Marc

Well, I know little, but the hamon is drastically different. And mine is nioi with ko-nie in habuchi. Did some war time smith worked in different traditions? I'm also interested to ear from our literate members.

I saw your recent post Hoanh and I'm curious to know your conclusion.

Here I am. Ok, my photo skills and the polish of this blade are not really high, so I hope it helps.

Hi Hoanh, I'm a lazy fellow. I'll do my best to take some shots Friday at sunlight.

This is really more information that I had expected. both George and Chris, I'm amazed by the quality of your answers. I plan to post some pictures taken at daylight, but bad weather and kids running around prevents me to do so for now.

Thanks for the link Joe, Chris, can you tell me where can I find the Uchiyama article?

Thank you for the additional information Joe. I found and entry for Takai sadatsugu as a rikugun jumei tosho here: http://japaneseswordindex.com/gendai2.htm . I don't know how to verify if it's the same smith. And of course, I was thinking ware and not Hagire. After 1 year of semi-serious study, I just start to grasp the sense of the different terminology. I slowly gain some knowledge on the subject. Reading a little more on the kasama den, I understand a little more the allusion made about the use of the tsugu kangi.

And some more.

Here are the pics shot last night. Has stated, I'll try to take others in sun light in a few days. To my uneducated eye, this is what I see with the blade in my hand: 98 type koshiraeè Traditionally made blade, signed Takai sadatsugu in katana mei, without any date. Kiri yasurime; About 25 1/2 inch long, with fumbary; Hada looks like a mix of masane (near the ha) with itame; I dont really know how to call the hamon. Maybe ko gonume or sugaba based on choji or gonume? In nioi deki. There is some hagire. 1 open layer I think visible in the kissaki and 1 chip of about 2mm x 0,5 mm in the monouchi. 2 or 3 rust spots smaller than 2-3 mm. Fell free to give me your impression on my first gunto.

Thanks to you all. I'm always amazed by the speed of the answers. I'm happy to see I was right on. Tomorrow I'll try to upload some (really poor) pictures. I'll take others to sunlight in a few days.

Greetings gentlemen (woman ?), I'm struggling translating my first mei, so I'm here asking your help. The blade come from a type 98 gunto, who seems traditionally made (visible hada). I read Takai sada tsugu, but I don't find any reference of him in Sough or on Richard Stein website. Can someone confirm my translation and give me information about this smith? On a side note, can someone tell me where to find a lock for a type 98 gunto? Many thanks.

I read somewhere that nagayama Kantei traduction is included in The Connoisseur’s Book of Japanese Swords. Can someone confirm this? I was looking for nagayama book with traduction, but I already have the Connoisseur. Many thanks,

I'm in for one copy.

I was looking for nihonto dealer in the Montreal area. I guess I have found one!

With all these advises and lectures, I think I'll be on a good start. Et merci Jean, I'll find some ways to see the real deal a couple of times. Now in no way I think I'll be an expert in the next years :? . With some work, I would like to be able to differentiate what's a nihonto and what's not. After that, what's a "good" nihonto and what's of lesser quality. And then maybe being able to differentiate epoque of making and school. And now this is why I'm here, lurking on all what you are writing. :D