Poor Old Wak

[Jon MB]

I was just given this mumei wakizashi.

 

Somebody has sanded the blade surface lightly, no activity visible.

 

I was wondering if anything can be deduced from the shape.

 

Nagasa: 51 cm  (20")

 

Overall: 66cm (26")

 

Sorry to hurt your eyes...Thank you for any comments.

[ROKUJURO]

Jon,

there is not much I can tell. The well intact HA-MACHI and the surface condition (not patina, that is gone) of the NAKAGO let me assume it is not an early WAKIZASHI, but a newer one, let's say end of EDO. Polishing a window might reveal more. 

[Jon MB]

Thanks Jean. I was wondering if it looked like it had been shortened, from the shape....tall order, I know. Nakago patina not entirely destroyed, mainly the ridge where the habaki has been sliding around, I think.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Jean's right that the nakago has been "cleaned," & another thing I notice is that the boshi niku looks like it's been reshaped. The blade has seen better days.