O-KISSAKI BLADE FOR VIEWING.

[bmoore1322]

Okay, I have this sword, and the Boshi on it is really nice, I really love these type of blades.

 

The question I need to know is, the Boshi on this is either ;

 

Ikari-O-Kissaki, or O-Kissaki type Boshi only.

 

I know the blade is from the Shinshinto Era.

 

The Hamon is Ko-Notare, cant really see it in the pics, but as i turn the blade in the light, it does come through.

 

The Ha is a little bit over 15', and the total length is a little bit over 20".

 

The Nakago seems Ubu, and is Mumei.

 

The Hamon runs all the way through the Boshi, no cut off, or disturbance in it at all, so if anyone is asking if it has been an repaired blade, or if the O-Kissaki is original to this blade, It looks like this blade was originally made this way.

 

It does need a good polish.

 

Thank you

Brian

[Brian]

Brian..

The boshi is the pattern of the hamon in the tip area. The actual tip is the kissaki. So you mean the kissaki type..not the boshi type.

In this case, I think it is merely o-kissaki.

See this: http://www.ncjsc.org/gloss_kissaki-1.html

 

Brian

[bmoore1322]

Sorry, yes Brian, that is what I meant, and thank you for the link.

 

I really do love the O-Kissaki on it, and the Hamon style.

 

Brian

[sanjuro]

The blade is Okissaki not Ikari OKissaki. Ikari Okissaki is relatively rare.

 

From the pics, Not a bad looking blade, looks to be worth a polish.

[bmoore1322]

I had another member in here tell me that it unusual to have this type of Kissaki on it, he too said it would be worthy a good polish, and yes it will be sent out to have it polished, just have to call, and add it to the waiting list.

 

Really short blade with such an O-Kissaki on it.

 

Brian

[sanjuro]

Brian

 

Look up Osoroku...... Now thats a short blade with an OKissaki. This blade of yours reminds me somewhat of Mino work.

 

For your future reference, I have attached a pic of an Ikari O Kissaki. This one is on a shinto tachi blade that also needs a polish, but the shape of the kissaki is unmistakable with a visible upward sweep of the mune in the kissaki that is more pronounced than the curvature of the blade at that point.

 

[cabowen]

My first thought would be Satsuma. Can you show a better photo of the boshi? It looks like it might run off the kissaki in the photos you have posted.

[J Reid]

A Muto hidehiro gendaito (after the war -hizen style suguba) i used to own, had an Ikari OKissaki. Unfortunately, Mr. Benson had to bring it down to remove a chip in the tip. It was very interesting, although he mentioned it was impossible to salvage without further breakage. Still.. loved that baby.

 

 

Josh

[bmoore1322]

Okay, here are some more pics, I re-wrapped the Tuska myself because it sitting on the sword stand not being wrapped really bugged me, I plan on sending it out to have it dont professionally, so please dont get offended by that, or hold the sword at fault because of this.

 

I drew some red lines on the blade to show the Hamon, not the bast line drawing, but not very easy with just the mouse.

 

The fitting on this sword are really nice, and the Muniki are of the dancing man type.

 

The KasheZuno, and Kurikata are made from bone, seems to be a silver Kojiri on the end of the Saya, and is recessed really nice into the Saya.

 

I posted better pics of the O-Kissaki, hope these will do for now, and the Seppa's seem to be gold leaf foil covered, and the Habaki seems to be solid silver also

 

thanks

Brian

[bmoore1322]

More pics.

 

Brian

[bmoore1322]

Last two pics for now.

 

Brian

[Ed Harbulak]

Brian,

I'm afraid you made a common mistake when you rewraped the tsuka of your sword. It's also the mistake I see on Chinese fake swords all the time. Where you crossed the ito, you have all the cross overs going in the same direction. The Japanese alternate the crossings. Look at the pictures of a genuine Japanese sword to see how it should be done. I won't fault you for temporarily using cotton ito since you are going to have the tsuka professionally wraped. For a first try, the neatness isn't too bad, the Chinese fakes are much worse, but you still have a ways to go. Good luck on future attempts.

Ed

[cabowen]

Ichimai boshi on an ogissaki is rather unusual....

[bmoore1322]

@ Ed

 

I don't own any Chinese fakes, do I wouldn't know.

 

Yes for an amateur I think it looks good.

 

 

@ Chris

 

 

Don't know, but it's what I see.

 

 

 

Brian

[Jean]

Chris,

 

Have a look at pic 3.jpg (3rd picture) at the top of the topic. Does not seem ichimai (fully tempered)

[cabowen]

In the third picture it almost looks like it runs off to me....I can't get a clear view in any of pictures and the boshi drawn in is almost an ichimai....

[J Reid]

Yeah I agree. Nie clearly outlines the hamon running off the edge in pic 3, in my opinion.

 

Josh

[bmoore1322]

No, the Hamon does not break or run off anywhere, except when it it is suppose to, as it should.

 

My red line is not exact, I will try and take better pics.

 

Brian

[leo]

Hi, Brian

the details of the boshi literally remain in darkness, but the shape of the blade and the elegant design of the apparently original saya and kojiri makes it a pretty acquisition.

 

What disturbs this impression is the much too small Tanto tsuba and the unprofessional restoration of the tsuka, which is no match for the rest of this sword. you must change the tsuba for a wakizashi sized one and remove the binding. Then you resize the tsuka with file an sandpaper in such a way that after binding it again, the ito will never stand out over the fuchi. This looks clumsy and unelegant.

 

As it may take years to master a good tsuka wrapping I woulöd recommend professional help, if you can afford it. If you do it yourself again, please inform yourself about the correct position of the menuki!

 

Regards, Martin

[bmoore1322]

@ Martin

 

I'm sending the Tsuka out to have it done by a professional, and the Tsuba matches the fittings, so why would I change it.

 

Brian

[bmoore1322]

@ Jean.

 

Here are some more and better pics, the wife brought the good camera home from work, all i had to use was my iPad, and not very good picture taking.

 

I hope these pics helps, it does have the full temper line, and I did another ed line drawing of it, I hope this helps.

 

By the way, the two pictured are absolutely my two favorite swords in my collection right now.

 

In the last pic, you can plainly see that the Hamon does not break off, or run off, it run all the way through the Boshi, slightly up, and backwards towards the top of the Mune.

 

Kinda like the one does in the blade on the top on the stand, that one shows it so much better, as it has a new polish done to it recently.

 

But these are my two favorite blades in my collection right now.

 

 

Thanks

Brian

[Jean]

Brian,

 

Try to take a clear picture of the kissaki only with the boshi. In your last picture, the kissaki is in the shadow. Use a tripod.

[bmoore1322]

Jean,

 

 

This is the best that I could do, i do not own a tripod, i guess I need to buy one, the Boshi is the same on the opposite side as well.

 

 

I think the pattern for this is called Ichimai.

 

 

I hope these will work for you.

 

Brian

[bmoore1322]

Another pic for you.

 

I hope this what you like, I know after a good polish, the Hamon, and Hada will come out beautifully, and the true beauty the blade will come out.

 

Brian

[cabowen]

I'm getting old...I still can't see it....The red line seems to stop about .5 of an inch short of what I can see of the boshi, and I see no turnback whatsoever. The boshi seems to disappear into nothing...

[bmoore1322]

Look at pic 28, it does need a good polish to bring it out.

 

Brian

[sanjuro]

Quite honestly I can see both points of view regarding this boshi. On the one hand, the longitudinal scratches do make the boshi appear to run off about midway along the edge of the kissaki. On the other hand I also see what Brian sees although very faintly. Pic 28 does seem to show it a little more clearly. I hope for Brian's sake that it is as he sees it, since the blade appears to be worth collecting from every other aspect. Better pics would confirm one way or the other I think, and Brian may have to persevere with angles and lighting to prove it all to everyone's satisfaction. At the end of the day however, he has the sword in hand and is thus in a better position than we are to judge. I would like to see this blade polished.

 

Ease up on the criticism of Brian's tsuka ito efforts guys. Criticism of him in this respect is sheer spite. He has stated that it will be done professionally and he does not claim to be proficient in wrapping tsuka.

[Jean]

Your pictures are good Brian, but the blade needs a polish. It is almost impossible to see it correctly.

[bmoore1322]

Yes, i have one blade that has been on the waiting list to be polished for about 3 months now, I will be sending him this one to have polished instead.

 

I also think once polished that it would have no problems being papered.

 

I can see so much then what the pics are not showing, and it does NOT run off like some have thought so.

 

Yes, the Tsuka will be re-done by a professional, I just didn't like seeing it sitting next to other Nihonto's with the bare Tsuka, that's the only reason I wrapped it myself, and I know I'm no pro at it, but it will do for now.

 

I think the two blades posted here are really nice, my favorites of all my Nihonto's, but of course I do like my Kanezane's, but those are Showa swords.

 

Brian