seanh

Thanks again for all the input. I'm sure there's an active sword club in my area so maybe I'll go that route. Is there any group that actually IDs and certifies swords/blades? Is it even possible to tell if this is man-made or machine made? Also, any advice on how to clean the blade a bit before I oil it and put it up?

Okay, I got the habaki off and here's some pics and measurements. The width of the yokote is about 7/16 and at the back notch it's about 15/16. The length of the blade from the back notch is 23 3/16 and 28 3/8 overall. I was way off. I think the mune is takashi though maybe shallow point. I'm pretty sure the curvature is shallow. I think Mark is right and the tip is chu-Kissaki. The nakago shape is futsu and the file lines are horizontal to slightly angled. I don't see any grain to the blade other than a slight pebbly grain. Well, I don't have high expectations for the quality or age of the blade given reinhard's evaluation of the fittings, but I'm stil curious about it. Thanks again. --Sean

Thanks reinhard and everyone else that's provided help. I was starting to get the impression that it was cobbled together, which helps explain why I couldn't quite match it up with what I was looking at in the books. I hadn't considered that. Yes, the blade. I'd certainly like to learn more about that. I imagine that might be WWII too, but I'm trying to fill out the sword inventory off The Japanese Sword Guide to try and facilitate things and I'll post more measurements this week. Thanks again. I already know a lot more about this thanks to you folks!

Much thanks Mark. The Hamon doesn't appear to run off the blade though it's hard to see in places. The whole sword is 32 3/4 inches and the blade is 23 3/4. Here's some old notes I made based on John Yumoto's book that may or may not be correct: Point-long o-kissaki; curved edge fukura-tsuku; shinogi-zukuri type, narrow raised edge; temper line regular zig-zag (gonome); back ridge (mune) flat Chira-mune or kaku-mune; curvature-shallow koshi-zori or bizen-zori. I've never taken the habiki off, but I can try if you think it might help to ID the blade. As I mentioned it was bought in a New York City pawn shop in 1967. I'm posting a copy of the tag that was on it which said: Samurai name: Matsujiri Miyamoto; Rank-3; Age-150 years ago; maker's name- I've no idea of whether the tag is accurate or not. Thanks again!

Thanks! Re-covered during the war? That might help explain why it didn't look like any of the war time scabbards I saw in the books. So the saya could be original but re-covered. Was that common during the war? Here's a few more pics, in case they can help to ID the blade.

This is my first post here and I'd just like to learn more about this sword. I've bought two Japanese sword books over the years trying to ID it, but could never decipher much about it - whether its pre-WWII, WWII or post. My dad bought it at a pawn shop in the 1960s. I'm NOT interested in selling it at all, just looking to learn more. I've always though the markings near the tsuba looked like a fishing implement, but I don't have a clue about what's under the wrapping on the handle. Thanks for any help. This swiord has been a mystery to me for many, many years.