DocTheRoc

Thats a great point, I’d imagine a blade of that length and weight would have benefitted from two mekugi.

Appreciate it, Rivkin! I wonder if the possible re-tempering and possible polish-applied hamon (based on the previous owner’s thread linked above) could have anything to do with the lack of activity.

That’s unbelievable!! What an amazing history of many owners (or one that really liked switching up mounting, haha) that blade must have had! Thank you so much for sharing!

Very much appreciated, and again, thank you for your candor! V/R, Vincent

Good afternoon/evening! See, things like this is why I adore the Nihontō community - it’s such a small group of honest people! You were under no obligation to point any of this out, and yet you felt compelled to be open and honest - I wish more communities had this level of integrity. because… The seller 100% notified me of the concerns/previous issues with this blade, but he could not completely remember what was originally told to him. He was absolutely open on the “risks” of the purchase, and had provided a more than reasonable price (in my opinion). I was indeed wondering, although it wasn’t stated at the time, if this was an artificially applied hamon. That said, I noticed some aspects of the blade (like the hamon not extending into the kissaki, exactly), and figured something like this was going on. The fact that the suguha hamon is not original, while sad, doesn’t bother me too much to be honest. Ultimately, I ended up purchasing the blade based entirely on the fact that it (appears to have been) mounted so many different times, and has some aspects like the asymmetrical horimono that I enjoy as well. I set out to purchase a koto blade that was used throughout its life, and despite its issues and although it may never see a kantei due to those concerns, I *think* I still accomplished that at least (though I’m still very much a novice in this!). The other amusing thing is that, I am a student of iaido of about a decade now, and I did also hear that note about the sensei - while that story may or may not be true, I found it enjoyable nevertheless. Out of curiosity, being mounted so many times and based on the profile of the blade, I had imagined this was somewhere in the ballpark of 1400-1500. Did you ever place the blade in a particular time (understanding the school/tradition may be impossible now) when you owned it? Thank you! Very Respectfully, Vincent

The aspects of why I think perhaps this may not be a great candidate for polishing, though I still really enjoy the blade despite this!

Close ups of some of the activities, and the hamon.

The horimono

The Nakago!

Good day! Sharing some pictures of my last acquisition for quite some time I think! This interesting Koto(?) blade has the most Mekugi-ana I have ever seen, personally. Also, it has a Koshi-hi(?) on one side with a Gomabashi horimono on the other; which I think is interesting, though might be more common than I am anticipating. According to the seller, as the tale goes, the blade had been passed down for some time in the same family, before it was finally sold when the family did not find a need for it any longer. I suspect it is likely not going to be a candidate for polishing, as there are several openings in the steel, and it is very likely too tired at this point. (The suguha hamon cuts off at the kissaki, so I think it’s probably just been polished too many times at this point) That said, I still really enjoy this blade, and I am hoping it can be attributed to a koto-era Yamato-school smith, given the lovely suguha hamon. My other two Nihontō are likely-Yamato blades, and I would love to finish off with a third. I would love your thoughts! (More pictures in the comments)

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!