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Help with a Craigslist find


RodneyM

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Hello Everyone

Took a chance on a cheap blade that showed up on Craigslist.  I'm pretty new to all of this so I'd appreciate any information on what I've found

Blade length 70.5cm

Total length 95cm

 

Thank You

Rodney

 

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Well, gee, Rodney, welcome to the world of free kantei. I have to say that I do NOT agree with  Michael - at least not completely. My guess (!) is that this may be a "Japanese" blade albeit not a "samurai sword." The proportions are all screwed up, but the geometry is pretty good. The tang ( oh pardon me, tsk, tsk) the "nakago" is strangely long and it has got a filled hole, but it looks to me like typical Seki treatment. And it sure doesn't  "look" Chinese at least it doesn't look like recent Chinese fakery. I could believe that this is some manner of an early Showa-to or conceivably something made in China during the pre-War 20th century.

I also would concur that you had best stick with the NMB!

Peter

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Rodney, no matter how bad a blade it might be, do NOT set it down on concrete!

 

I agree with Peter that it's a "real" Japanese blade, but, as others have pointed out, the geometry is weird, to say the least. Does it look like someone has ground down one side of the nakago, by any chance?

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Dear Juan.

 

A partial answer to your question.  The yokote is a somewhat subtle thing and can easily become blurred or obliterated by, for example, someone 'cleaning up the surface rust'.  It is sometimes useful to see if you can detect where it would start at the ha.  In this case there is no discernable evidence that the sword ever had one, that could be a sign that it never had one and indicate that it is not Japanese, or it could be because it has seen some damage.

 

If all else is sound then a good polisher should be able to recreate the yokote having reformed the geometry of the area.  If that is the case then it would not be  a fatal flaw.

 

All the best.

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