Jorgensen

Hello, I aquired this koshirae some days ago, featuring a nagamaki style wakizashi blade. But I will be very interested if any can tell me, what you call this style of type koshirae/style of fittings - I dont seem to find it anywhere? I assume it is some later koshirae style?

3 more pics...

A friend of mine, who has this very nice katana in heritage from his father and he would like to know more about the blade, as his father has no records on it and I am not skilled enough to help fully. To my translation on mei I may get Kanehisa, but I am not sure my translation is correct. Other is that I have difficult judging the age of the blade. Blade has been shortened, 2 holes, nagasa is ca. 68,5 cm, blade is wide, thick and healthy. Suguha hamon all the way. Mei is on omote side, seems to be a tachi blade? Possible mei has been on cut off part of nakago and written again? Hope some will be kind to share their help/oppinion on this one.

Hi stan, Welcome to the board. I do not have any information about this smith signed this way. A quick look I can see there are more than 13 smiths named Hisamichi, dating from 14th century to late 17th century. Can you post a pictures of whole blade (without habaki)? It would be interesting to see and shape of blade and can give some directions about age/school too.

What is this... To me nakago looks descent, but the mei/kanji is odd. Also the blade looks weird... like it is machinemade/chemical treated/messed with in some way? Pictures are not good on auction, but does any have an idea what this is and what mei/kanji says? Did any of you buy this blades? - It would be fun to see better pics of it if possible. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=300728142283

Very nice tsuba and interesting shape. I like it! And good job with the pictures. Its much better than a scan I think. Where did you find that little tsuba stand? I would like to have some too.

Adam, thank you very much for the information you provided. Here is a picture of the whole blade. Very sorry, for the bad quality, do not have my photo equipment available at the moment. Pics was taken by mobile cam and put togehter in photo editing program. Blade is not in polish. I am considering having this blade polished as you do can se a wide, very active and beatiful hamon on some of the blade with a large turnback at boshi and blade has no flaws. Seems to be some Mino style hamon to me. Hope some of you are able to tell me more about this smith and judge this mei?

Hi Jon, Nagasa is measured as a straight line distance from the tip to the shoulder of the blade (mune machi) and does not include habaki. Sword became more straight during time as they were more designed for stabbing, than cutting (also most ww2 blades does not have much sori straight). More curvatured sword are better for cutting as most of the older swords are. I would always prefer a sword with heavy sori From the pics I would guess on very late 1600th - early 1800th... -Better I cant do.

And the last pics...

Have resized and posting these pics on behalf of Jon according to above posts.

Hi all, I would appreciate your oppinion if this mei is genuine and if any have oshigata to compare with? Then, which Daido is it? I have done some research my own, but it was not leading me to any secure results. To my translation its "Mutsu Kami Daido". Blade is a Naginata-Naoshi in later mounts, nagasa 53 cm.

Wow, this gets really scientific... Wonder if this would be a job for Mythbusters on Discovery However, my friend and fellow collector came up with this teori, that the gold could be added inside saya to preserve a new polished blade, instead of "cleaning" saya or make new saya/shira-saya? Very close to Ted's theory. But if gold corrodes metal, its a bit like shooting yourself in the foot! =) Unless if the sword was often used and cleaned at that time, it would'nt manage to corrode?

Regarding to age I would say very late 1500 or beginning 1600, when looking at shape of the blade. I also have my doubts its koto. But again, there are many other factors like if it is shortened amongst others...

Update with pictures...

Hi Markus, Thank you very much for the help and time you spended. Is it possible to tell if the mei is genuine and age circa age of tsuba? To my own research I have found this link http://educators.mfa.org/objects/search?related_people_text=Jakushi+School, where there are more tsuba from Jakushi School with similar charestics like mine (espescially the style of the way the gold paint/lines are made). But I get confused. Is the Mei in this case makers name or does it point to the Jakushi School (or both)? Sorry for the bad scan, the brown patina looks better irl.

-I have an old saya that is split (for a Daido Naginata Naoshi blade) and discovered it is goldpainted inside... Have any of you ever experienced a saya was goldpainted inside it and any idea of what is the purpose of this? - Jorgensen

As I cant read this style of mei I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on translation for this tsuba? - Jorgensen

Hi Andreas, Thank you for your very much for your quick and kind reply and good information. I highly appreciate it =) -Jimi

Hello guys, Came accross this Naginata, and what I can translate, signature is "Bushu Ju Hiroshige" (if I am right). Or does it translate to "Busyu Jyu Hiroshige"? However the only Hiroshige with this signature I can find is Hiroshige (II). Can any confirm this signature/smith? btw. Nagasa is 39,7 cm. -Jimi

Hi Matt, Is it possible to post a picture of entire blade (with nakago)? It will make some judgement easier. -Jimi

Yes, yes... just PM me when Brians not looking :D (juuust kidding )

No, no... Will never polish on other peoples blade. I dont feel I am qualified for that. I have made some pretty good results so far, but I do not have enough knowlegde about the variety of blades from different schools, provinces, smith and era's to do so. Every blade is very different working with. Well, have a feeling that I should be careful what I say. Just wanted to point out or underline why Im so surprised and what was so wrong with this polishing job (especially from someone who tell he can make museum quality polish). Im just so shocked how bad this is and angry that some people state themselves as proffesionals and ruining other people loved blades... Point is - if you absolutely have to polish - do it on your own blades, right. However if self-polishing is not a legal subject to discuss, I will of course respect this and leave it here. And I surely dont wanna get toasted as well ... As said, I dont encourage others to do this. It IS very difficult.

Well... hamon and boshi leads my thought to the one I posted recently here on the board: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12619 -Jimi

Hey, hey, stop overbidding me... very unreasonable Well, I just think you had trust in he would do a good job with the blades. I think most people find the look, pics and what he writes on his homepage appealing and trustworthy. But its great however you warn us other people here on the board. Another though I had, is that I think some indicate he may use a belt grinder (im not sure of the english word here is correct). It will heat the steel to much and may in the end also give the result as you showed on the pictures. As told I have done a little polishing on blade and kogatana myself, here is some pics of it. Before I started blade was totally... grey... no visible grain, hamon... nothing... On those pica is before I have give nugui and finished it completely. Kogatana was very rusty as they use to be... Indeed no museum quality, but much better than I got it though. Sorry for pic quality - pics was taken with my phone. But that makes me really wonder how the #¤% he cannot bring out the grain (hada) on a old Bizen blade... Have one myself and... doooh Please note I do not encourage to polish blades yourself. I have spent many MANY hours study polish technique, got tips from pro's and have real Japanese polishing stones. And I am far from just being good! However, good thing is the learning and the study/seeing the details of a blade in another way than usually. Lot of babling... this polish thing is just of big interest for me -Jimi

Done! -Does it comes with a swordbag then =) OMG... -he really has high though about his own polishing skills!! WT*?! (sorry, but...) Have you/your friend told him he did a crappy job? What is his reaction?