Comment welcome on Shingunto.

[Mathieu]

Hello everybody,

I would like to submit my first first shingunto. Thank to WAF members I was told the mei read "Seki Ju Ishihara Kanenao saku" = Made by Ishihara Kanenao residing in Seki.

 

 

 

The top of the tang is showa stamped. If I understand, that mean the blade is untraditionaly made, without Tamahagane steel, machine made or both.

 

 

 

 

The end of the tang is stamped with an unknown stamp that I don't find for the moment.

 

The hamon is very active, so I would like to know what kind of job the handsmith have put in this blade.

Here are inside picture with flash then outdoor with sunlight. I've tried to take the clearest pictures I could, I can do good close up from the hada based on the original sized pictures.

 

 

 

[Mathieu]

Outside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for looking.

I would like to know what do you think of it, unfortunatly I don't have so many reference book yet so any information on the swordsmith is welcome too.

Best,

Mathieu.

[estcrh]

Here is the best link to tang stamp information I have found yet, it is a must read!, not all tang stamps are created equal. http://ryujinswords.com/shostamp.htm Beautiful looking blade!

[Stephen]

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/military.htm

 

id rival this as the best, depends i guess on who was putting up the info first.

 

like i posted over on the other board, id think its the one in F&G

[Mathieu]

Hi Eric thank for your answer. I've read your link and if I follow it well this blade should be:

 

"Han-tanren abura yaki-ire-to. Partially forged from mill stock, some folding, differentially hardened using oil. Does have a hamon although it is nowhere near as active as a water-quenched sword, but lacks hada."

 

Could the Showa stamp instead of Seki stamp be a clue to date the blade (I understood that seki stamp was established in 1942 but it's also seem that smith making non traditional blade can choose it since 1933)?

 

If I'm right, even when "eastern steel" is used, we can see a clear hada if it's water tempered?

A "mill steel" gendaito is expected to have a hada, am I wrong?

 

Hi Stephen, Dr Stein database is a great source of information indeed, I'm very grateful to him for lightening my ignorance so many times!

Do you think that the little stamp on the end could be the smith’s personal seal or ‘kokuin’?

 

The more I read the more I've got questions to ask.

Thank you very much,

Mathieu.

[estcrh]

Hi Eric thank for your answer. I've read your link and if I follow it well this blade should be:

 

"Han-tanren abura yaki-ire-to. Partially forged from mill stock, some folding, differentially hardened using oil. Does have a hamon although it is nowhere near as active as a water-quenched sword, but lacks hada."

 

Could the Showa stamp instead of Seki stamp be a clue to date the blade (I understood that seki stamp was established in 1942 but it's also seem that smith making non traditional blade can choose it since 1933)?

 

If I'm right, even when "eastern steel" is used, we can see a clear hada if it's water tempered?

A "mill steel" gendaito is expected to have a hada, am I wrong?

 

Hi Stephen, Dr Stein database is a great source of information indeed, I'm very grateful to him for lightening my ignorance so many times!

Do you think that the little stamp on the end could be the smith’s personal seal or ‘kokuin’?

Thank you very much,

Mathieu.

Mathieu, sorry I cant be more help on this, maybe some one will have an answer for your questions.

[Stephen]

Do you think that the little stamp on the end could be the smith’s personal seal or ‘kokuin’?

 

No, i think its the third down on the right of the pix from F&G. its on page 63 i think, id do not have the book anymore to tell you what it says about it sorry.

[Mathieu]

Hi Steeve, Eric, all, no problem for the book, searching in old topics I found a screenshot of the double page with this board and read it (sorry I can't remember the name of the member who put it)! But the issue is that the stamp is close to the one pictured into the book but not the same. I have tried to make a close up from the pics I posted enlightening the stamp with red color thanks to paint.

 

Let's see if it's the good size now with imageshack:

 

 

The red show what is clearly stamp on the tang, so I guess right and left sides are the same but not pictured it.

I know this is very close, so without other information I would think this is just another version of thoose you have shown.

 

Anyway thank you very much for your help, again²

Mathieu.

 

 

Well the red may be useless with such a close up: