Mike0820 Posted April 26 Report Posted April 26 Just picked up this wakizashi and I’m initially posting pictures of mei to see what others think or to get opinions on the signature. To me it looks like it’s the signature of the Osaka Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi. I believe it to be a real signature original to blade. The blade itself has some issues but it definitely shows sudareba hamon although a bit tired and not the best polish. I will be sure to post pictures of the blade as well. What do you think? Quote
Jacques Posted April 26 Report Posted April 26 I'ts the sandai Osaka Yoshimichi, at first glance the mei looks legit. Quote
Mike0820 Posted April 26 Author Report Posted April 26 Thank you for your response. So third gen? I’m a little confused on the classifications as I know there was kyo and Osaka branches. So is it theirs from the time the first started working in Osaka? Sorry for the ignorance. I’m trying to study up as much as possible as I’ve come across swords from both branches. Thank you for any and all info. Great stuff! Quote
Jacques Posted April 27 Report Posted April 27 He is the third generation of the Osaka branch. How to recognize Osaka and Kyo smiths 1 1 Quote
Mike0820 Posted April 27 Author Report Posted April 27 Some pictures of the blade: really hard to pick up the hamon on camera. Polish doesn’t look that great either which don’t help. Most wouldn’t load I have to make them smaller first. Quote
Brian Posted April 27 Report Posted April 27 Signs of sudareba, and a decent looking mei. Looks good to me. Quote
Mike0820 Posted April 27 Author Report Posted April 27 Do you think it could be Mishina Kinuemon? From what I’ve seen for sale and sold online I believe it’s the closest match. Also it has ware along the hamon on one side of the blade about 3 cm but it doesn’t go through to the other side. Do you think sending it to a good polisher would be worth it? I know it’s expensive but I didn’t pay much for the wakizashi itself and from some of the prices I’ve seen them sell online for this tosho maybe it would be worth it and would bring out some more of the sudareba? I’m happy just to actually own the sword by such a well known maker but I feel like as its care taker for the time it deserves proper care. Quote
Brian Posted April 28 Report Posted April 28 I'd wait for a US shinsa to happen first. Get it papered or verified. Then you can decide on a professional polish. Or send to a polisher like Woody etc, and ask for a window to be opened and for their opinion. Wakizashi restoration and polishing is a labor of love...you seldom get your money back oneday, so you need to be sure that the sword is ok. Quote
Bosco Posted April 28 Report Posted April 28 19 minutes ago, Brian said: I'd wait for a US shinsa to happen first. Get it papered or verified. Then you can decide on a professional polish. Or send to a polisher like Woody etc, and ask for a window to be opened and for their opinion. Wakizashi restoration and polishing is a labor of love...you seldom get your money back oneday, so you need to be sure that the sword is ok. Hi Brian, any chance AUS shinsa come back again ? . I couldn’t find any info on it. Quote
Mike0820 Posted April 28 Author Report Posted April 28 How would I go about getting it to a us shinsa and how do I find the dates of when this happens? Quote
Infinite_Wisdumb Posted April 28 Report Posted April 28 2 hours ago, Mike0820 said: How would I go about getting it to a us shinsa and how do I find the dates of when this happens? Why bother? We are pretty sure of the provenance. Polishing it isnt worth the money invested and Shinsa certainly isnt either. Just enjoy it. If you have money to burn, give to your local food bank or church Quote
Mike0820 Posted April 29 Author Report Posted April 29 Would be nice to have one in full polish and papered. And because it’s Sudareba and it’s Tanba Yoshimichi. Not that I can afford it tomorrow, but eventually yes I would love to have both. I don’t want to say what I paid for the blade but it was next to nothing for what it is. So spending a little extra on it would be worth it to me. Quote
Jacques Posted April 29 Report Posted April 29 Quote Also it has ware along the hamon on one side Inside the nioiguchi ? If yes it's a fatal flaw Quote
Mike0820 Posted April 30 Author Report Posted April 30 Even if it’s just one side? And can it be removed or lessened by a good polisher? Probably why I got it so cheap. Quote
Natichu Posted April 30 Report Posted April 30 My understanding is that while it cannot be repaired, it is not fatal (see: So long as it is not the hagarami some sources describe as a hagire/crack that turns to run parallel to the edge (caused by impact), but rather a ware (a forging flaw). Quote
Mike0820 Posted April 30 Author Report Posted April 30 It is ware (forging flaw) and it runs parallel to the hamon. I will take more pictures and show exactly what it is. It does not go through to the other side of the blade either. 1 Quote
Natichu Posted April 30 Report Posted April 30 8 minutes ago, Mike0820 said: It is ware (forging flaw) and it runs parallel to the hamon. I will take more pictures and show exactly what it is. It does not go through to the other side of the blade either. Hopefully someone much more knowledgeable than me will be able to chime in (maybe @Ray Singer can expand on the thread linked above, or @Jacques can flesh things out a little once photos are uploaded). Quote
Ray Singer Posted April 30 Report Posted April 30 A kitae-ware running parallel to the edge is not a fatal flaw, even if it is within the hamon. 2 2 Quote
Franco Posted April 30 Report Posted April 30 (edited) Confirming, kitae-ware within the hamon cannot be closed or tightened up. Something you'll have to learn to live with. Above the hamon some ware can be closed or tightened up, but they could also open up and become worse. Generally, there are two kinds of nihonto collectors. Those that can live with flaws, and those that cannot. If and when it comes time to sell, swords with flaws may take a long time to sell. Edited April 30 by Franco Quote
Natichu Posted April 30 Report Posted April 30 23 minutes ago, Jacques said: I said in nioi-guchi not in hamon. Thanks for the clarification; my apologies, I read your post as within the nioiguchi (that is, in the hamon). My misunderstanding. Quote
Mike0820 Posted May 1 Author Report Posted May 1 Just want to say thank you again for all of your input and opinions. Here is a picture of the ware I spoke of and a couple more pictures of the Sudareba hamon. Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 2 Report Posted May 2 Some years back I went through this whole process with a signed tamba no Kami Yoshimichi. There's a thread here somewhere. Most people opined that it was legit. Even my sword appreciation sensei said to send it off to shinsa. He too was interested in which Yoshimichi they would choose, as he had his own opinion. In the end it came back 'gimei', with no explanation. Not saying that yours is the same, but there are a lot of good fakes out there, so be prepared to roll either way. Quote
Jacques Posted May 6 Report Posted May 6 On 5/2/2025 at 2:06 AM, Bugyotsuji said: Some years back I went through this whole process with a signed tamba no Kami Yoshimichi. There's a thread here somewhere. Most people opined that it was legit. Even my sword appreciation sensei said to send it off to shinsa. He too was interested in which Yoshimichi they would choose, as he had his own opinion. In the end it came back 'gimei', with no explanation. Not saying that yours is the same, but there are a lot of good fakes out there, so be prepared to roll either way. Wasn't it the one listed in Iimura's Shinto Taikan? Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 6 Report Posted May 6 1 hour ago, Jacques said: Wasn't it the one listed in Iimura's Shinto Taikan? Not that I am aware of, Jacques. This is the thread: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/33474-tamba-no-kami-gamble/#comment-346826 Quote
Jacques Posted May 6 Report Posted May 6 5 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said: Not that I am aware of, Jacques. This is the thread: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/33474-tamba-no-kami-gamble/#comment-346826 That's the one. 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 6 Report Posted May 6 Thank you Jacques. To refresh my memory I have just read the whole thread once more. It is as you say. But what a rabbit hole that one was! Quote
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