xreflections

The peg is completely removed; I can see the hole in its entirety. The tsuba wiggles a little if I press against it, and each time I tried the tapping method by gripping the sword and striking my wrist, I heard a soft metal clang like it was going to come loose, but it didn't.

Sorry for the delay. I still haven't been able to get dismantled, but the blade is 1/2 clean now. I'm going to call a place that offers classes in Japanese swordsmanship, and see if they might be able to help me dismantle it.

Thank you. What kind of oil would you recommend using?

I've been using cotton alcohol swabs. Is that all right?

I'll try to dismantle it tomorrow. I worked on cleaning off some of the cosmoline tonight and I'll post pictures once it's fully cleaned. Should I use Renaissance Wax on the blade once it's cleaned? Thank you for all your help! I'll definitely keep my eye out for more swords from now on.

I was able to remove the peg using a chopstick, but I'm having trouble removing the handle now. I watched some tutorials online, but I can't seem to get it off.

For removing the blade, do you have recommendations on what materials I should use to remove the pegs? I looked online, but I don't have a brass punch or hammer. As well, how do I know which side of the peg to gently tap? I only see one peg as well--should there be a second one?

I've always been interested in antique weapons, and today came across a sword at a resale store. It was $400, which was a lot for me, but I could tell right away that it was old. Sadly, the sheath is damaged (there is a cut right above the locking mechanism), with wear to the leather, but the mechanism still works. From my research, sounds like this might be WWII? This is my first sword, so I'd love to know more about it (and if it was worth what I paid) The blade is covered in a dark, greasy-looking (but dry) substance. There are no serial numbers on the blade or hilt, as far as I can tell, and I'm afraid to try dismantling it to check the tang.