Kata Kiri Ha Zukuri Wakizashi

[boydie4207]

Hi guys I've picked up this wakizashi a while back and am wondering if it's normal to have two hamon on the different sides on is wild midare and the other is almost no existent suguha hamon the blade has itame hada I believe it's seen a few polishes the shinogi zukuri side is almost rounded the kissaki is fine and has not been shortened I believe any help with this one would be very much appreciated sorry for the bad pictures need to get myself a decent camera

Regards

Robert Boyd

 

Nagasa 44cm

Mihaba 4cm

Sori 1.5cm

Kasane 0.7cm

[cabowen]

I wouldn't call it "normal" but it isn't unheard of either....

[boydie4207]

Thanks chris Iam finding it hard to pin down a period was thinking maybe Edo period rather than the later ones from Late kamakura period the books I have are only giving rough details on this style

[Toryu2020]

Robert -

The pictures don't help a lot, I know it is hard to capture jigane in a photo, these are a little too fuzzy. Since you are asking for opinions, I would posit Shinshinto based on the dimensions, what little jigane we can see and the condition of the the nakago. There was a lot of experimentation with shapes and styles in the late Edo period as a result of Suishinshi Masahide's call to revive the swords of old. Beyond this I could not begin to guess where it might have been made without better photos.

 

A not so common shape so a very cool find in my book,

-t

[cabowen]

I agree with Tom regarding the photos, but from the rather rough and open hada, the condition of the nakago and the rounding of the edges of the mekugi-ana, I would be tempted to think it is earlier than shinshinto...

 

Can you take some photos of the blade from the mune/top side at the mune-machi? If the blade is older, it has probably been polished a number of times and this may be apparent by a reduction in thickness of the blade at the mune-machi....

[boydie4207]

Thanks guy I have got a loan of a decent camera I'll take some shots and get them up thanks for the info so far

[boydie4207]

Here's some I snapped I'll need to master the flash and lighting settings on the camera hopefully some of the details are visible in these ones till I get clear shots thanks again for the help

[cabowen]

It appears that the blade is noticeably thicker right where your left thumb is touching the nakago. Can you get a closeup of that spot?

[boydie4207]

Here you go chris

[cabowen]

Doesn't seem from the last photos that it has been polished much...The nakago looks to be in rather poor shape if it is shinshinto...and on the crude side, as is the forging...

[boydie4207]

That nakago is badly pitted in places the mune is flat also seems to have been forged that way rather than polished down through the years there are some scooped cuts in the back edge so most likely seen action of some sort the tsuka was really badly damaged and had no it the samegawa was badly damaged also maybe that's hasn't helped the nakago damage

[cabowen]

Clearly it hasn't led a pampered life...Thanks for the additional photos.