Is this a very faded signature or just my eyes playing tricks

[Trav4ever]

I had this newly acquired Wakizashi apart for some piling and noticed in the lighting faint markings. Moving the handle around under the light made it look like there is just hints of a signature. Unfortunately nothing I can make out to confirm it’s actually a signature or just unusual markings in the steel. What are your guys thoughts? This is my first sword and I am very much an amateur.

[Bugyotsuji]

Possibly Gimei, subsequently someone has erased the Mei.(?)

 

PS What is 'piling'?

[Trav4ever]

@Bugyotsuji my mistake. I meant oiling with choji oil. 

[ROKUJURO]

Travis,

welcome to the NMB forum!

If you cannot see exactly what it is while having it in hand, these not so sharp photos do not help much. As Piers stated, there might have been a signature, but as there seems to be a second (distorted?) MEKUGI-ANA farther down, I would not exclude a massive forging action on the NAKAGO that could have blurred or erased any chiseled KANJI characters. 

[Trav4ever]

@ROKUJURO I understand what you mean via the photos. I took about 30 photos at different angles under light and those are the best I could manage. It’s more noticeable to the naked eye, but still difficult to decipher if it’s an old signal or as @Bugyotsuji said may be Gimei that has possibly been hammered off. I’m still learning about Japanese swords as this is my first, but I’m greatly enjoying learning the subject and wish I’d gotten into it earlier. The Wakizashi was a gift and was bought at an antique store a couple months ago. Unfortunately it was not only neglected, but someone has obviously attempted to sand rust off the blade at one point which has left a lot of scratches.  It then re rusted over pretty bad. I bought a cleaning set for it and have been letting it soak a few minutes here and there with Choji oil. Also using powdered antler and gently wiping the blade down over and over a lot of rust and what appears to be build up old oil has come off and it’s much nicer looking now. The Hamon is visible on both sides however you have to have it under light to be able to really see it well enough to see what it used to look like. Regardless I’m pretty happy with the sword especially since I didn’t have to pay for it. The Tsuba on it is a dragon motif which I quite like. Especially after I was able to scratch away the massively built up rust that was also hiding a lot of detail. It was almost like an excavation on the Tsuba. Where it looked smooth was actually rust and grime filling in lines and pockets. After scraping those out and discovering what was underneath I’ve really become interested in collecting Tsuba now as well. 

[Trav4ever]

[ROKUJURO]

Travis,

it will be sad for you to hear, but this looks like a cast TSUBA with no collecting value. Do not be disappointed, there are many much better ones waiting for you out there! Looking at good TSUBA here on NMB, in books, and exhibitions will train your eyes soon so you can tell bad from good.

Cleaning off rust with antler: Using powdered antler is obviously a misunderstanding. What you need are pointed pieces like those on the photo I am attaching. You can also use bone, ivory, or even bamboo. Removing red rust is good, but it will not restore a blade. You will need the help of a traditionally trained sword polisher for that.  Do not attempt anything yourself!

If you find a way to show your sword to a NMB member near you or to some dealers on a sword show, you will probably get more information on it.  

[Bugyotsuji]

Just a small caveat to Jean's 'no collecting value'.

It may have little or no monetary value, but as a reference for examples of cast tsuba, if that is what it is, I would count it as a personally valuable object for the goodies drawer. Something to learn from everything that bubbles up!

[GreyVR]

There are a lot of tricks to taking better photos. Photos are all about understanding the movement of light. Light tends to bounce around with trillions of photos treating the environment like a pinball machine. To take a good photo you ideally want the strongest light on one side, another from just to the other side of the camera that is dimmer, and a third coming from behind the object. This is three point lighting. You can make do with two points. Try to ensure all the lights in the room 'look the same color.' Some lights are kind of orange, some are kind of blue. You can judge this well enough with the eye for most tasks. 

When you take a photo, understand where the closest lights are. You can point one at a wall and get a reflected 'soft' light. Soft light makes most things look good but a harder light will show the lines better by casting hard shadows. Don't stand in one of the lights or you shadow will fall on the object. Anything white can be used as a reflector to 'bounce' light. Also, an overcast sky is some of the worst light you can use. It coats everything with a sick grey light. 

Don't be afraid to put the object down on something safe, and near a piece of black cloth, as this will suck up extra light and allow you to hold the camera firmly and stand further back to get a good focus. Later you can crop the image to the important part. Don't feel like you need to use every pixel on your camera by 'zooming in.' you have plenty to spare. Get a solid focus and move the lights around as needed. 

That will allow you to produce images these good experts can use to tell you more about your acquisition. 

Personally I'm extremely curious about that 'droplet' looking hole on the tang. 

 

[ROKUJURO]

1 hour ago, GreyVR said:

......Light tends to bounce around with trillions of photos (NO, PHOTONS) treating the environment like a pinball machine.....

In theory, practice and theory should be the same, but in practice, they are not.

Generally, making good photos of swords isn't too difficult, but some practice can be helpful. Also, helping in identifying a sword from images is easier if the photographer knows what may be important. Not so easy for beginners in this field!

Try to post images that are:
 

- well focused, not foggy or blurry

- made with a plain dark/black, non-reflective background for good contrast (not white, not patterned!)

- made in a dark room, using spotlights

- made with light from the side (may not apply to HAMON photos)

- made directly from above (not at an angle)

- made with correct orientation of the blade (straight vertically tip-upwards, especially NAKAGO photos) 

- without HABAKI, showing the MACHI and NAKAGO JIRI

- made in high resolution to see details like BOSHI, HAMACHI, HAMON, HADA, NAKAGO JIRI etc.

- presented as cut-outs so very little background is showing!
 

Quite often, even when following all advice, the condition of a blade may not allow to see the necessary details on an image!

Good photos do not depend so much on an expensive camera, a professional set-up, or on special skills, but mainly on observing the results. Only really good photos will be useful!

[GreyVR]

Just now, ROKUJURO said:

(NO, PHOTONS)

ACK! I've been caught in a typo! (Yes photons.) 

But Jean is correct, you don't need complicated equipment. You can use a household lamp and get good results if you take the time to look at the light you are using.

A household lamp, a white piece of paper or poster board, and a bit of black cloth can be used to create almost any lighting setup you might need. 

 

[Trav4ever]

@ROKUJURO it’s 100% cast iron. You were right. I did some research and discovered why they carry little value. This is the Tsuba that came with the Waki I was gifted. I actually found an identical Tsuba online for 109.00 on a popular auction site and many more similar designs on different style Tsuba styles and sizes. I almost wonder if this is actually an Edo period Tsuba or a modern one. I’m not sure.

[ROKUJURO]

It is a modern one (after EDO).

[Trav4ever]

@ROKUJURO thank you for the insight on the Tsuba. As long as the Waki is authentic that’s currently all I care about. Nothing about the Waki I received makes much sense in terms of the furniture it came with. I think someone just put a bunch of extra parts they had laying around to make a complete sword.

[Trav4ever]

@ROKUJURO this is everything it came with. Nothing fits tightly, meaning everything is loose on the Waki. None of the pieces really match each other either. That’s why I suspect what I suspect.

[Trav4ever]

[ROKUJURO]

Travis,

I cannot open the link. Please upload the images here on NMB.

We have not seen the blade, and that is usually where the value - historically and monetarily - resides. Don't worry if the bits and pieces do not fit properly, they can be found and mounted anytime later. We call this a "project sword", and in case you did not pay much, nothing is lost! 

[Trav4ever]

@ROKUJURO 

Edited June 24 by Trav4ever

[Trav4ever]

@ROKUJURO for whatever reason, it isn’t letting me upload any images. The site keeps declining them. However my very first post created on NMB I posted a lot of pictures of the Waki. A few people chimed in as I asked if it was real or a fake. I think if you are interested you can click my account and open it as I’ve only posted two threads. Would love to hear your opinion on authenticity as well. It was a gift from my significant other on vacation. I have $0.00 dollars invested in it at this time. Ok I take that back probably $50.00 invested from the cleaning kit, but that’s it.