Grey Doffin

Hi George, Having koshirae made for a blade in shirasaya is a common desire of beginning collectors and it is almost always a bad idea. Let's say you spend $2,000 for the blade in shirasaya and another $4,000 for the kodogu and labor necessary to make the koshirae. When you are done, if the blade is nice and the koshirae is well done, you should have no trouble selling the set for $3,000 or so. When a collector wants a blade and koshirae, he wants period koshirae, not something put together yesterday by a western collector. If the aim is to have a nice blade in or with koshirae, that is what you should buy to begin with. If you want koshirae to go with your blade in shirasaya, consider buying an existing koshirae mounted on tsunagi (wood blade) to display next to your blade in shirasaya. The blade won't fit in the koshirae but it is best kept in its shirasaya anyway. This will cost much less than having koshirae made. My 2 cents, Grey

Hi Arno, If you take your photos on a black background we'll be better able to see what you have. Grey

I also doubt that this is Japanese; sorry. Grey

I agree: Masauji Saku. Grey

Hi Travis, The sword is real but appears to be fairly low end. Do not have it professionally restored; you don't know any where near enough about it to make that decision. Here you will find a care and handling brochure you should read: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Grey

Hi Kyle, If you use a black background for your pictures we will be able to see more detail. Why are you so sure the sword is retempered? The large chip likely happened at the hands of some yahoo playing samurai. Grey

Hi Charles, If you take pictures on a dark background we'll be able to see more detail. Grey

This doesn't look right. It is either low end WWII war time or a fake. Grey

What is a retrospective appraisal? Grey

Sorry Dale but I have to strongly disagree; donating to a museum, local or otherwise, is a terrible idea. If donated the tsuba might be put on display for a short time but then will be relegated to the basement where they will rot away. If the collection is important and the museum has a serious interest in and knowledge of Nihont, that's another story but common stuff and a common museum is a recipe for ruin. Tsuba and all other Nihonto art are best kept by collectors who appreciate and know how to preserve them. Grey

Hi Susan, It would be easier for us to see what you have if you take your pictures on a dark background. Your camera is reading off the light colored background and detail has been washed out. Pictures of both sides of the tang (part of the blade inside the handle) and of the whole bare blade with a yard stick beside it will help. Look here for a care and handling brochure: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Best, Grey

Hi George, You may find this book interesting: https://japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/book/sword-books/b351-zuikan-toso-no-subete-by-kokubo-kenichi/ It is in Japanese but maybe an online translation site can help. Grey

Hi Dave, Your sword looks interesting; someone knowledgeable and honest needs to see it in hand in order for you to learn much more. In the mean time, other than a light coat of machine oil on the area of the blade that would be polished (all but the tang) don't try to fix anything; well meaning amateurs often do serious damage. If you took your pictures on a dark background, not white, we could see more of the detail. There is a friend of mine in Toledo who could take a look at the sword. If you'd like to be connected with him send me an email: gdoffin at gmail.com Grey

Hi John, Here you will find a care and handling brochure; you would be doing yourself and the sword a favor if you read it. https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ We need better pictures before we can tell you much. Start with a dark, uncluttered background. Give us a shot of the whole bare blade with the tip at the top and another of the tang with signature, again with the tip of the sword up (your 1st picture of the tang is upside down). Grey

Hi Markus, Yes; cleaning the nakago can remove patina, which is important. Don't do it. Your nakago has been shortened but it is much more likely that the rest of it was lost centuries ago when last shortened than that it is stuck in the bottom of your handle. Get an ice pick and see if you run into metal or wood when you tap it inside the handle. From what I know about your sword, I can tell you that it is somewhere between hopelessly compromised and an important, valuable relic badly in need of competent restoration. No body can know for sure just where it falls from a few photos online. Seriously, it may be much better than it seems. I repeat: you would be smart to find honest, knowledgeable advise from in-hand examination before doing anything to change the sword. Grey