SwordGuyJoe

I found another blade with similar stamps. Anyone have any thoughts? Maybe this should be moved to the military board? http://www.nihontoantiques.com/images/Blade%20(33).jpg Look below the mekugi-ana - looks the same.

All, I am looking to restore my Kanehiro and mount it. It needs a light polish and I have been given a few names on who to contact - Fred Lohman or Chris Osborne - but these names came up for non-gendaito polish of my Mantetsu. I don't want to assume that this is showato nor do I want to assume gendaito. So here are my questions: 1. How can I tell? Can someone help me? Here is a link to pictures of the sword with closeups: http://web.me.com/joseph.kraninger/Joes ... ehiro.html 2. If Gendaito, who can I contact? If Showato, does anyone have any other contacts? 3. The shirasaya is original and has seen better days - so I would like to mount it. Either shirasaya or koshirae. For Koshirae, I would need a habaki. I would like to get this done all at the same place (Polish and Mounting). Any suggestions on who to send it to for both Gendaito and Showato? 4. Finally - what can I expect to spend on all of this? I think to really understand the cost, I would need to know if this is gendaito or showato, since my understanding is that the gendaito polish will be more expensive, but I may be wrong. Thanks in advance for the assistance.

After viewing the "Kanetoshi" link posted by Steve, I am pretty positive that my mei is the same. One reason is the "Rockwell" test - although it may of shoots the theory posted about an army engineer making the stamps. My blade has the same stamps. Does anyone have any thoughts on what this would be? Seems to be a pretty off chance that the same "test" was conducted on a blade by the same smith. I have also looked in all of my references and scanned the internet for anything by Kanenami. Is it possible that this could be another smith's mei - Like Yasunori also signed Takenori? Thanks everyone for the great discussion and Koichi, I certainly didn't mean any disrespect. I sincerly appreciate all of the help you have given me when I run up against the wall and even in this case when I think I get it right...

I have been looking a lot at the Kanetoshi meis that are online and in my reference manuals (specifically Fuller and Gregory's "Swordsmiths of Japan 1926 - 1945") and this looks A LOT like the oshigata I have found on Kumazawa Kanetoshi. I don't mean to doubt Koichi - because you have helped me a lot - but is it possible that this is Kanetoshi? Loiner, can you post a photo of your mei to see how close/far off this is?

When I took a second look, that was kind of what I was thinking too. Thanks Koichi

It wouldn't be the first time, but I am wondering if I am wrong on a translation. I read this as Kanetoshi - as the picture name indicates. Am I wrong? Kanenami? Thanks for the help!

Looks pretty decent to me. Only a few flaws that I found, but still a good blade and the koshirae seems to be nice too.

So everyone knows what I am talking about, here is a picture - Note the snapped cord:

I am looking for a replacement cord sarute for my Mantetsu. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Can it be replaced or am I out of luck?

Okay fine - I was just having fun. And please read my last post with a great amount of sarcasm.

So the swordsmith was busy. What are you trying to imply?

At least there is a little wheel at the tip of the saya if you get tired carrying that piece of junk around!

I came across this on eBay and it is a first for me. The sword seems to be Chinese junk, but it is, "Papered". Doesn't look like NTHK or NBTHK to me - although the picture of the old guy and the thumb print is a very nice touch... http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-sword-sign ... 7C294%3A50 Is this a new thing or has this been around for a while and I just missed it?

I'll weigh in agreeing on the fact that the mei above the mekugi-ana is very suspect. I would lean towards gimei. As far as shinto, who knows...

Is this mounted in shin-gunto mounts? Looks like a blade I was watching on eBay. If so, glad to see it went to a board member.

I have a wak that is wrapped that way and I am still not used to it either!

I too have been referred to the site and heard good things.

While this may be showato, I am not on board with everyone else. This may be gendiato. The hard spots above the hamon peaks could be more due to the seki forging. They would often times have a volcano looking peak with a dot of hamon above them. About the price - I think you are seeing a pretty accurate price for a couple of reasons: Kyu Gunto that isn't a stainless blade - don't see a WHOLE lot of these, but I would hesitate to say this is really rare. Then add in that it was from a decent smith, then add that there is not much (can't see any from these pics) pitting or rusting from being out at sea - which non-stainless blades are more susceptible to. Then add in the fittings. This has a same saya and it is in good shape, and a tsuka wrap and tassel that both appear to be in good shape. I'd probably put $2,500 on it, but $2,800 isn't unheard of... Just my two cents.

I have seen a couple, but not too many. This would have been a custom wrap for a specific customer in mind. I don't think the pre-assembled blades were made with the "left-handed" menuki positioning, but I could be wrong.

That looks like the "standard size" and looks like the same size as my Sadahiro. The thing that seems less than standard is the placement. I have always seen these up further near the habaki, not that close to the mekugi-ana. I know that nearly anything is possible on these blades, so now I have seen something different. Thanks for sharing.

I would read up on this post in the "For Sale" area. It has some very useful information on importing/exporting. As far as helping you with your purchase, I am sure some of the other guys/gals will help.

All, I am very interested in learning more about Nihonto before dabbling more strongly in it. I saw this Wak on eBay and it is listed for $3500. The sword looks absolutely beautiful - to my untrained eye anyway. If this is a members blade, I ask only out of curiosity, not saying that it is, but... is this priced high? A mumei shin-shinto wak in new polish? http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Sword-Samu ... tsupported I mean no disrespect, but I have been watching this every time it has been posted and would rather ask the question than get burned.

The rules are very simple and I understand and heed them - or do my best to. All of you folks are right that if a person takes the time and diligence to craft a well written post, there is no need to delete anything. In my post I am strictly talking about the functionality of the website, not challenging the convention of accountability and treating the importance of grammatical vigor of electronic forms of communication with less than that of written or spoken word. I also know first hand that the moderators of this board to a phenomenal job and that is not in question by me. I am strictly saying and my post should be read as, "Wouldn't it be cool if we could delete something we wrote in error so someone else doesn't have to?", without negative connotations regarding the mods, how much I like this board, or individual contributors - as there are none. I thoroughly enjoy this board, appreciate the help I am given, and more over just reading the posts of the more learned contributors as they have something I want - knowledge. Thankfully and peacefully yours - Joe :D

Wow - Tough room. Not to de-rail the conversation back to the question, but why can't we delete our posts? I as a fledgling, have posted some dumb posts that I would have liked to delete. I find I do a good enough job proving I am a knucklehead by asking the things I mean to ask. Not a big deal one way or the other. Hopefully in the short time that I have been on the board, I have proven that I can learn, but sometimes it would be nice to delete your posts.

You've got me???