DocTheRoc

Hi Ian! as I said to Jean, I really appreciate your insight on these photos, despite the quality. If I can get the blade in hand, I can get better photos, I shall! The potential for antique Koshirae to a modern blade is also a really good point, if I can get the blade in hand, it’ll be something I look for, for sure. Thank you again!!

Hey Jean! As always, I really appreciate your insight. As this piece is a friend of mine’s, I’m working with the pictures I’m given, I apologize. If I get the opportunity to see it firsthand, I will take properly oriented photos with a bit better quality!

Hi all! Would love some second opinions on a friend of mine’s Guntō. At first glance, the fittings concerned me. However, I had her take some more pictures of the blade, and after walking her through the disassembly, I saw some promising features in the Nakago. To my amateur eye, it looks like it may be a genuine, Mumei late-Edo blade. However, I’ve laid out my thoughts below, and would really appreciate a second opinion. Positives: - Diagonal file marks and a promising Nakago-jiri - Faded hamon - Appropriate Nakago patina - Kissaki and general blade geometry looks decent Negatives (to a genuine Nihontō): - Tsuba seems rough, and the Fuchi pattern is popular with reproductions - Nakago patina is uneven, if at least colored appropriately - Mekugi-Ana position seems off to me, but I have no real concrete data for this observation Thank you!

It appears the post is now too old to edit! I shall hang my head in shame accordingly and compose a Haiku... Fleeting fingers type Credibility absent Posting with regret (lol)

Thank you so much, I'll do that tonight. I typically clean off/re-apply Tsubaki oil every month and a half to my nihonto (I live in the valley in VA, USA, so it's mildly humid year-round). Oiling a surface with rust is something I had not dealt with thus far, so this will technically be a new experience. If there's anything else I need to keep in mind, I'm all ears Thank you for your help!

Jean, I apologize, this was a pre-coffee post, I did indeed mean KEICHO. Thank you for the correction, I will edit the post accordingly!!

I should also say, complimentary to what Mr. Piers properly alluded to above (which I greatly appreciate), if this indeed a probable-attribution to Nanki Shigekuni, I would certainly like to reach out to some Togishi to consider restoring it from its current condition (Not that any lesser attribution makes the blade less deserving, but to me, I feel it would have interesting potential as a Shigekuni yari, personally) Thank you!

Ha, certainly, I’ll use rust instead! Regarding the care, I absolutely know a Togishi is the way to go for *removing* the rust - I just want to make sure I’m caring for the blade properly until/if I’m able to get it evaluated. My other Nihontō does not have active or inactive rust, so this is the first time I’m responsible for something that has it

Purchased a wonderful Fukuro Yari from Raymond Yan (highly recommend - also photo credit of most of the photos here, since he does a way better job than I), which included Koshirae. (side note, the shaft has a name applied to it, and is such a neat example of a probably period-appropriate mounting and name of possible owner affixed to the shaft, “Hirao” 平尾) The Mei shows a signature of: 於南紀 Oite Nanki 重国造之 Shigekuni Kore-wo-Tsukuru Based on the blade construction, it seems to match quite closely with Shigekuni’s other works in my amateur observations, though admittedly I cannot find any Yari examples of him, only Wakizashi (mostly suriage) and Katana. Do you think this is the same Nanki Shigekuni (https://nihonto.com/nanki-shigekuni-南紀重国/) that was retained by Tokugawa Ieyasu and later Yorinobu; a later generation or student of his; or possibly a gimei? Whatever the reality, I love this piece so much, and can’t wait to receive the Koshirae (the shaft had to be sent separately because it was quite long, ha) Thank you very much If more pictures are needed, please let me know! PS: The blade unfortunately has some old tarnish - am I ok to apply Tsubaki oil as I do my other Nihontō to those areas as well? Or should I treat the tarnished areas of the blade differently? Thank you!

Sending a PM.

Unfortunately the Kabuto-gane and Ishizuki are missing.

This is also exactly what I was looking for, thank you! I’ll grab a few pictures of the Koshirae, standby

Thank you so much!

Respectfully requesting assistance translating a Mei on a blade in Kai Gunto fittings. An acquaintance of mine inherited a few Kyu Gunto and one Kaigunto, and asked me to help him care for them. Additionally, he requested any additional information about the Kaigunto. After a bit of work, I was able to separate the blade from its fittings, and reveal the Mei. I would greatly appreciate your assistance in translating!

Thank you very much for your assessment, Brian! Hopefully this was at least interesting to people, in that it offers a perspective on how different stamped arsenal blades can be obscured or hidden - at least, I would feel bad if my humble sword wasted some forum space here, ending up being something most people don’t necessarily want to see. Again, thank you very much for your help! -Vincent