Translation Help Please, And Old Patina Vs New Polish

[ggil]

My newest and favorite piece. I'd appriciate anyone who's willing to translate the mei. The patina was stripped off the nakago where the mei is, but thank goodness the blade is fine. About the old patina: I feel it is too nice to mess with (have polished). The yari looks almost black in the right light, like some cursed blade out of a fantasy book. You can see the hada still even, but it is hard work. The smith seemed to forge itame or even mokume (on the spines of the long blade), while having masame at the edge (where hada is still visible on the edge of the long blade). I wonder how long the patina has developed for? It's been sitting unsheathed on a friend's wall for 30 years before I got it (I will be asking more info from the friend soon). The thing is pretty much flawless under the thin protective layer of dark patina, so I'm assuming good things about the well cut mei. The fact that the mei area was cleaned and the hada and Harmon (hamon is impossible to see I think) aren't visible pretty much preclude verifying the mei, but I'd like to try anyhow with what hada I see. A very quick look up of the mei by my friend came up with some bizen smith from 1620 or so, but I didn't write the name down (still in shock from acquiring the piece I guess). Hope you guys like it. If you all want I can try and photo the combination hada, but this is a chore as it is hard to see and harder to photo. Anyone else find a blade that has dark patina but is really nice under it?

[Mark]

is there a picture of the mei? 

[Stephen]

LOOK FOR A MASA NOW, oops cap lock ....anyway my post is a play on words

[ggil]

Masa was one I do recall him saying. Your nihonto humor is way over my head Stephen.

[Stephen]

it will come to you

 

 

 

MASANAO (正直), Ansei (安政, 1854-1860), Tajima – “Toshitane-mon Funakoshi Masanao” (俊胤門舟越正直), real name Funakoshi Kōzō (舟越幸蔵), student of Unju Toshitane (運寿俊胤), he lived in Tajima´s Toyooka (豊岡) MASANAO (正直), Keiō (慶応, 1865-1868), Kazusa – “Kazusa no Kuni Masanao” (上総国正直), “Kazusa no Kuni-jūnin Fujiwara Masanao” (上総国住人藤原正直), “Bōshū-jū Masanao” (房州住正直), he came originally from Awa province (安房 = Bōshū) and studied later in Edo under Saitō Kiyondo (斎藤清人), he also worked in the style of the latter, i.e. magnificent sugata in combination with a gunome-chōji with sunagashi and kinsuji – some sources date him to the Kaei era (嘉永, 1848-1854) and list him as direct student of Kiyomaro (清麿) 

[Stephen]

didnt take time to make sure which one but thats your job, half the work is done for you.

[ggil]

Thanks Stephen! And for the vote of confidence. Makes much more sense than 1620, especially since the lack of sharpening around the blade intersections make me think complete ubu (except nakago)

[SAS]

You could have told him to look for the "Mune" to go with his "Masa", Stephen!

[ggil]

I get it: every piece of Japanese art I own I consider a "priceless treasure," but since I really have no basis for feeling this way because I haven't seen/studied too many juyo... I'm still a noob that sees more (or less) in the pieces than is there. All probably true!

Edit: I can see through things, like x ray vision, I guess

[Brian]

Love jumonji yari. So when you get bored of it....you know where to send it

[John A Stuart]

Going to be an expensive polish needed and I like them too. John

[ggil]

Brian and John,

 

I've always loved them but they are out of my price reach.  This one was a bit of a pity sale i'm imagining, as I got it for pretty cheap.  saw one yesterday from kimonjo: totally out of polish with grinding marks, and the balance/symmetry (this may be in my head as Stephen so aptly illustrates) was not quite as nice as mine either; for $1200!  I told my pal that if he didn't sell me one id never get one, so maybe he took pity.  It great to belong to a sword club!  Many folks in the club have gotton great deals simply for the fact that the sellers (or remaining family members  ) know the blades are more likely to be cared for as opposed to hastened to ruin.   Polish will have to wait till house is paid off or something.  Im imagining $1500+

 

Brian, as you are a hero of mine, you got it:  though I don't imagine ever parting willingly with it!

[Geraint]

That's a very pretty little shinshinto yari Grant.  Given it's age perhaps the nakago has not been cleaned?

 

Enjoy.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Yeah, good luck finding someone legit to polish it, Grant. I gave up a couple of years ago, & now just enjoy mine for what it is.

 

Ken

 

[Stephen]

YEP takes up too much time, they can do two swords in the amount of time it takes

[Jamie]

 

I'd bet oil and just regular cleaning and it would look better.

[ggil]

Gents,

Thanks for the heads up Ken. Better pictures show how the upper nakago has been stripped bare to the metal, Geraint, probably for some nice gaijin pictures for translation (guess). I have put some oil on it but will refrain from any cleaning and enjoy it as is for now (what my friend did for 30 years). It is very enjoyable to try and find hada under the old patina (although last night I couldn't see anything clearly and Stephen's comment hit home: to really see hada the thing needs a polish, if not then what I'm seeing is speculative at best). I see the kanji fujiwara masanao, so it's possible the thing is the second smith Stephen listed which appears to have some good reviews. one side is clear enough to see the masame along the edge. Other than that the hada is elusive till polished.

[Stephen]

spend your zen time with uchiko ball and puff (whatever the ball sound makes ) the time away. You will see a change unless there is heat damage, then not so much. 

[Ken-Hawaii]

I can see what looks like a nice suguha hamon under the coating of munge, Grant, so Stephen is right that several applications of a good uchiko should bring it out fairly quickly. Do be careful when you're working on it...I found out that that ALL of the edges are still wicked-sharp on mine!

 

Ken

 

[Jamie]

To be clear, by cleaning I meant just applying oil, letting sit for a while, then wiping with a tissue or microfiber cloth and reapplying oil. Repeat.

As Ken and Stephen suggest uchiko might be a good idea too. You can get good uchiko from Bob Benson or Fujishiro San. I like fujishiro's oil a lot.

[Gordon Sanders]

To be clear, by cleaning I meant just applying oil, letting sit for a while, then wiping with a tissue or microfiber cloth and reapplying oil. Repeat.

As Ken and Stephen suggest uchiko might be a good idea too. You can get good uchiko from Bob Benson or Fujishiro San. I like fujishiro's oil a lot.

 

Will Fujishio's oil be for sale at DTI?  or is there another magic oil there?

[Jean]

Gordon,

 

Try light machine oil. in this board, there is an entire topic devoted to the different oils and an analysis of their effects after some delay.

[Derek]

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16521-nihonto-oil-a-study-part-2/page-2

 

Includes instructions for ordering directly from Fujishiro San. 

[k morita]

Hi,

 

The mei says:
石見守藤原正直作　(Iwami-no-kami Fujiwara Masanao saku).

 

It's  Kanei period, Bizen,Kai-Mihara(貝三原).

[ggil]

Thank you very much Mr. Morita!

[Gordon Sanders]

Gordon,

 

Try light machine oil. in this board, there is an entire topic devoted to the different oils and an analysis of their effects after some delay.

 

HI Jean... thanks.  I remember that thread well  i was more wondering as it would be much easier to purchase at DTI rather than mailorder

Does Fujishiro have a booth?

[Jamie]

Mail ordering from Fujishiro was easy, and fast. I am in the us.

Just follow the instructions above.

 

I live in Colorado and it's extremely dry here. Almost all the other choji oil I tried here, and camellia seemed to kind of dry up. Fujishiro s performs well even here.

It could be argued I am in such a dry climate I don't need to oil. However I feel stuck to tradition. I do not use uchiko though on anything in polish.

[Jean]

Jamie,

 

Concerning the oil, you should absolutelly give up the tradition. This tradition is for humid climate. If not not needed, oiling blades has only drawbacks.