seattle area. The seller told me it's a wakizashi circa 1600s. To make the long story short, just as luck would have it, the measurements and the look of the sword look suspiciously like those of a kodachi/uchigatana. The hamon is very flamboyant and reaches all the way up to the shinogi throughout the length of the sword, but it's in old polish and hard to photograph. I have to turn the sword at just the right angle to see the details. I would stick my neck out and say it looks hitatsura. The nakago is mumei, ubu with 1 mekugi ana. Here are the stats: Nagasa: 23.5" (59.7cm) Sori: 5/8" (1.6cm) Motokasane: 0.225" (5.7mm) Motohaba: 1.1" (2.8cm) Sakihaba:0.73" (1.9cm) Kissaki: 1.42" (3.6cm) Nakago: 8" (20.3cm) I wonder why the nakago is so long .... Anyhow, any thought you have on this sword's provenance, especially in relation to the discussion of kodachi vs. uchigatana, is much appreciated. I have pretty much convinced myself that this sword is either an uchigatana or a kodachi, but which one???? If you want pictures of the hada, I can take it outside tomorrow for better lightning. My roofers are going nuts outside. In the mean time, these are the pics I can provide at the moment. Sorry for the picture quality, but without my usual set up and a tripod, it's hard to take sharp pictures. Regards, Hoanh

Funny you should ask at the right time I just saw this on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/221025253621?ss ... 725wt_1392 Have fun! Hoanh

Hi Jacques, So, you are saying the difference between kodachi and uchigatana is more difficult to delineate clearly, even by the era in which they are forged. Then, is it correct to say that the differences are: 1) the way the mei are signed (tachi mei vs. katana mei), and 2) the way they are mounted and worn? I'm still confused. If no one is confused by all of this, please tell me I'm dense. Let me pose a question to the membership here. If we were to come across a sword that's about 60cm in length with mumei ubu nakago, looks to be koto, in shirasaya, how can we tell if it's a kodachi or an uchigatana? I find all of the discussions here very educational as usual. I really didn't think my original question had an obvious answer, and now I'm more convinced that this is so. Please post your answers to my theoretical question above as your discussions will be beneficial to all reading this thread. Regards, Hoanh

Got it! Thank you Chris. Hoanh

Thank you everyone for clarifying my confusion. To sum up, 1. Uchigatana generally appeared later (as in Muromachi) than kodachi, although there *CAN* be exceptions to this rule, as pointed out by Jacques. 2. Uchigatana and kodachi are different by the way they are mounted and worn. 3. Kodachi are tori sori while uchigatana are saki tori. Did I leave anything out? Once again, thank you everyone for your valuable input, Regards, Hoanh

Hi Jean, Thank you for the links. Sorry for giving you the impression that I'm not doing my homework. I actually came across the links you posted and had read up more on the internet. I also do have a copy of The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords by Nagayama and also have read the discussions therein regarding Kodachi and uchigatana. I'm still hazy on the differences between Kodachi and uchigatana, hence my original post. May be I'm not looking at it from the right perspective. I'd like to expand on why I asked the question so you can hit me over the head to clear up the fog 1. A lot of sources on the internet seem to use the terms Kodachi and uchigatana in the same breath, probably because the Kodachi & the uchigatana were both used as one-handed weapons. 2. The uchigatana started to appear during times when the tachi and kodachi were the primary weapons. The kodachi is (by definition) roughly 60cm long or less. The uchigatana happens (I suppose also by definition) to be between 50cm to 60cm. Since they exist during the same time frame, are of about the same length, and are both used as one-handed weapons, are they not the same, except for the way they are mounted and worn? This is where my mind went hazy and mushy. Your analysis and opinions are desperately needed. Regards, Hoanh

Hi eveyone, Is there a difference between Kodachi and uchigatana, or is the only difference the way they are mounted? Your expert opinions are valued as always. Regards, Hoanh

Hi Grey, I see your point exactly. Very clearly put! Regards, Hoanh

The thing that threw me off is that this sword does not look gaudy like a typical Chinese fake - no "Damacus" hada or anything like that. Also, as Jason pointed out, the tsuka and tsuba appear to be genuine. But, ..., so many details don't look right. In addition to what's already pointed out, the black leather cover on the saya doesn't look right to me either. Regards, Hoanh

Hi everyone, I am stumped and would value everyone's input as always. I am looking at an older blade mounted on fairly nice WW2 Shin Gunto mounts, possible to buy (not listed on Ebay). Overall, the sword is mediocre. The thing that really got me stumped is that the sword is clearly hira mune. I look on the web ... nothing. I looked in Hawley and Yumoto's The Samurai Sword but nothing much is said. I looked in Nagayama's The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords, and it defined kaku mune succintly as "a completely flat back edge seen only on ancient swords, also known as hira mune." The sword is clearly not that old. I'm trying to get the owner to send me pictures of the tang. When I get the pics, I'll post them. All I know at this point is that the sword is mumei. I know what I am giving you is pretty thin, but would the hira mune character give us any leverage on the sword's provenance? Please help. Regards, Hoanh BTW, nagasa is 26".

Hi Curran, Here are the pictures of the fuchi and menuki. I would appreciate background info, comments, feedback, etc. Regards, Hoanh

Yikes! Now the sword is looking like a *BAD* Chinese fake. Hoanh

Thank you Laurent and Christian! (I will still order Hanyes' Index, though. I promise.). I feel like I just won the lottery. To repay your help, I will tell you how I came in possession of this tsuba. Some guy on Craiglist in San Diego was trying to sell this tsuba, a very nice fuchi (no kashira), and two and a half pairs (go figure) of *VERY* nice menuki for $2000. After three months, he went down to $1000, and another month, $600. I sent him an email and offered $300 and he accepted. I had to take a day from work and drove 160 miles round trip (I am in Orange County) to meet him an a gas station. He gave me the goods for inspection, I gave him the cash, and we parted ways. Just like in the movies ... I did ask him how he came across these items. His reply was that he attended an auction where people sell off storage-space stuff seized from non-paying patrons. He had no idea what they were but thought they were cool. When he wanted to sell them, he took them to a pawn shop for appraisal. That's how he came up with the original price of $2000. It sounds like a Peter Seller's comedy, but *ALL* of this did happen to me. I'm happy the mystery has been revealed, too! Again, thank you so much for your kindness, everyone! Regards, Hoanh

Thank you George. The nakago looks old, but Yoshiharu is listed in HAWLEY as a WWII smith. The mei doesn't look like the usual WW2 hastily chiseled mei. I like the mei, actually. I don't know what to think of this sword. I'm looking for input on the merit of the sword and/or any other advice, please? Regards, Hoanh

Thank you John. All of this is very new and *VERY* helpful to me. I appreciate your help. I still cannot figure out how all this relates to Christian's comment at the beginning of this thread, though. If you have any thought regarding this matter, please let me know. Regards, Hoanh

Thank you Curran. I Googled Masatsune and the one that matches the profile was one of the influential heads of the Ishiguro school and produced lots of work at late age. I believe he died in the early 1800s. It resonates with the mei on my tsuba that says he was 79 when he made the tsuba, and the tsuba does look like it belongs in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Input anyone? Regards, Hoanh

Hi Thomas, Thank you for the translation. I guess without Haynes' Index in hand until I can locate a copy, I will have to Google up "Masatsune tsuba" to see what comes up. Anymore info you can dig up would be greatly appreciated. Regards, Hoanh

Hi Christian, I emailed Grey Doffin to ask for his help to locate in copy in the US. If we cannot locate it here in the US, I'll order from overseas. Once again, thank you for pointing me in the right direction. Regards, Hoanh

Dear Christian, Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. I'll order the book right away. Regards, Hoanh

Hi Jean, Thank you very much for the info. It is a nice tsuba. But again, I don't know much about tsuba anyhow. I'm a beginner. Regards, Hoanh

Hi Christian, I'll get on it and buy the "Haynes Index." In the mean time, will you please expand on your comment? I'm at a loss and am anxious to hear your expanded explanation. Regards, Hoanh

Hi everyone, I don't know very much about tsuba and would appreciate any info you can give me on this tsuba. I can make out the name to be Masanori (probably). The year is much more difficult for me. I can only make out Jin (may be) X X Ju X X. Thank you, Hoanh

I see it now. Thank you so much Martin! Hoanh

Hi, Please help me with the attached mei. I couldn't figure out the 2nd kanji. Yoshi ... saku. Thank you, Hoanh