Ken-Hawaii

I think it should have been used to turn him into a eunuch!

Having been to the Okayama museum with Piers, all I can say is that if you're anywhere close, go see this.

For those bunny lovers with deep pockets: https://www.aoijapan.com/tsubajugakusai-katsufumi-sen/

Why the shipping problems in the UK? I've bought & sold there for years, with no glitches? What has changed?

Lovely tsuba, Tony. Wife saw it, & now she wants one.

Jacob, please read http://www.nbthk-ab.org/swordcare.pdf

Chicago? Is that your computer doing an auto-correction?

Yvan, you sound like the ideal member of NMB! Welcome aboard!

You're amazing, Peter! I have multiple filters set up to ferret out meteoric blades, & this one didn't show up.

Possibly the best pun I've heard all year, JP!

Wish he had just picked a couple of tables, & held still for a moment!

Good find, Peter. Elliott should be complimented for pulling that together.

I'll be happy to perform the kaishaku, JP. You just have to find the other performer!

That hamon pattern looks like Koshi-no-hiraita (see page 96 in Nagayama for the pattern), & page 104 shows a list of tosho who used that pattern. Considering the sugata, I'd check out Ishido Tameyasu, Tatara Nagayuki, & one of the many Sukesada smiths. Hope that helps.

Still hope that you'll publish as an e-book, Yurie.

Guillotines probably made the cleanest cut. Wonder how that compares to cut by Japanese executioner?

Just to be sure, the blade comes without kanteisho, right? And what is the sori?

Ah, yes. The French do love their lapin.

I see at least one tsuba, as well.

All are very cool, daisho, especially. Thanks for posting.

That's an interesting question, Luis. Care to elaborate?

No, of course not. Just wanted to make sure that you understood the sites are separate. Everone appreciates Yurie's hard work!

Sugata determines jidai => Appears to be late Shinto/early Shinshinto then Jigane determines where made => You can't see the hada then Hamon determines the school => You can't see the hamon, just the hadori then Nakago & mei determine the tosho => You can see that, but nakago is generic, & blade is mumei Just what are you planning to do to extract more info on your "riddle?" Choosing random - not key - words, like "o-wakizashi, suguha, ko-maru, short kaeri and the like" will get you nowhere. You've listed no measurements, so "o-wakashi" doesn't apply. I don't want to hazard a guess on the hamon, but would bet it isn't suguha. I can see what might be an o-maru boshi, but I'm not sure, & the kaeri is indistinct. This isn't a riddle, it's a blindfolded guessing game, in the vast ocean of Nihonto possibilities! Now, take a look at http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/30328-late-kamakura-yamato-taima-blade-tokubetsu-hozon/ Here is a blade that has been authenticated by the NBTHK, with easily-seen jigane & hamon, & although the blade is mumei, knowing the characteristics of the Yamato school, & cross-checking that against sugata, hada, & boshi, there's no question that the NBTHK got the identification correct. Enough said?

By the way, if you haven't found https://markussesko.com/kantei/ which was written by one of our members, it's a university-level course on kantei that everyone should study.

Didier, I think that we all want to know more about our blades - that's what makes us collectors. But, to get a (hopefully) definitive answer, you will need to send it to shinsa, & you've already agreed that your blade isn't in good enough shape, & really isn't worth a polish. So, why not study this blade for what it is, & start researching what you want for your next acquisition, which should be a polished, papered blade?