JohnPublic

I was reading that, but it seems too dark. Would it have been common to apply a stain to it to get it the color it is now? EDIT: Also, have been looking at cleaning kits on Amazon US, seems like a lot of these are gimmicky, which stuff like "Hatori Hanzo" written on them. Can someone recommend a decent kit that won't set me back an absurd amount?

Any ideas what type of wood the shirasaya is? Rosewood seems to be a likely candidate given what I've read, but I don't know enough about it to say for sure.

@Tom Cutting edge appears to be right at 27in. Is there some significance to that number? EDIT: Another question: I gather that the value of the item is the blade itself? Might it be a good idea to replace the shirasaya, or does the original carry some intrinsic value to where it would be worth repairing it?

I'll get a cleaning kit and give it some love then. Thanks. I have no intention of ever selling the weapon, but can someone give a rough ballpark of it's value? Again, I have no clue, but it would be good to know for posterity and insurance.

Thanks for the info. Is there nothing that can be done for the minor rust spots short of sending it off?

My grandfather passed away last year and left me this blade that I believe he acquired in Japan while stationed there between 1942 - 1944. I've only had the item in my possession for a few days, but did manage to have some translation done, which, if correct, means that it was produced in June 1942 by Endo Mitsuoki? I've had some difficulty finding much info on the smith other than it seems he was reputable and achieved honors in smithing during his lifetime. Any info on the blade and/or the smith would be much appreciated. I would also like some info on care and maintenance. It is missing the pin that goes through the tang, there is some very, very light rust along the blade which I would like to take care of, and the sheath on the blade end is just ever-so-slightly beginning to separate. The knee-jerk response is to buy a bamboo pin on ebay, clean the blade with rust remover, and touch the sheath with wood glue, but I have a feeling that these are all very bad ideas. Any and all guidance would be appreciated. Thank you. -Seth EDIT: Tried to get a full picture of the blade, hard to do in my current lighting, will get a better one later: