Freakdaddy70

Not knowing enough on uda-ish flavors, but it does share some of the characters of that style.

No Chris, the name doesn't ring any bells, and Santa Cruz is pretty far north of here. Adam

So here is some more pics with ruler in inches to show more detail of the nakago. Could this be an older blade that was cut down? To me the nakago isn't as old looking, but the blade has a pretty deep sori. Just another thought as to the concern of the weird looking nakago that folks see. I also am adding some pics of my wak for comparison. I believe the mei says the name of the smith as Fujiwara Yoshikuni Shimo, with a date of Meireki (1655-1657). Did I translate this correctly? There is more written below the date, but I can't make it out.

Very nice wakizashi, I like the robustness of it. If only these things could talk, I love the mystery of antiques, and the stories that they hold. Adam

Well here are the new pics I took today, outside. These are as close to natural light as you can get. The blade is like water, and takes on the color of it's surroundings. I've been taking all photos with my phone, and maybe this adds to the confusions. I don't know, The first photos I took, looked to me to be close to what the pros take, minus the professional touches. In that they show off the same types of hada, and hamon reflections that mine did. I am confused as to the questions of acid, and fake, and sandpapering the hamon, when the same polishers that some of you recommended have the same effects on there blades? I know there is a lot of subtleness on these things, but I was really just looking for education on reading a sword. Oh well.... Thanks for the recommendations on the polishers in my area, I will look them up, and see if it makes sense for me to have this blade polished. Adam

I was planning on going to a few nihonto clubs, this next month, and talk with a few people. I've been extremely hesitant to go to just any polisher, and would like to get recommendations before trusting someone. Adam

Good morning everyone, I will take some photos today with natural light, to dispel the acid question. I should get those posted this afternoon, if it doesn't rain. Adam

It doesn't run of the end, but it is thin, which could be from a reshape. Adam

Diego, at this point, I wouldn't even know where to look for a togishi, and I'm more looking for general knowledge, at this point. If I go to Japan anytime soon, I'll look up a polisher, and see. Adam

Under normal light the hada, and hamon are very subtle, and don't pop. I used a bright white LED light, which is probably giving the impression of POW! The reason I used this light source, was because it showed the details, and I could see the structure, I thought it would better tell the story of who it was. I should have said machi, but said tsuba, it's 24"to machi, with another 8"to the end. Adam

Thanks for the concern Paul, but I understand the doubts. I see a lot of blades online, and have the same doubts. I didn't realize how hard it was to photograph nihontos, until I tried. This is the third set of photos I took of the blade, and still wasn't able to capture the real life effect. The kissaki alone took me forever, and I still never caught it correctly! The light in that small area just completely washes all the details out, and by the time i figured out how to put the light way out and down, the tip would look bent, but isn't. In some of the pic's the tip looks brown, burnt, bent, and made me take a second look at my blade, cause I thought it was! The Nakago looks Thanks for the concern Paul, but I can understand the doubt of others. I've seen many pics online, and have doubted them as well. I didn't realize how hard it was to photograph a nihonto, until I tried. The kissaki alone took me 100 pics or so to get the light right, some pics made the tip bent, burnt, brown, or just made the whole thing look like a flash bulb. To try and get the hada, hamon, nie, and everything else to show, took a lot of repositioning and patience. I would take a pic, look, and go, "what the hell is that!" then look at the blade, see a little piece of lint, or hair, or oil drop, or nothing! Very tough indeed, if i tried the pic with the light wrong the hamon disappeared, the hada disappeared, and the kissaki flashed! That's why there is more close ups, they where easier, but caught a lot of flash, which could explain the hamon looking funny, or the hada looking unreal. Anyway, I know it's real, and my main questions is, Is this blade worth the money and effort to get polished? Those things are expensive, and I wouldn't want to waste on something that wasn't worth it. I'm happy with the blade as is, and would only do it if it paid off. My main focus on it is more about where it came from, and the history behind it, that's worth more to me than a shiny sharp knife. Adam

The difference in pictures is more of an effect of the light. In normal lighting the blade is the same shade all the way around. The dark areas are me not getting the light right. Adam

I can't say for sure, that it wasn't sandpapered in the past, or etched. But as far as the pop, it took me a long time to get the light source just right to get the hamon to stand out. Under normal light, the hamon is just a line going down the edge. I really was trying to get a good image of the nie, and hada. Adam

Sorry for the signature, I haven't, and my friend hasn't used ferric chloride. What in your opinion would etching look like in person (would there be a different feeling by touch)? The hamon doesn't run off, but is close. The kissaki does look like it was reshaped. Adam

I know that my friend bought this in Japan, at a known, and recommended dealer. I have seen many chinese blades in person, and own 3 myself, and this blade in know way looks anything like a chinese knock-off.