Tanuki Yokai

I talked about the Shinsakuto blades Ken. And I would like to know if your blades papered by nbthk or some other Organisation?

Thanks Jp. But I’m still not sure what I should believe where they come from I think they are good for iaito or tameshigiri after they can’t really go as collectibles. Ofc it looks nice.

Mei looks like the Blade is from komonjo. Here is a blade by Norihisa https://www.Japanese-sword-katana.jp/katana/1910-1092.htm

Ok, this Blade is sanmei and I think the hamon feels like there is a border inside where the parts connect.

This is a sue-bizen sukesada and I don’t think That this kinsuji is the result of the construction (sanmei,kobuse...) like you mentioned. It is more the result of refining of the steal and yaki-ire. Ofc the construction creates also similar hataraki but in my opinion they look less naturally.

I think the people are more greedy then stupid.

Thank you JP, take your Time with the pictures. Is it signed yoshinobu Saku ? From this pictures it looks like a nice blade.

I have seen too many nice blades singned "Bichu osafune sukesada" and thinking about genbei, hikobei and yosozaemon (or shishibei) are also "Sukesada" and are some of the top smiths of that time, i cant belive that they are the lower end of sengoku blades. Nagayama count the sukesada smiths as leading swordsmiths in sue-bizen not only the 4 i mentioned. Also nagayama wrote that the kazu uchi mono have a irregular size in the midare hamon and many yaki-kuzure, shingane appears and they are generally from 65 to 70 cm nagasa.

The easiest way to spot the tobacco pouches pins are the 2 pins on the backside as menuki only have 1, also i only know of rectangular pins. But im far away from knowing anything about menuki

JP you wrote some day that you have one of this komonjo "shinsakutu", could you post some pics of it that show us other views then the komonojo pictures do ? Im very interested in seeing it thanks.

I have informed the seller 2days ago that this blade is not of Japanese origin and he replied "thanks for information". Also the description is not logical where his Information about some fantasy "USMC colonel" come from :D

I would say this thing is beyond professional repair. The only way would be too shorten it even more. This would cost some money that you won’t get back for it. And pls don’t glue it together it would make many people angry and it won’t be safe.

I think the "polisher" altered the sugate too much to say from what period this is and i think it is shortned. Im not sure what you expect to learn but i think you could get much more educational books for 100$ https://www.amazon.de/Facts-Fundamentals-Japanese-Swords-Collectors/dp/1568365837/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=facts+and+fundamentals+of+Japanese&qid=1609109051&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.de/Connoisseurs-Book-Japanese-Swords/dp/1568365810/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=the+book+of+Japanese+sword&qid=1609109101&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.de/Japanese-Sword-Comprehensive-Guide-Library/dp/0870115626/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=the+Japanese+sword+sato+kanzan&qid=1609109158&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.de/Art-Japanese-Sword-Swordmaking-Appreciation/dp/4805312408/ref=pd_sim_nf_14_2/261-7469024-9415841?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=4805312408&pd_rd_r=759d5982-6715-46c7-8570-24dc22a3e0e3&pd_rd_w=jnsuP&pd_rd_wg=0XtWk&pf_rd_p=af1c267b-5eca-4ce2-9546-faea78e9b1ea&pf_rd_r=J0J784WT17DK84QMMZD5&psc=1&refRID=J0J784WT17DK84QMMZD5 https://www.amazon.de/craft-Japanese-sword-Leon-Kapp/dp/B0039918T6/ref=sr_1_2?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=3S2QT0N7DN7XA&dchild=1&keywords=the+craft+of+the+Japanese+sword&qid=1609109234&sprefix=the+craft+of+the+%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-2

There is the main difference if it keeps moisture out it will also keeps it in. Lacquered wood can’t breathe and can’t regualate the climate. If the conditions change from day to night the shirasaya can regulate humidity without condensation inside.

Yes but the reason is just that I don’t have a shirasaya for the blade. If I have one I would use it. I’m not sure how long it would take to oxide but I wouldn’t wait much longer then 2weeks for new oil.

I have a blade for 2 years unprotected on display and the condition is still the same. I clean and oil it every 2-3 weeks. I think it is wrong to touch the nakago with gloves because the natural oil of the hands is part of the process of patination.

Cat scratches on 2 piece habaki.

1. Looking at the sugata and estimate age. At surriage i try to imagine how it must have looked once to understand the sugata. Then i check if the nakago condition could match my estimation. Then i check the point where yokote, shinogi and koshinogi meet and i look at the shape of the kissaki and the boshi. After that i check the jigane and hamon. In the jigane im looking for a distinct style that can be interuppted if still well forged. I think the hamon should have a well designed pattern that makes it a good weapon or a mirror of the artistic personality of the smith. In my opinion the shape shows the skill of the smith while the jigane shows his passion and the hamon his personality. A good blade should look well designed from far and have enjoyable hataraki. 2.Good shape 3.I think most of them are happy we only know their works.

Thanks I wasn’t expecting an art polish so its ok 👌

Hi Alex, can you post more pictures of the blade just for my interest in nagamitsu blades ?

There is some kind of answer for that. "Here .is the South German sax from 600 AD - 750 AD before and after Japanese polishing from Stefan Maeder's Ph.D. thesis. See also this module. There is a clear hamon and since it is not parallel to the blade there might have been a clay coating. On the other hand, the wavyness of the hamon may just be due to thickness variations of the blade." https://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/iss/kap_b/illustr/ib_6_2.html#_6a

I think the mon is a kiri mon

I think the condition could be better but looking even closer at the menuki they look also well made. Can someone tell me what kind of gilding this is ? Was it done with this „gold butter“ (mercury-gilded) or is it some kind of lacquer?

I think their origin is unknown and they are what they are but never had one in hand and the gendai ones wont get nbthk papers in my opinion. I would love to see some pictures of the blade from someone who bought them and show their geometry.

I checked komonjo on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/KN10-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Akitomo-Katana-in-Unfinished-Koshirae-68-5-CM/133591204834?hash=item1f1aa803e2:g:lrMAAOSwk-pfwtFW