Mark S.

I know that sometimes it is difficult to represent the real color and condition of the nakago in pictures (it can appear lighter or washed out) but something about the condition of your nakago makes me go hmmmmm???? Cleaned and an attempt at re-patina? Some other kind of damage? I’m not sure, but something doesn’t appear right especially in area just above mekugi ana?

Interesting. While Kuwana falls in Ise Province proper, it is also very close to Mino border. So I would assume there may be some crossover/influence in style? A Mino smith signing with or working in Ise/Kuwana? And yes, there are some hints of higaki yasurime. The nakago 'feels' older and much of the yasurime marks are obscured.

Skinny dipping?... on my sword?... the AUDACITY!!!

Boshi Pics

General Pics 3 Last two pics highlight an interesting (to me) feature in hamon... almost looks like a helmet with two horns? OK... just my imagination!!!

General Pics 2

General Pics 1

Sugata pics. Used line in wood floor to help show shape & sori. Was VERY gentle laying it down!

Pics of nakago & mei

This blade was posted by another member in the General Nihonto Related section of the Board. I am the new owner of the blade. The blade was covered in a heavy dried grease(?) which I have carefully tried to remove, but there is still quite a bit of “white staining”. The staining makes photographing details very difficult as it tends to cause glare and ‘wash out’ photos. There really is a lot to see with blade in hand that I just haven’t been able capture with photographs yet. Here are the basics: Wakizashi Mei: Kuwana-ju Morishige - translation originally provided by NMB Member Steve M. (Thank You!). No date on other side Nagasa: 51.5cm Nakago: 14.5cm Overall: 66cm Sori: 14mm Very active midare hamon that is almost impossible to capture in photographs so far So, with my limited references and the internet, I am assuming that based on the mei, this Morishige is from Ise Province (from the Kuwana-ju reference). The only school that I can find attached to this Province is the Sengo School (which I know may also be wishful thinking), but this smith could also be a provincial or country school smith. However, I can find no mention of a Morishige working in Kuwana, or Ise, or as part of the Sengo school or any other school in that area. Possibly a member of the later Shinto Masashige school? Does anyone have any ideas/records about this smith or could he just be Meikan-more? The next few posts will contain very inadequate pictures, but it is the best I can do at this time. ANY help or comments would be appreciated. I know in the end, this will have to get into the hands of people much more qualified than I for an assessment of quality and a future polish (if warranted). It will have to wait for next year’s Chicago Show… God willing that we have one! THANKS ALL, Mark S. NOTE: Full blade pic below is how it arrived covered in the grease.

Well... if you're buying the cold beer and crawfish, I may have to plan a trip down! For the swords of course!!!! :)

I know this gets said here all the time, but in this case the opinion of a qualified polisher would be critical. The polisher should be able to give you their opinion of Kantei while at the same time judge the best option for polish and what you will have left after polish is done, 1) nice blade, 2) nice blade with a bunch of nicks, 3) toothpick with not much left, 4) etc

A couple more good reads... https://markussesko.com/2013/09/04/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-bingo-smiths/ http://www.nihontocraft.com/Mihara_Nihonto.html

Of course it's not detracting! It's very interesting. Thank you for your input and help.

Thank you guys. The polishing answer seems like the logical answer. I just never noticed it before until I really looked and it hit the light just right... but once I saw it, it stood out and I couldn’t miss it. The more we stare at our blades, the more we see...

Was looking closely at my WW2 Unjosai Katsunaga (undocumented smith) which has the appearance of an oil quenched blade and noticed a feature I never saw before. I’m not sure if it would be considered utsuri or another feature? Is utsuri even obtainable with oil quenching? Attached pics show light and dark striping perpendicular to the hamon that is very faint and I just happened to see them in the right light today. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thank you in advance, Mark S.

Darn it Stephen... I was eyeing that one as well!!! Good catch.

Sorry Peter but ????

Disappointed about the cancelled Show... so in honor of all the good memories of past Shows... today I laid out my meager collection and am spending a little time looking at my blades. Not the same though...... Also treated myself to some incense, a tea sweet, and a bowl of matcha. Who knows, maybe I will sit down at my tea table and practice Chanoyu (tea ceremony). Stay safe and healthy everyone. Looking forward to next year already!!!

Thank you both so much... amazing how generous everyone is with their time and knowledge.

Would anyone have any idea of the meaning of this shodo kakemono? Thank you.

George, Thank you so much for the additional info. My knowledge of tsuba is VERY limited, so the help is VERY welcome. Mark S.

Ganko... thank you for the help with the mei! Stephen... thank you for the moral support! Going to be a long slow process I can tell.

So a new Tsuba arrived and I am gently just starting active rust removal, and low and behold a mei started to emerge. I know some parts of the mei are still obscured, but does anyone have any early opinions on a translation? Thanks for any help, Mark S.

I know sometimes photo angles make it difficult to judge blades, but the overall shape seems ‘off’? Is the center of the blade ground down? Seems to narrow considerably and just doesn’t seem right.