GrimesSU

That'd be a shame as I'm not really looking for a Showa era blade, despite it being a nice looking sword. Anyone else confirm this? Is it a traditionally made blade if so?

Here is some of the nakago. Don't see a signature.

In the United States. I asked the seller for a picture of the nakago. Waiting for his response.

Thinking about purchasing this Katana. Seller says Shinshinto Edo Period. I assume no signature since it's not mentioned, and it is 35 3/4" long, blade being 27". What would be a fair price?

To update this, I didn't buy it. I asked for closer pictures from the seller, and the closer pictures showed it not to be that good. Pretty much no hamon can be seen, and looked like someone tried to polish it as there were many fine scratch lines.

Ray's advice was to pass on it if I was looking for an "art" sword. I'm not looking for a $3000+ papered and flawless blade. Gimei and non-papered swords do not bother me, as long as the sword is of good quality, and is of the age/era I am looking for. I simply asked if it is good for what it is.

The seller got back to me. He said it is signed 大和国吉行子竜門山本長吉作之 and dated 元年丙寅十月十一日. Can anyone translate that?

Not sure I'd get it fully polished and restored as I'm not looking for an "art" sword. I'd be getting it for its military history. Maybe eventually a partial "clean-up" polish to bring out the hamon more if I decide to get it though. I'm waiting on a few questions I asked the seller before I decide.

Is it still worth buying as-is and is the sellers dating correct? As I'm looking for a good shape blade from the 1600s, but in gunto mounts like this one.

Seller says it's a Shinto Blade 1600-1650. Price is $1500. More pictures. Buy or pass?

Can anyone translate this tang?

Looking up more about the seller just brings up more bad stuff. Apparently he has sold 'parts swords' (put together) as full originals, over-exaggerates condition/not disclosing condition issues (pitting, rust, forging openings), further evidence of acid enhancing, and overall issues when a customer needed to return something. Not to say he doesn't have good stuff from time to time, but it seems he doesn't tell the full truth on things. I'm glad forum members here steered me in the right direction.

I have an old traditional made blade in WWII mounts. The tang has 6 holes, one of which being a filled hole. The 6th hole is at the end of the tang where it was cut down at one time, indicating it was a much longer blade at one time. I have been told it likely dates from the 1500s to early 1600. I didn't pay too much for it as the blade condition is pretty horrid, but just the fact the it was a very old blade with a long history had me buy it. I've been searching for a nice condition traditional made with a wavy temper to go along with it, but the minefield of 'oil quenched industrial steel' blades called "traditional" is hard to navigate. I got burned with another so-called traditional (forum members here pointed out another oil quench blade), and getting a refund for that was a nightmare with the seller sending me insults at every email for saying it was a misleading description.

Yes, it is from that seller. Shame if true that he enhances them with acid. I should probably pass on it then if it's not TAMAHAGANE. I'm hoping for a full traditional made blade. A bit misleading of him to call it "traditional made", but not saying it is industrial steel with an oil quench.

Thinking about getting this. Blade is signed Noshu Seki ju Kaneuji kin saku, dated 1940, with the inspection stamp. Has a mon on the handle. 26+3/8" cutting edge. Description says that it is traditional hand forged.

I noticed that too and was thinking the same thing that it is overpriced. If it was more around $1500, I would likely consider it more. It is a rather nice looking sword though.

Was considering this 1939 Ota Chikahide. New polish and has a couple openings but nothing fatal. Measures 25 9/16" from blade tip to notch in the blade spine. Seller wants $2300 and seems firm on the price. Fair price? Good deal? Walk away?

I'm using old in terms of a pre-1940 blade, not something 100+. He said in quotes, "blade is unsigned but possibly made before 1940". Then he said "Hamon is Gunome Maddare&is Nioi Deki made withTogari Present.Boshi is Ko Maru.Blade has a Dense Itame Hada," Those are terms associated with a traditional made blade. I said his last email was uncalled for and rude, and he replied back "it is hand forged not machine rolled bar steel.you do not know what you are talking about.you just thought I was stupid and you were getting a blade that was much older for a small price,when you found out it was only what I stated it was you had BUYER'S REMORSE". This has just turned into a cluster with him calling me a liar. I only returned it because it is not even a traditional made blade, the age didn't matter to me. He said the refund will take another week since he had to redo it, but I'm calling ebay/paypal tomorrow to get this refund sorted out.

Still waiting from the refund from the seller, but I got an email from him today. I don't think he has done a refund before because he didn't realize the funds need to be in his bank account, not his paypal, so it has been pending. He then sent me a nasty email saying that he got an overdraft fee because of it, and that he will redo the refund process for my "buyers remorse" and, as quoted from him, "do me a favor NEVER BUY FROM ME AGAIN". Just overall a very rude email that he messed up the refund and that it is my fault. He seems to forget that his item description was misleading into thinking I was buying a traditional made blade.

Yeah, I only have one nihonto. The blade is in poor shape, but I got it at a good price and the nakago has has 6 holes, one of which is filled. I was hoping to get a nicer nihonto with a hamon in gunto mounts.

That's a shame to hear. The hamon looked correct for a traditional made blade, but I only know a bit to at least not buy fakes. Not enough to fully tell the difference between a traditional made blade, and an oil tempered wartime blade. The asked the seller for a refund, to which he agreed.

Seller got back to me with pictures of the nakago. I hope this isn't a wartime oil tempered blade.

I hope so too. It was an impulse buy after a small amount of research just to check things. The seller has a lot of positive feedback, none bad, and seems to deal in antiques. I did ask if he has a picture of the nakago, so hopefully he gets back to me before it ships.

Seller didn't list a picture of the tang. Listing said WWII mounts. He had mentioned other things like 25 1/4" sari. Hamon is Gunome Maddare & is Nioi Deki made with Togari Present. Boshi is Ko Maru. Blade has a Dense Itame Hada. He has a few things misspelled and by "25 1/4" sari", he means cutting edge, but did some research before buying and it looked good.

I only have the pictures the seller provided. It is in WWII mounts. Seller says no markings on tang. Old polish and the hamon looks pretty good. Any other info?