Matsunoki

Many thanks to you all for your time and very helpful information. Greatly appreciated. Colin.

Agree….that kikumon looks very well cut and agree it looks like fumbari is present. However I think the section of the blade where the light is reflecting off it looks like the Ha has been heavily reworked (maybe to remove chips) and thus it looks like fumbari??? Of course it could be trick of photography/light.

Added mine again for posterity!!!

I have been very fortunate (imo) to become the current custodian of this sword. It was briefly posted on this forum quite a few years ago but I am pleased to show it again with a few more images. I would greatly appreciate any and all comments/opinions as I’m sure knowledge has increase dramatically in more recent years. I also hope some of you enjoy looking at it despite my poor images. The habaki and the press stud are silver. The saya is metal. When first posted “Nobody” on this forum translated the 2 Mei and I attach an image of that. I think it is a very elegant blade that has obviously seen action and survived. I have a couple of specific questions- -can anyone say what the Kanji on the leather saya cover tell us? -do we know anything new about the smith or the horimono cutter? Many thank in advance Nagasa 71.1cm Motohaba 2.92cm Sakihaba 1.79cm Motokasane 7.76mm Sakikasane 4.42mm

Hi Ian, thanks for your reply. Your katana sounds impressive. My images and the current polish don’t show my Tanto that well…..in your hands it’s alive with activity…as you say loaded with sunagashi etc Also the hamon looks “on fire”. Between us we could put together a great “Daimyo daisho” 🙂. Obviously a talented smith but only modestly rated……I wonder why? ……as usual it’s a matter of opinion and personal taste I guess. I really like this small blade. All the best. Colin

Louis….have you seen this one….. https://www.malcolmfairley.com/shoami-katsuyoshi-a-silver-mounted-aikuchi best wishes Colin

Just a quick but sincere “thank you all” for your time and expertise. Greatly appreciated. Best wishes. Colin

Just a quick but sincere “thank you all” for your expertise and opinions. Best wishes. Colin

My apologies, I always seem to confuse these terms. Old age! motohaba 2.45cm motokasane 9.1mm I hope that makes a bit more sense! Colin

Greetings again from the UK. I hope you don’t get fed up with me posting my eclectic recent acquisitions!…but I’m enjoying being part of this forum greatly. ”in hand” this is a pleasing elegant Tanto blade of Yoroi-doshi proportions. However trying to image it has been, as usual, very tricky. It has a strange polish…..almost a milky finish….I hope it is not the dreaded acid?…..opinions welcome. The colour of the hada and hamon appear to be reversed! No mountings at all….bare blade and habaki. Nagasa 24.3 cm Motohaba 9.1mm Motokasane 2.46mm Mei Kunihide saku. Koka3. 1846 I think. solid silver habaki It’s a bit of a wild hamon, perhaps gunomechojimidare…..I’ll just post loads of images and welcome your comments …..good or bad! BIG QUESTION IS…can you please tell me which Kunihide? Many thanks in advance. best wishes Colin

Thanks Christian. I was really hoping you had found a good substitute that I could try……I don’t think urushi is for me! I admire your work on the pen…very nice….you are lucky not to get the nasty rash etc that affects a lot of people who try it. That’s a great skill you have there. All the best. Colin

Hi Jon. Oh hahaha! However I agree, the choc bic is more enjoyable than this tsuba! I’m now on the lookout for a decent sentoku/gilt Tanto tsuba. Anyone out there got one? All the best. Colin

Hello Christian Thanks for your comments. Please can you tell me…..what product did you use on your pen? Urushi or a synthetic substitute? I’ve got an old saya that I would like to experiment on. Don’t want to use urushi even if I could get it-it’s quite nasty stuff I believe? All the best. Colin

Greetings from the UK This is my first Kai Gunto, a recent purchase. I’m posting as usual for all/any comments and opinions. I believe the Mei reads Yoshu Saigo ju Taira Sadashige and dated Showa 17. Please correct me! It has definitely “had a life”. The lacquered wood saya has many knocks (bulkhead doors?!) , the gilt finish to the fittings is worn (areas of green corrosion when I acquired it) but it has a fitting to the saya mouth that I’ve never seen before….can anyone please tell me what the inscription thereon says? Also the tsuka seam has been reinforced with brass sheeting under the Ito. The Nagasa is 69cm but as usual the hamon and hada are nearly impossible to image. The polish is tired with some stains etc. I’ve done my best! It’s what I would call an “untouched sleeper”. I’m just grateful that it isn’t at the bottom of the Pacific because I think it’s seen action. I’m certain this was a beautiful sword when the proud owner first received it. Thanks in advance for your time and willingness to share your knowledge Colin

Thank you all for your time and comments. Grey…..the other mekugi is there….just removed it as I was taking images. Thank you Bruce….thanks for pointing out my error. I knew it was ‘44 …..no idea why I typed ‘42. Must be my age/stupidity! Bruce…please excuse my lack of knowledge…what is a Chuso? Chris…yes the Ito seems to be very lightly lacquered in a brown/maroon colour but is quite “worn”.

Greetings to you all from the UK This Tanto is a recent acquisition, bought because I think it’s fairly unusual. Personally I’ve never before seen a Tanto of this style. It is in typical UK condition ie neglected but with no serious damage. There is light surface staining and scuffing but a healthy suguha hamon about 5mm wide is visible. An old collection label kindly told me the Mei reads Seishin sai Morichika and I think my old Hawleys tells me it is MOR543 working in Musashi during the Bakumatsu period….1860s. The Handachi type mounts would once have been very flashy as they were allover richly gilded, now worn. The tsuba is pretty awful, maybe a replacement. Nagasa 25.5cm Any/all opinions/comments/info most welcome. Many thanks. Stay well. Colin.

Greetings all. I am learning so much about Showa swords from this forum. Obviously knowledge has greatly increased over more recent years. I am posting this sword to hopefully get all/any comments/opinions/ information but also because hopefully someone might enjoy it. I believe the Star stamp suggests it is a traditionally made blade? It has two other stamps…one on nakago and one on nakago mune. I believe it is dated 1942 and signed Seki Mitsunobu. From what I can find, he was a young smith who came late to the RJT programme….please correct me. I bought it because I really liked the blade. To me it has “spirit”….flamboyant hamon etc. The forging is very dense and does not really show in the current polish (wartime??). The Nagasa is 65cm but the blade is quite light and has excellent balance…imo. I believe the smith had some real talent even though young? What do you all think. Many thanks. Stay well. Colin.

Hi Jon parcelforce will not handle swords/blades if they know that is what it is. I suspect that means their insurance would be invalidated anyway if a problem occurred. Have a look at their terms and conditions, in particular the “prohibited items”. I know it’s a nightmare sending anything now and I can’t give you a viable alternative. I urge caution. If it’s really valuable how about meeting the recipient halfway and handing it over? Peace of mind……. regards. Colin

JT….for what it’s worth….I would have bought this if it was put in front of me. I agree….it looks interesting. Unless it has been retempered, the presence of an obvious boshi means it hasn’t been shortened at that end, nor does it look shortened at the other end to my eyes. The nakago does look a tad “old” …..but the whole blade looks old to me. From the images it looks like the hamon ends at where the machi used to be (unless its a disguising polish) which does at least imply “ubu”. And anyway, how many blades do we see with decent ayasugi hada?…….another reason to buy it in my book. Like you say….they all have value….and it need not necessarily be monetary value. I am not qualified to comment on the Mei….except that it does not look in the right place! I applaud. Colin.

It would be strange to record your last will and testament in kanji on the inside of a tsuka where no one would ever see it unless the tsuka was destroyed in the process of discovery. As Yanchen suggests, much more likely to be something the sayashi noted for assembly purposes….imo.