Lazarus

Looking forward to attending the convention on Saturday and hope to get some assistance in identifying my in laws' sword.

Thanks for the oil suggestions!

Sadly this blade was left to rust in various garages and sheds (but not outside) since at least late 1945. Was never used to chop wood, cut the Thanksgiving turkey or any of the other things I have heard U.S. military veterans doing with ninhonto they brought back to the U.S. Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly) the blade is still reasonably sharp (for something that has not seen attention for over 70 years.) Not enough to cut skin on mere touch but still sharp enough to register on skin. What kind of oil should I use? I have the John Yumoto book for help in care/identification. Thanks!

While I could not get to Chicago for last year's convention, I will be there this year and will bring my sword/components. I hope that someone there can help me to identify it.

I'm not a Tsuba collector. I'm a PhD student in military history and obtained the sword (and Tsuba) through my in laws. I was trying to identify the Tsuba and see if its timeframe was the same/different than that of the sword. I hope to get more information on both Tsuba and sword at a sword show in the spring. Thanks for your input.

This Tusuba is at least 70 years old as it came from a somewhat rusty ninhonto brought back from Japan by my wife's grandfather in 1945 at the end of the Pacific War. I do not believe it to be a fake.

While I continue to clean up and mildly preserve the sword I presented in the traditionally-made ninhnto section, can anyone help me identify this Tsuba that came with my in laws sword? It too was stored away in garages for over 70 years, having come home with my wife's grandfather from the Tokyo area where he was stationed just after World War 2 (Navy shore detachment). For those who did not see the other "Help Needed with In Laws' Sword thread", the sword came with only the blade, the Tsuba, and two spacers (seppa). The other fittings were not present and the whole thing was held together with a piece of large, twisted, copper wire. In any case, can anyone help identify the Tsuba. It is 3.5 inches in diameter.

How much rust cleaning on a Nakago is allowed?

After some continued tapping with a wood spoon and rough towel rub, I seem to have gotten some of the rust and may have revealed two possible Kanji characters (see photos). There is perhaps too much damage for them to be legible (if that is what they are). I also said the sword was 29 inches in length. The length of the whole thing is 38.5 inches.

Here are additional picture of the Nakago. I hope they better show its shape.

Ken, thanks! Sorry about the signing part. Think I got that fixed. The part of the Nakago closest to the moon-machi is indeed thicker and the nakago gets thinner as it moves to the where the Kashira should be.

Mark, thanks. I'm in SE Ohio, so well within travel range. Working to put that on my calendar!

Thanks guys. Questions: What oil should I use and when is the next Chicago show?

Thanks Stephen. Would be happy for further suggestions. I do not have a small wood mallet, but perhaps the larger end of an oversize bamboo chopstick?

Ok, so I finally spent some dedicated time and was able to remove the Tsuka from my in law's sword. Sorry, no Mei (or at least none I can see), but two meguki ana holes; so possibly shortened?. Sword mesaures 29.5 inches from kissaki to end of Nakago. Not any missing treasure, but a great display piece.

Thanks again to all for good thoughts/advice. WIll provide another update when I can remove the Tsuka.

The size/shape/small /rough sukashi would perhaps suggest that this is perhaps a koto sword, but of a low ranking, ordinary samurai rather than a general. The Tsuka has been jammed back onto the nakago in the reverse, cutting into the wood of the tsuka in the process, That appears to be what is making the process of removing the Tsuka so difficult. I'm not into the sword for monetary value, but as a piece of history.

Here are some additonal pics of the ha and the Kissaki. The rust looks bad, I agree, but still appears to be only surface in nature. There is damage at two visible spots along the blade near the tip (as can be seen in the photos). Could be perhaps from real use at some point in the sword's history. I did some further inspection of the damaged Tsuka. Don't have a picture of this here, but it definitely appears to have been removed at some point and then jammed hard in the opposite direction back onto the tang. The wood beneath the sami appears cracked. The end of the tang, however, appears to protrude from the end of the tsuka (a tiny bit). My current paln is to use a small wood dowel and small rubber mallet to tap the end of the tang (lightly to be sure) to loosen the Tsuka enough for removal. Not sure how much more identification of the sword I can accomplish without being able to view the inscriptions, if any, on the tang. Other suggestions of course welcome.

Will take more pics. One small nic on the ha close to the Kissaki, but otherwise not I think.

Thanks Grey. You are a Tsuba guy; what do you think of the Tsuba on my sword? There are small, rough sukashi. I can take measurements and more detailed photos if necessary. Maybe a Tosho school item, or later reproduction of one?

Thanks Mark!

Many thanks for thoughts/suggestions. If surface rust, is there any product I might use to safely remove that rust? I wonder if the (US) Mr Clean Magic Eraser (melamine foam sponge) would be gentle enough? Again, many thanks for suggestions.

I agree the tsuka is in bad shape. If it was wrapped by a westerner, then that happened in 1945/46 since the sword has been in storage since my wife's grandfather returned with it in 1946. The tool you suggested may be of help. Thanks!

Thanks all so far. The Tsuka appears to be firmly jammed onto the tang, and I have been hesitant to forcibly remove it for fear of damaging the tsuka components. I am located at Ohio University (Athens, OH), so perhaps closer to the south than to the midwest.