Wakizashi signed Yoshikane, but which one?

[rloose]

Hello to all-

 

I have a wakizashi signed "yoshikane". It has only two characters. The blade is 38.2 cm long and sori is 0.8 cm. It has a diamond shaped cross section and a unokubi-zukuri design with no yokote. The mune is narrow. There are some large forging flaws. Grain is some itame and some masame. There is some gunome hamon visible near the tip. For it's size it has a heavy feel, kind of like a machete. There is a significant amount of wear in the nakago where the tsuba rubbed against it while being worn. I sure would appreciate any help with which one of the many Yoshikane smiths made it.

 

Rich

[Brian]

Rich,

Overall pic of it from tip to tail...no habaki?

It is in the nagamaki-naoshi shape, but if signed then it was probably made that way, not shortened. Doesn't look older than Shinto times. Of course, it is pretty far gone, but no reason not to still know who made it.

 

Brian

[cabowen]

I think this is more of a shobu zukuri shape....

 

I apologize for the curtness of my earlier comment but an essential part of the learning curve is recognizing when a sword is worn out and/or of very low quality. In Japan one frequently hears the adage: "bad swords hurt one's eye" and the advice to study the best (or better) examples to train the eye to recognize quality. It is usually a much more productive use of time to understand what makes a good sword good-there is much it can teach.

 

I realize that there may be some academic value in spending time on this exercise but in my opinion, that is time better spent on a more worthy puzzle.

 

Again, my apologies for any offense as it was not my intent to offend.

[Jean]

Shobu zukuri. I have posted in a recent thread example of unokubi zukuri sword.

 

Unokubi: An uncommon tantō style akin to the kanmuri-otoshi, with a back that grows abruptly thinner around the middle of the blade, but in the unokubi zukuri it regains its thickness just before the point. There is normally a short, wide groove extending to the midway point on the blade.

 

Interesting one, not even Den but mumei

 

http://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/f00201.html

[rloose]

Here are some additional images of this sword. My interest is indeed academic. I have had this blade for over 30 years and was just curious as to when it was made. I was probably spoiled for sword appreciation by working for 40 years as an archeologist in New Mexico. Everything I ever picked up or dug up was broken and often weathered. The artifacts could still tell us a lot about the age and context of their deposition. This item has sentimental value for me because I obtained it while I was a kenjutsu student in Albuquerque. I also have a blade from the 1590s that I submitted to a shinsa in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico in 1980. It was rejected for being "too tired" to be judged. But after the shinsa, I got to personally discuss the sword with John Yumoto. He told me it was made around 1590 by a Yamato school smith. He used the term "country smith" to indicate that this was a utility item made to be used, and not an art object. He advised me to hang on to it. I wish I had the opportunity to show him this blade as well. He was very generous to take the time to explain a not-so-pretty blade's history.

 

By the way, note the wear on the nakago where the tsuba rubbed against it. This would indicate the sword was actually worn a fair amount?

 

Rich

[hxv]

Rich,

 

The loss of patina on the nakago is not due to rubbing by the tsuba. I don't see what the tsuba has to do with this area. It's probably caused by an improperly fit habaki. I do see a lot of hammer marks on your habaki, probably to make for a tighter fit. However, if the habaki is too tight, it will rub against the nakago and remove the patina whenever it is removed from the nakago.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[rloose]

Hoanh-

 

I am not referring to the bright spot where the patina is removed. You are right, the habaki is partly responsible, but it looks as if someone has actually filed it down a bit and removed the patina. I have had this sword for over 30 years and it was that way when I obtained it. What I am referring to can be seen best in my top full length photo. There is a groove that completely wraps around the nakago that is covered with patina. It is right where a tsuba would have been when the tsuka was mounted. If the tsuba was a bit loose it would have made a wear pattern on the nakago. I have seen this on other swords. I would think it would have to worn a lot for this to happen. Look between the mekugi-ana and the munemachi, you can see two parallel lines. The area between the lines is incised into the tang and patinated.

 

Rich