DoTanuki yokai

This is from "The Art of the Japanese Sword" Grade 1 C 1.31; Si 0.02; Mn 0.01; P 0.017; S 0.003; Ti 0.002; Ni 0.001; Cu 0.01 Grade 2 C 0,77; Si 0.01; Mn 0.01; P 0.022; S 0.004; Ti 0.004; Ni 0 ; Cu <0.01 Grade 3 C 0.31; Si 0.02; Mn 0.004; P 0.021; S 0.007; Ti 0.003; Ni 0.001; Cu 0.01 And this is from Usagiya website. In the furnace, a big iron ingot is produced. It includes various qualities in parts. Then, it is broken into many small pieces. Then, the small pieces are classified into various grades by the terms of hardness and sizes. For example, hard and proper size is highest price, grade 1A (8,250.yen /kg). After it 1B. Some is the too hard (cast iron, 3,300.yen/kg). The steel pieces are classified more grades. And the last pieces are these lowest priced tamahagane. Some people say that this grade of tamahagane is close to the material in Koto period. So some smiths intentionally use this tamahagane. After tamahagane is not homogeneous i think this are all more tendencys then facts for all the sorted pieces. When i have read interviews with different mukansa smiths and they got asked about what the best tamahagane is they all gave different answers. I think every smith has his own experiences and methods and prefer different things.

The Raden Brian https://www.urushi-watanabe.net/en/shopping/mart/find.cgi?sort=4&word=・Mother of pearl

Shinto mino is my first impression. EDIT: Thinkin about it i think late muromachi kanefusa is a possibility. Maybe it is the lighning or the condition but would acid not also increase the visibility of the muneyaki ? (i think i see muneyaki) But yes it looks courios without any hataraki visible but the whole hamon. More pictures will hopefully tell us

If you only want it translated "Bishu Osafune KatsuMitsu". Im not sure with the Katsu because it is very faded.

Think what you want, but dont ruin other peoples forum experience for the things you alone take responsibility for. If you want to tell me something you can send me a pm.

Tsuka points in the direction of the door to strike down incoming enemys faster ? Nice work, what is the thing between the antlers on the wood ? You also made this yourself ? What did you use for the red color ?

I just want to say that even if the signature is gimei it could be attributed kanemoto when the signature is removed in my opinion. Nice sword

This is the First thing that should be checked with orikeshi mei in my opinion. I think this is also an information found in facts and fundamentals. But also if it is really folded it could also be a folded gimei. I think even if the signature is gimei it could be attributed to kanemoto without it.

When I first read the question I also thought about this Tsuba in the seven samurai. I think Akira Kurosawa movies are good but not 100% sure about the historical provenance.

I think we had a similiar discussion some time ago about hitatsura/ tobiyaki hamon and chinese fakes. There is no answer but the same things are happening I think the blade is Japanese shinto.

I would not try to remove this "tsuka", i think you will break it.

This shape looks shinto, but it could be also an old sword that indeed lost most of its sori that could have been koshizori due suriage. Ofc it could also be mumei shinto with little changings to the nakago to look like O-suriage. Even if the habaki is original to the sword i think that means nothing for the potential value of the sword. Based on this pictures i can not say what it is. You should try to see what the Boshi and the Hada in Shinogiji is doing, maybe you can make something out with it in hand and the right light. I would also check the inside of the lower mekugiana for a difference in rust, i think it would be different if it is significantly older.

Video if you want to buy this blade, you are unlucky it was already sold in the sales section here. but you are also lucky the seller is selling many other of his well preserved nihonto right now here on nmb. The sold one

Hi maybe not what you are looking for but actually for sale here.

Kuniie - Yoshihara Soji is the older brother Another blade he made https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_tachi&katana_A090818.html He is also the swordsmith in the "The last Samurai" movie. I dont know much about Seto Yoshihiro but i read that thread yesterday For the price i think the year when he became a mukansa wont mean much, some (dealers?) say they put more effort in the blades for the contests to become mukansa.