waljamada

Piers, want to get a somewhat matching menpo and go from there. I could see completing it becoming a side quest for me. Might be fun to kind of "build" a set.

Wow, excellent. Thank you both for your responses. Interesting to learn its older than I thought and somewhat less common. I actually thought the condition was going to be identified as "quite bad" and I'd get some consoling or scolding for a foolish newbie purchase. So this is good news so far. Also just for documentation sake mogami do is: Mōgami dou (dō) - five-plate, four hinge (go mai) chest armours with solid lames which are laced with sugake odoshi instead of being riveted. Ubu in nihonto I believe means unshortened or "original state", what does it mean in the armor world? Original state/size as well? I'm guessing now since its mogami that if one of those sugake odoshi break the whole thing can fall apart and to repair would be quite a process. Noticed there is one "string" half split already in the front. Also, what do I use to clean it? Its got so many parts. The cloth..the laquer..and the exposed metal portions. I guess looking for suggestions on what to do with it to help it. Googling isn't very helpful with this.

Not sure why some photos showed up sidways. Took a screenshot of my own photo, attached that file and it seemed to fix it.

Right after my first nihonto purchase I foolishly thought I'd be happy with just the one sword. So with my first sword I hopped on ebay and started looking up Japanese antiques to perhaps create a little display. I stumbled upon the armors and put in an offer of $250 for this armor which they accepted (I didn't think they would) but it was also like $105 shipping. So in total I'm probably in it for something like $380 after tax. I know nothing about this market; am I in the hole on this piece? If yes I'm OK with it. Since then it has sat in a box for many months as I ended up taking a dive into nihonto purchasing a few more blades and I'm finally about to create that display. Wondering if anyone can share any knowledge on this armor. I thank you in advance for any responses I receive. Perhaps possible age? Just pulled up the email receipt from when I purchased it and the title was Mogami Dou of Yoroi: Edo. Anything I should look for on it? Also wondering if off the pictures theres any part I should do immediate repairs on? Is there suggested cleaning/repair items/products to use? I'm guessing this is a somewhat standard low end armor and in semi-rough shape. Im also guessing like nihonto buying a "fixer upper" ends up being more expensive to get in shape than just buying a nicer piece. Want to keep its flaws but "stabalize" it. Thanks again for any responses! Also I put it on and it actually fits me really well!

Trystan, yeah from the website it mentions two students of Kanesane and included their mei as well whom also got to use the turtle hotstamp. Part of the Kanesane umbrella I suppose. From what I have been able to find I can't discern any techniques other than sometimes using yasuki steel that differentiates the Kanesane swords forging from other showato. Im guessing they had stronger internal specifications and standards within their foundry but I can't find evidence of any specifics. Obviously Kanesane had individually won awards/accolades so perhaps his knowledge alone guided to higher quality showato. I still want to see if any full gendaito or at least tamagahane/water quenced even if machine assisted Kanesane hot stamp swords exist. I have yet to see another hamon similar to the Kanesane example sword. Also haven't seen a sugu style and most are gunome variations.

John, I won't be purchasing this sword, just find Kanesane interesting and I do love that little turtle hot stamp. I first had the impression that hot stamps usually mean "quality" and if not traditionally made than very close to. So its been a fun ball of twine to unravel with Kanesane. I've read conflicting reviews of Kanezane blades but the man does have lots of historical documentation and notices. Neil, whats the hamon look like on yours? That's one of the things I've found fun to compare.

I've been researching Kanesane hot stamp swords as one does. Its an interesting field because the differences in the blades seems to run the gambit. Some tamagahane, mostly mill steel, some water and oil quenched, many different hamons, some with hada some without and a bunch of different mei. Its nihonto condensed in showato form as I haven't seen photos of a gendaito Kanezane hot stamp. So I found one that doesn't really have much info on it but I was told is hand forged tamagahane. All I have to go on is the attached photos so it was a chance for me to try and kantei it. So here is my attempt at understanding the attached Kanesane. This one has a showa stamp. This sword truly appears to have hada from the photos but I think its mill still and maybe just a choji oil illusion. Can't tell for sure from the photos, but that could be hada The dark aspects of the hamon appear to lend towards it being oil quenched. It also lacks a bit of the water quenched glow. The hamon is very interesting to me though with the lines that it has throughout. This had to have been done with some clay technique on purpose and required some hands on extra care. The mei annoyingly doesn't match any of the examples here: http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanezane.htm If I had to guess from that sites mei examples it seems closest to a variation of C. Noshu ju Asano Kanesane saku kore (kokuin, Showa stamp). Saya I haven't seen before but looks like possibly a gunto saya that is usually leather covered? The type 98 tsuba would lend to that as it has the hole for the leather strap that buttons onto leather saya covers. So what do you guys think? Any personal opinions on Kanezane hot stamp swords? Anyone own a tamagahane example just to confirm here they do exist? Were any hot stamp Kanesane ever considered gendaito? Also which mei are considered 100% to have been done by Kanesane himself? The 2 kanji versions? Lastly, which parts did I get wrong? Kantei away!

There was a movie named Kikujiro that I watched in High School and its the movie that made me want to go to Japan and study. It also has a song in it that I always listen to when I have to make a big decision in life. I remember watching Ghost Dog and enjoyed it. I have a soft spot for Forrest Whittaker

Is that sword a handforged variety of the stainless steel kai gunto swords? Does it have a real hamon unlike some of the others?

I really like the photos you took. Also the variations in the hamon you captured is wonderful to see. I tried my hand at filming a short video on a blade. My respect to anyone whose figured out the set up/skills to do this well, it's quite tricky. Tried it first with my dslr cameras but my lenses just couldn't do macro well and I couldn't get a good focus. Ended up switching to my cellphone which worked better. Heres the video and a couple pics from my attempt (goal was to photograph the horimono), also the first time I set up a lamp to get direct light on it. I aim to try again with a few swords down the line on a rainy slow day and ill use a solid color background.

Tried to make a video of the sword for fun on my phone. It is really difficult and I respect anyone that figured out the set up to do it well. Also took a few more photos.

Jean, yeah, I used the term "old" a bit too liberally given the age ranges of nihonto. I had assumed even the tsuba was 19th century and from a mold. So thank you for sharing that that insight. The tsuba has some actual detail in it so knowing it's handmade adds a lot to it. My tsuba eye needs much work. Now I wonder if the bit of shimmering gold color in the tiger eyes and a few other places on the tsuba is real gold...

Neil, definitely of interest. Thats quite cool. That saya looks ww2 so fits the idea that this sword was remounted during ww2 era. I also like the look of the set. I really enjoy looking at the old mounts and discovering the theme an old owner wanted to portray. A glimpse into the personality they saw and wanted to imbue/accentuate. With this one having the tsuka as forest themed and the tsuba as tiger I like to think of it as a story. The handle represents the tigers domain as it stares to the sky aggressively/defensively towards the dragon and his air domain. Ground and sky, crouching tiger hidden dragon.

Hi Ken, I can tell him what I know/was told about it. He wouldn't know a Kanekado from an actual Masamune but I was still hoping to hear some opinions. From my eye the signature does match the other examples I posted. The sword does appear Koto/muromachi and I'm sure the horimono werent original to the sword. Just want to give him it and say everything I can learn with confidence. I put together a very short info packet on Kanekado, added all I could find. A print out of what was going on in the Seki Japan area 1530-1555 etc..want to give an accurate story with it to historically frame it for him. As a history buff he will care to learn the details. Thats a bunch of the fun If this gets him into Nihonto he can bring it to the next Chicago Sword Show with me to show a shinsa.

Received the sword and it's actually really quite nice. Interesting hamon, looks woodgrain (itame hada perhaps?)and polish is 80%. Does have some flaws, some openings and a few little stains including an old fingerprint. The horimono are smaller than I thought with the entire tiger horimono at just under 2.5 inches tall which makes it a bit more impressive to me. I've attached some photographs of the sword that I quickly took while cleaning it. I'm just under $1,400 into it and as long as the Kanekado signature is real I think its the perfect retirement gift for my father.

Received the sword and it's actually really quite nice. Interesting hamon, looks woodgrain (itame hada?) and polish is 80%. Does have some flaws, some openings and a few little stains including an old fingerprint. The horimono are smaller than I thought with the entire tiger horimono at just under 2.5 inches tall. I've attached some photographs of the sword that I quickly took while cleaning it. I'm just under $1,400 into it and as long as the signature is real I think its the perfect retirement gift for my father.

SAS, I think it has that power stance and looking up because of the dragon.

The other Kanekado blades I found of a similar time period. The nihonto antiques one is sadly a mumei so couldn't use it to compare mei. This is all I can find on the internet for Kanekado koto blades but the name continued on to ww2 era smiths. http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/H85889_W8060_PUP_E.htm http://sanmei.com/contents/media/A71770_W8240_PUP_E.html https://nihontoantiques.com/project/katana-tachi-sword-fss-698/ http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/A28850_W6624_E.htm

The other Kanekado blades I found of a similar time period. The nihonto antiques one is sadly a mumei so couldn't use it to compare mei. This is all I can find on the internet for Kanekado koto blades but the name continued on to ww2 era smiths. http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/H85889_W8060_PUP_E.htm http://sanmei.com/contents/media/A71770_W8240_PUP_E.html https://nihontoantiques.com/project/katana-tachi-sword-fss-698/ http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/A28850_W6624_E.htm

Just realized this sword is literally Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

ha, Brian thats how I feel. I have a few parts I like and the rest I don't hate. The blade itself is pretty cool to me but, not the best polish, and the fittings are adequate. I have a feeling the fittings are are just meh ww2 era quality like the ad said. It looks a meaty blade.

The "probably hiding flaws" always does cross the mind and its very possible. I remember when this was told to me about a laquered bohi blade I have; I dove in to researching all flaws both fatal and non fatal a blade can have. Also please correct me if I'm wrong, bohis can remove blisters and openings but didn't see any fatal flaws it could conceal. Lacquer literally hides all thats underneath so that is riskier to me. Horimono like these require that a blister or opening couldn't be that deep as the exposed metal is still obviously used to create the sculpt. So I'd guess if it does hide a flaw it would be cosmetic/non-fatal, or perhaps a large umegane fill spot which I would worry about, so they did something cosmetic to address something cosmetic. Doesn't scare me too much for these reason, especially after seeing how common cosmetic flaws are on koto blades due to age and previous polishings. I spent a good chunk of time last night during my normal book reading wind down time to just look up horimono examples. Saw a huge variety of both styles and quality. Found common themes and styles with many almost like the standard tattoo boards in tattoo shops. I agree that this blade's horimono aren't at all museum quality. I saw some truly beautiful pieces, gorgeously detailed sculpts and then a bunch of "the rest" where there is a spectrum of "cool horimono" via "the eye of the beholder". Also the wallet dictates if you can actually ever own a very high quality piece I'll wait till I have it in hand to give it my final judgment/opinion but so far from what I've seen I give it a C/C+. Oddly I kind of like the simple cloud lines with dragon parts popping out and how it goes over the mune to have a part of it on the other side of the blade. The dragons head looks pretty good and the tiger is ok. "Hey Dad, here is a signed Kanekado blade from the early 1500's. It has has a 28.3" cutting length which is longer than average and has a horimono of a Dragon and Tiger that leaves a lot to be desired." =]:^)

Greetings everyone, let me present Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. I posted about this sword in translation assistance as well (so if one should be deleted go ahead) but wanted to post here as well in case they are different audiences. Wondering what your more trained eyes see in this blade? How is the horimono quality in your experience and are the almost detailless clouds common or is it unfinished? Is it common to have the horimono go over the mune? The pictures aren't perfect but its what I have so far. I purchased it so hopefully it is what was advertised. I will attach all photos I have available and the description. I bought my dad a showato as a retirement gift but I'm going to give him this instead after a good course in sword care. So hopefully its all legitimate. Anymore knowledge you can share will make a better story i can tell him when I give it to him.

Gentlemen/ladies and scholars, looking for confirmation that the mei is a koto era Kanekado and appears legitimate (my Google searches kinda helped and I included a pic comparing a tenbun era kanekado mei of a wazikashi with horimono but they slightly differ). Also looking for guidance if the blade appears koto era (nakago doesnt quite look koto to me, maybe early/mid muromachi) and also wondering about the horimono. Is it incomplete or are clouds like this a style and often go over the mune like this one? Can it be a danger sign there are two very different horimono on one side? Does the tsuba look ww2 era casted (still dont have a good tsuba eye) What do you think of the whole thing? Have my opinions from research but still new enough to lack confidence. I bought my dad a showato as a retirement gift (which I will probably sell now) but I'm going to give him this instead after a good course in sword care. So hopefully its all legitimate. Anymore knowledge you can share will make a better story i can tell him when I give it to him.