Should I have this repaired/restored?

[JustPaul]

Hello,

First of all apologies if I've got the correct terminology wrong but I'm still learning. I've been given a sword by an elderly friend of mine who served in the RAF during WW2 and was based in Sumatra where he says he got the sword.The sword is in pretty bad condition with a lot of nicks in the edge and someone has damaged the fuchi and the mekugi trying to get them apart. (I knew the meguki is tapered so I went as carefully as I could trying to identify which way in it went). The menuki is very dirty but in reasonable condition. The saya is scuffed, dirty and could do with being shown some love with leather conditioner. I haven't touched the sword other than to remove the fuchi to see the mei as I don't want to destroy the patina and therefore the history of the sword. I'm really after some advice as to whether the sword is genuine and if so should I leave it as is or have it restored? I can do the cleaning but frankly the thought of trying to sharpen the blade properly worries me as I know it's very easy to unsharpen something! I've attached a couple of pictures and I'd appreciate your comments.

[16k]

Hi Paul, and welcome.

I think your sword might be a Sword that is traditionally made but more pics of the blade would be useful, as well as more pics of all the mountings to make a reasonable opinion. This seems to be a nice sword and if worthwhile, what I see can definitely be restored, but, of course, at a cost.

 

oh, and DO NOT DO ANYTHING BY YOURSELF,

[RichardP]

Hey Paul! Knowledgeable folks should be along to help you out shortly—they’ll probably be better able to help you if you provide a little more pics/information. A picture of the blade from above, against a plain background, would help to determine if your sword has the shape/silhouette consistent with Hizen workmanship. (The signature seems to be Hizen Kuni Ju Tada Somethin’.) What’re the blade dimensions? Your sword is signed on the side one would expect for Hizen wakizashi, so if this is instead katana-length, it probably raises some questions about the legitimacy of the mei. The chisel-marks in the mei look pretty rough to my eyes and the patina seems odd, but I’m a rank newbie so don’t worry just yet! I hope the experts can give you some good news. Closer pics of the steel may get you more confident responses, and the forum requires all posts to be signed. Good luck!

[Brian]

Paul, do you mean tsuka instead of fuchi? The tsuka is the handle. Mekugi is disposable. Carefully make a new one from a bamboo chopstick. Don't store the sword without one in it.
Polishing is the process that sharpens the sword. There is no sharpening without polishing, and it is very expensive..around $150 per inch, and should only be done by a professional. So for now just keep it oiled a bit, and wipe with a soft cloth.

Brian

[Jamie]

Also there’s a fingerprint on the steel where the Habaki goes.

This should be wiped clean with light machine oil.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Pleaser ead this, Paul: https://to-ken.uk/resources/sword%20etiquette.html

[Surfson]

Hi Paul, welcome.  I thought it said Hizen Kuni Ju Tada Toshi, but I am not sure that the last kanji is indeed Toshi.  If it is, it is likely a variant, since the listings in the books show the more common variant of Toshi.  In any case, it looks to me like a real samurai wakizashi sword that is around 300 years old give or take.