Stu Payne

Thank you so much everyone for the information, especially Piers. This is about as much information as I would expect to get. I'm very pleased to find out when, where and who made this blade. As I said before I have owned this for 36years and all I knew was that the antiques dealer I bought it from had originally acquired it at an auction in a country town in Queensland, Australia. I assumed that a returned serviceman had taken it back to the farm as a souvenir of war. Thanks very much. Stu.

Thanks for the help, I will upload a better picture of the last part of the mei. I am very new here and have no access to the recommended texts, I would appreciate a translation in romanji or english. (Even my Japanese wife was unable to understand the kanji provided) Also any information available on the smith who made it. I know that I shouldn't have touched the nakago, but I was a young teenager living in a country town in Australia and had no idea. I originally thought it was just a mass produced WW2 blade. At least I didn't use any machines just fine wet and dry sandpaper and oil.

Hi there, Could I please get some help translating the mei and date on my blade's tang. I have owned this blade for about 36 years. When I bought it for $40 at an antique market I was 14 and I was seriously into karate training and ninja movies of the time. The blade was extremely rusty, had no fittings and was inside a WW2 scabbard with no liner or fittings. I was going to clean it up fit a handle and have fun chopping down saplings, but when I started to clean it up I realized it had writing. I have attempted to find out what it says numerous times but because of the cursive writing style, no luck. I'm married to a Japanese lady and she has no idea nor does her family, even the 90+year old uncle who owns several katana. If anyone could tell me something about the smith who made it that would be great too. Thanks Stu.