Worth a polish?

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

 

I posted this blade originally in the translation section and received some excellent advice about it. Since then I have been able to take some better shots of it and am tossing up if it is worth sending it off for further investigation or possible polish. It has been messed with in the past. It came with non-matching gunto koshirae and an extra mekugi ana had been drilled to make it fit. It has also been lightly sharpened at some stage, has some minor pitting from past corrosion, lots of scuffing and vice jaw marks (probably from when it was drilled), but no major ware that I can see.

 

It has a nagasa of 72.5cm, sori 1.5cm, motohaba 2.9cm, sakihaba 2.1cm, kasane 0.6cm and kissaki 3.5cm.

 

The hamon is regular gunome at each end of the blade, but looks more sawtooth gunome thru the middle of the blade. Many of the peaks in the hamon have complex "crab claw" looking structures. In the right light, the gunome peaks look very dark as shown in the photos.

 

The nakago looks a bit rough and to my eye doesn't really seem to match the blade. I am wondering if it could be osuriage, but can see no evidence that it is.

 

Overall it looks to me like it could be Bizen from the Muromachi period. What do you guys think? Worth a polish?

 

Cheers,

Bryce

[Ken-Hawaii]

From Markus:

 

kani no te (蟹の手) – Lit. “crab hands.” Special gunome-midare interpretation with split yakigashira that protrude alternatingly to the left and right and which remind thus of crab claws. Please note that the term kani no te is used to refer to
this feature when seen on Sue-Seki blades. In the case of Sue-Bizen works, the term kani no tsume (蟹の爪, lit. “crab claws”) has become established even if the same feature is described.

 

The blade is very rough, but looks interesting enough to warrant a polish.

[BenVK]

In image #9 is that a chip in the cutting edge? If it is, you'd need to discuss what to do about it with the polisher. To remove the chip entirely would mean losing quite a bit of the edge all the way along which is not ideal.

[Jacques]

This blade seems already tired (look at machi) and a huge amount of steel must be removed. As it doesn't be a treasure, i think it should stay in this state. 

 

Dont' forget that a little hole can become a cavern.

[BenVK]

Another deep chip in image #8.

I agree with Jacques, best to leave it as is.

[Bazza]

Well, tough as always without the sword in hand, but I'm leaning towards WW2 Seki production with a homemade KANEUJI silver or brass (not gold) nunome zogan-type onlay.  Note the taka-no-ha yasurime and the poor formation of the kanji - I certainly don't think this is Japanese work.  Best left as it is IMHO and move onto something more rewarding.

 

BaZZa.

[PNSSHOGUN]

The polish would really only be for personal enjoyment, nothing seen here looks like a masterpiece. The inlaid signature is highly dubious, personally I would leave it as is, nicer as a Shin Gunto IMO.

[Bryce]

Thanks guys,

I now think this is probably sue-seki rather than sue-bizen because of the takanoha yasurime.

Cheers,

Bryce

[vajo]

The small chips don't care. They are very tiny. I think it is a nice sword. Looks like a shinto sword for me. Hamon is interesting.