Any information or knowledge appreciated

[Souledge_za]

This is my first post, although I have been reading the forum for some time and I find it very informative.

 

My father passed away a few years ago and the lockdown gave me the time to go over some of his belongings that came into my possession.

 

In particular there is a Katana that has been in my family for quite some time. I do not know the history of it except that either my Grandfather or his Father brought it back from the Pacific and it has resided with my family in South Africa since then.

I had always thought it was just an officers sword from WW2 of some kind, but after going through a lot of the posts on this website I am now not sure and it may be older or it may be worthless.

Below please find some pictures of the sword, any information or comments on it would be highly appreciated.

I am not looking to sell it, just get some background on it.

I can take more detailed pictures of any part if required?

 

There was a single wooden mekugi holding the handle in place which tapped out easily, although there are several holes drilled in the tang which is curious. There was only one hole in the handle for a mekugi.

 

Thank you for any input.

[Brian]

Real and old. Mei pic is upside down. I think it's Kanenaga.
Sword desperately needs oil and wiping. Pm me your number and I'll call to advise how to care for it. If you come up to Jhb, bring it with.

[Souledge_za]

5 minutes ago, Brian said:

Real and old. Mei pic is upside down. I think it's Kanenaga.
Sword desperately needs oil and wiping. Pm me your number and I'll call to advise how to care for it. If you come up to Jhb, bring it with.

 

Apologies, I can take a better picture of the Mei the right way around?

 

I have an office in Joburg and travel up quite often (apart from the lockdown recently) so if it worth investing in I will gladly recondition it.

I can bring it up in the next month or so.

I'll PM you my number now, in meetings most of the day but whatsapp me any time.

 

Andrew Taylor

[Ken-Hawaii]

It's very common to have more than one hole in the nakago, probably more common than to have just one. Welcome to NMB.

[Brian]

Does anyone agree with the Kanenaga reading? This would be one of the Koto smiths then?

[Shugyosha]

4 minutes ago, Brian said:

Does anyone agree with the Kanenaga reading? This would be one of the Koto smiths then?

+1

[Souledge_za]

I'm going to attempt to take some more detailed photos this evening of the nakago and kissaki, its going to need some cleaning before any kind of hamon is visible; it has been wrapping in cloth in a cupboard for about 20 years.

 

I can take any other photos/measurements that might be helpful?

[Babu]

Take a picture of the entire blade from directly above the mid part. 

This shows the sugata or tip to toe image for understanding the blades shape. 

[Babu]

It appears to be in handachi or half tachi mounts BTW. 

[mtexter]

The nakago (tang) appears to have been shortened, they call this suriage.  Very cool saya! (scabbard)

 

I'm pretty new here too and this is my first post giving any info about a blade

 

Welcome!

[Surfson]

Yes, Brian, looks like Kanenaga to me too.  Definitely worth studying.

[Tanto54]

Dear Souledge,

 

You are in good hands with Brian.  Looks like you have picked up some good information during your reading here.  However, just in case, you mentioned the blade "needs some cleaning before any kind of hamon is visible" - please look up the faqs on how to take care of your sword.  No abrasives, nothing but a light wiping with machine oil (otherwise you can easily ruin your sword and destroy its value).  Congratulations - looks like a nice sword.

[Souledge_za]

I took two more better resolution photos of the Mei (the right way around).

[Souledge_za]

15 hours ago, Babu said:

Take a picture of the entire blade from directly above the mid part. 

This shows the sugata or tip to toe image for understanding the blades shape. 

 

This is the best one I have at the moment, I'll take one in sunlight this weekend with a tape measure next to the whole body.

[Souledge_za]

13 hours ago, mtexter said:

The nakago (tang) appears to have been shortened, they call this suriage.  Very cool saya! (scabbard)

 

I'm pretty new here too and this is my first post giving any info about a blade

 

Welcome!

The saya seems to have a lot of very detailed work on it as well.

[Souledge_za]

6 hours ago, Tanto54 said:

Dear Souledge,

 

You are in good hands with Brian.  Looks like you have picked up some good information during your reading here.  However, just in case, you mentioned the blade "needs some cleaning before any kind of hamon is visible" - please look up the faqs on how to take care of your sword.  No abrasives, nothing but a light wiping with machine oil (otherwise you can easily ruin your sword and destroy its value).  Congratulations - looks like a nice sword.

 

I really don't have the knowledge or skill to do anything to it at the moment. My plan is to let Brian have a look at it (if he would like to) the next time I am in Johannesburg and then take advice on how to maintain/clean it etc from there.,

[mywei]

17 hours ago, Brian said:

Does anyone agree with the Kanenaga reading? This would be one of the Koto smiths then?

Yes Kanenaga

 

The mei, especially the way 'naga' is cut looks similar to a Kanenaga from Mino/Izumi province late Muromachi era

Hope that helps

[Souledge_za]

On 8/20/2020 at 3:50 PM, Babu said:

Take a picture of the entire blade from directly above the mid part. 

This shows the sugata or tip to toe image for understanding the blades shape. 

 

I took some photos in sunlight, might have been a bit late in the day as the shadows mess the pictures up a bit.

[Babu]

Sadly not a lot of good the shadows don't help.

You need to take indoors with overhead light or I guess flash just for sugata.

Take off the habaki and just take the flare blade on the ground on a towel.

[Souledge_za]

5 hours ago, Babu said:

Sadly not a lot of good the shadows don't help.

You need to take indoors with overhead light or I guess flash just for sugata.

Take off the habaki and just take the flare blade on the ground on a towel.

 

Any suggestion on a technique for removing the habaki? I tried running hot water over it whilst turning and then using a wooden chisel and hammer to knock it off but it is very stuck.

I could try penetrating oil but don't want to damage or stain anything?

 

 

[Tanto54]

Dear Souledge,

 

Penetrating oil is OK - just don't get it on the nakago (tang).  There are many posts here on the NMB on how to remove a habaki (just search "stuck habaki" and require both words in the results).  Don't touch the blade (except the kakago/tang) with your bare hands - the oils and salts from your hands will cause additional damage (I know it's already pretty rusted, but you don't want to add to it).  Look in the faqs for an article by Grey about how to handle and protect your sword.

 

Here's a good post on removing a stuck habaki that I found:

 

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22966-how-to-remove-a-habaki/?tab=comments#comment-232866

[Babu]

Get a piece of wood and a small hammer. put the wood at the blade side of the habaki and gently tap down towards the nakago on that wood pushing the habaki that way. Keep checking your not damaging the habaki and keep changing the side of the blade you tap.

It will come off. When it does clean the area it was on the blade with soap and water and an old toothbrush.same on the inside of the habaki.remove old rust.

Don't worry about touching the blade other than to not cut yourself, you won't cause any damage significant to warrent that type of warning as the blade needs a polish anyway and that will take off surface steel.

 

[Souledge_za]

20 hours ago, Tanto54 said:

Dear Souledge,

 

Penetrating oil is OK - just don't get it on the nakago (tang).  There are many posts here on the NMB on how to remove a habaki (just search "stuck habaki" and require both words in the results).  Don't touch the blade (except the kakago/tang) with your bare hands - the oils and salts from your hands will cause additional damage (I know it's already pretty rusted, but you don't want to add to it).  Look in the faqs for an article by Grey about how to handle and protect your sword.

 

Here's a good post on removing a stuck habaki that I found:

 

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22966-how-to-remove-a-habaki/?tab=comments#comment-232866

 

19 hours ago, Babu said:

Get a piece of wood and a small hammer. put the wood at the blade side of the habaki and gently tap down towards the nakago on that wood pushing the habaki that way. Keep checking your not damaging the habaki and keep changing the side of the blade you tap.

It will come off. When it does clean the area it was on the blade with soap and water and an old toothbrush.same on the inside of the habaki.remove old rust.

Don't worry about touching the blade other than to not cut yourself, you won't cause any damage significant to warrent that type of warning as the blade needs a polish anyway and that will take off surface steel.

 

 

Success!!! I slowly poured boiling water over the habaki whilst turning it, then pressed the base of the nakago on a piece of wood against a wall and slowly tapped a hardwood offcut against it with a hammer on each side. Came off quite easily.

 

Very slight ridge on the top and bottom of the blade between the blade and the nakago where the habach was. Also a bur on the top close to where the habachi was fastened that must have happen sometime in its history.

 

See pictures below:

[Souledge_za]

After cleaning it there is quite a cool filing pattern on top of the habachi, might be unintentional but it cool nevertheless.

[Babu]

Well done !

The burs I think are the ha machi and mune machi and if right then they are intentionally done. 

The file marks on Habaki are also by design. 

Now you have the blade stripped down. 

It's a nice looking sugata. 

 

[SAS]

+3 for Kanenaga, nice old warrior sword!