Help Identifying and how to authenticate this Sword

[LightningFox0124]

I know it is a sword made in Seki, but I need to know if it is machine or handmade and the smith. Also any assistance on how to get it authenticated would be helpful. I live in Oklahoma and there are very few here that could do such work. 

[John C]

Tyler:

I believe both of these questions were answered in your other post. Moriyama-san translated the smith as Kanetsugu and Bruce-san mentioned the large seki stamp indicates it is NOT traditionally made.

This means the sword is definitely WW2 and that it is probably made using "puddled steel" with power equipment, and oil quenched, though it may be partially hand forged.

 

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

Tyler,

John summed it up.   A couple of close-up shots of the blade body & tip showing the steel skin and hamon (temper line) could help us show you what we look for in analyzing traditional vs non-traditional.

 

On the academic side, we've done extensive research on these stamps.  Your stamp, the larger Seki stamp, was used by the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association.  They were asked by the sword industry to inspect blades made by the Seki area smiths to weed out poor showato (non-traditionally made blades) that were hurting the industry's reputation.  A massive demand for samurai-styled blades happened when the military decided to replace their Western-styled sabers with new swords made in the styles of the old samurai swords.  The rush to produce them resulted in some really poor quality blades that threatened the quality reputation of the industry.  So, the Cutlery Assoc. inspected blades and put the Showa stamp, and later, the large Seki stamp on blades that passed inspection.  

 

Now to the heart of the matter.  We only have two documents that discussed the practice.  One, a page on the Seki City website, said that "all blades were inspected" implying that both traditional and non-traditional blades were being inspected and stamped.  However, our other source, a page on the Ohmura website, cites a chart from back then showing the tally of inspected blades, and a note on the chart stated that the numbers do not include traditionally made blades "as they were not inspected."

 

So, it is our current understanding that blades with these two stamps were not traditionally made.  Most of them look pretty darn nice, having attractive hamon.  So, it is likely the smiths may have used most of the traditional techniques, but something like another steel than tamahagane was used, and/or the blade was oil quenched rather than water quenched.  

 

Hope that's not too much to absorb, but sometimes it's good to hear the whole story.

[LightningFox0124]

Bruce thank you for helping me better understand the whole process that helps a ton! I have a couple more questions.  

 

Out of curiosity, with it being non traditional, would the restoration process be any different?

 

And what is the estimated cost difference between the two? Im just very curious about the differences between the two and I would love to restore the blade.

 

With it being non traditional, would getting it appraised do me any good? 

[ROKUJURO]

Tyler,

traditionally working polishers (mostly living in Japan, but very few in the U.S.) usually do not polish military blades,  but there are some self-taught craftsmen who do it, as fa as I know. 

I believe there is no appraisal system for non-traditional (military) blades. As you have the signature and the smith, you know when he worked, although the production of the blade might have been a cooperation among several workers. There are even swords which were signed by a man who did just that without working otherwise on blades.  

Maybe your interest will switch to traditional hand-made blades one day......?

[Bruce Pennington]

The official appraisal process called, Shinsa, is only for traditionally made blades. Your appraisal is by googling eBay and see what these swords are selling for. They are going for $1200 plus or minus a few hundred depending on the condition of the blade and condition of the fittings.

 

If by “restoration“ you mean a polishing, I had my non-traditionally made blade, a Mantetsu, polished by David Hofhine He did a fabulous job. It will cost you over $2000. But my sword came to me freely when my father died and I did not mind spending the money on it.

[LightningFox0124]

My mentor gave my wife's Cousin a blade as well. Is this one from the look of it also non traditional? 

[ROKUJURO]

Tyler,

the photo is upside-down. If you could make some other ones, correctly oriented, plain dark background, dark room, with spotlight, and showing the full blade without HABAKI, and details like NAKAGO, KISSAKI, HAMON and MACHI, we get a clearer idea of what you have. 

[LightningFox0124]

I'll have to get those photos from my wife's Cousin. He has the blade with himself right now so I will post once I get those. Thank you guys for all the information it has been very helpful!