Kogatana Signature

[Andi B.]

Hello,

 

I have a Kogatana signed on one side but I can't find the right characters.

Can anybody please give a beginner a hint what it says or - to make it not too easy - how to start and where to find the matching kanji?

 

And I have a second question:

How should the unsigned side of the blade be usually polished?

On this piece there are slanted file/polish marks but I thought, kogatana should be also full polished to see the hamon...

Do common kogatana have a hamon or only better pieces?

[cabowen]

Jumyo kiri mei perhaps...

 

寿命切名

 

Mei cut by Jumyo

 

I have seen the unsigned side polished in most cases. Most ko-gatana of a practical nature have a hamon. Some later ones, used more for show or as kozuka tsunagi, may not have a hamon.

[John A Stuart]

Not sctually cut by Jumyo. I believe 切名 setsu na may mean 'in earnest pretense' as a tribute to... John

[k morita]

Hi,

The 4th kanji is worrying to me.

Because 名 and 石 are very similar in sosho style kanji.

 

But i think the 3rd and 4th kanji is 切 石　(stone cut/cuting stone).

A certain sword dealer in Japan also read as 切 石 on his web site.

[Andi B.]

Thanks!

 

Is Jumyo 寿命 in this case a name or does it simply means Long Life?

So this piece could be a Long Life Stone Cutter ?

 

Sound's a bit like "And if you call us now you will get not one, not two - you will get besides this blade three high quality Kozuka for free!"