Translation Assitance Please

[indsigma]

I have three old folded steel Katnas. Can you suggest anyone in the Toledo, Ohio (or anywhere in Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana for that matter) area who can translate the characters on the Nakago.

 

Thanks,

Indisgma

[Brian]

Richard,

If you can get some photos or a scan done, I am sure we can assist here. Post a pic or 2 of them, one at a time, and we'll see if we can help with the translations.

 

Brian

[indsigma]

Thanks Brian. It will take a couple of days to put it together. I work 12 hour days six days a week. I don't have a camera capable of really close photos. I'll see if I can borrow one. Also, I'll try to copy by hand (or maybe trace) the characters on two of the swords. The third may be a problem because the characters are barely embeded and hardly visible. Anyway, your response is really appreciated. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

 

Richard

[Brian]

Richard emailed me the pics, and I'm sorry to say I had a feeling beforehand that they were going to be fakes

Sorry Richard, I don't think further pics are needed at all. These are all 3 very bad Chinese fakes, bearing little to no resemblance to real Japanese swords. Any signs of forging are likely fake damascus type etching or otherwise. If you look at the link above the forum to Fake Swords, you will see a lot of explanation and good advice on what to look for.

Research, and lots of books before buying a sword! If these came off eBay, the price and location would have been dead give-aways. If not..I see these are creeping into the second hand shops to unsuspecting buyers. Even see them with claims of "my grandfather brought them back from the war" which is bull.

Sorry, it's a lesson a lot have learned before findng this forum. No point even trying to translate the signatures as they will be garbled nonsense, and no doubt about the origins of these.

 

Brian