Lareon Posted Monday at 10:28 PM Report Posted Monday at 10:28 PM Came across this today and it's unlike anything i've held before very minimal sori but very heavy! its a big heavy blade, 75cm nagasa and 1m total length. about 1.27cm thick at the centre, 1.9kg in weight even the habaki was unusually heavy, silver with perhaps lead inside. mumei. any ideas? looks like bo utsuri Quote
ROKUJURO Posted Tuesday at 12:33 AM Report Posted Tuesday at 12:33 AM Tony, you have succeeded in posting some of the worst blade photos I have seen so far. Please try again with a PLAIN DARK background. And look at your photos before posting. In case you see nothing, we will also see nothing. And is that really a KASANE of 12,7 mm? That would be outstanding! Quote
Lareon Posted Tuesday at 12:48 AM Author Report Posted Tuesday at 12:48 AM unfortunately there is no try again, i dont have access to it and had no control over lighting or location so we've got a sword on white bed sheets in poor lighting. Quote
Lareon Posted Tuesday at 12:57 AM Author Report Posted Tuesday at 12:57 AM perhaps these will help a little on the features of the blade. 2 Quote
Lareon Posted Tuesday at 01:15 AM Author Report Posted Tuesday at 01:15 AM probably the best i can do with what i have. Quote
Bazza Posted Tuesday at 02:16 AM Report Posted Tuesday at 02:16 AM Probably a Shinshinto Kinnoto?? And some other links Satsuma rebellion swords and Kinnoto 23 posts 14 June 2020 Gassan School Sadahide Kinnoto - First Blade 4 posts 4 Nov 2025 More results from www.militaria.co.za BaZZa. 7 Quote
Takezo Posted Tuesday at 02:28 AM Report Posted Tuesday at 02:28 AM I think it is definitely a kamakura sue bizen 2 1 Quote
YourBabyBjornBorg Posted Tuesday at 04:42 AM Report Posted Tuesday at 04:42 AM Hi! This looks like Shinshinto or even Showa, Hamon overall are very stiff, Nakago (tang) also looks Shinshinto or younger. I did find one similar Shinshinto by Jiro Taro Naokatsu. A non-stiff(?) Hamon might look something like this. (↑ A designated National Treasure signed mid-Kamakura Fukuoka Ichimonji Yoshifusa, around 1248?) 2 Quote
YourBabyBjornBorg Posted Tuesday at 04:59 AM Report Posted Tuesday at 04:59 AM The Pinnacle of Sue Bizen by Yosouzaemon no Jyou Sukesada in 1535, a designated Important Art Object, also non-stiff(?) 2 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted Tuesday at 11:36 AM Report Posted Tuesday at 11:36 AM 9 hours ago, Takezo said: I think it is definitely a kamakura sue bizen Now that you are saying it....and even with a hand-painted HAMON! 1 Quote
Matsunoki Posted Tuesday at 12:59 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 12:59 PM Looks classic Kinnoto sword just pre Meiji and the smiths looks like he’s had a crack at putting a Mt Fuji and the Moon into the hamon. The one featured in the link above was just about the worst handling sword I’ve ever held despite being well made and with utsuri. Unwieldy and totally unbalanced…..but looked impressive which was the intention I believe. 1 Quote
Alex A Posted Tuesday at 03:12 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 03:12 PM Maybe its the pics but that nakago dont look very old to me. Showa is the impression i get. Quote
vajo Posted Tuesday at 04:02 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 04:02 PM (edited) Looks like wartime or later. Edited Tuesday at 04:02 PM by vajo Quote
Ian B3HR2UH Posted Tuesday at 09:32 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 09:32 PM If it was a showa era piece it wouldn't be that shape nor would it be 75cm long . Barry's opinion is correct . 4 Quote
Toki Posted Tuesday at 09:48 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 09:48 PM 21 hours ago, ROKUJURO said: you have succeeded in posting some of the worst blade photos I have seen so far. bit of an exaggeration, I have seen 10x worse on here Quote
ROKUJURO Posted Tuesday at 09:54 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 09:54 PM Just now, Toki said: .... I have seen 10x worse on here I think that'a a bit of an exaggeration. What about five times? 1 1 Quote
GreyVR Posted Wednesday at 04:40 AM Report Posted Wednesday at 04:40 AM (edited) On 6/29/2026 at 10:28 PM, Takezo said: I think it is definitely a kamakura sue bizen Can I request an explanation on what that means? As to myself, reading that weight, all I can think of is a modern sword that was made to set a helmet cutting record, (which I personally considered antique abuse.) Long ago when I was just getting into swords, I remember hearing about a Japanese swordsmanship person who was trying to get attention and wanted to cut a helmet to ... get attention... and had a special super heavy sword made for it, and put the helmet at waist level like splitting wood. The fellow DID set a record but the sword community (not sword art, just sword community) thought it was a silly thing. Might be something like that? Adding link to something on that. https://www.shinkendo.com/kabuto.html Edited Wednesday at 04:43 AM by GreyVR Quote
ChrisW Posted Wednesday at 05:57 AM Report Posted Wednesday at 05:57 AM (edited) I agree with Barry. In fact, I'll go a step further.. Shinshinto "Sonno Joi" Loyalist sword. The over-the-top hamon, the nagasa, the long nakago, and the lack of sori are a dead giveaway. The strong yasurime and lack of deep dark regular patina all point to this being a young blade. Edited Wednesday at 05:57 AM by ChrisW 6 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted Wednesday at 07:11 AM Report Posted Wednesday at 07:11 AM Just one Nakago ana? Quote
Alex A Posted Wednesday at 08:04 AM Report Posted Wednesday at 08:04 AM Those that think its earlier than Showa Convince us this wasnt a later creation of a Kinnoto style ? Quote
Ian B3HR2UH Posted Wednesday at 08:46 AM Report Posted Wednesday at 08:46 AM Alex why don't you try and find a showa piece that is straight and 75 cm long ? Quote
Alex A Posted Wednesday at 08:54 AM Report Posted Wednesday at 08:54 AM Ian, there are so many oddball swords out there that don't fit in boxes. Not convinced that sword is 19th century. 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted Wednesday at 09:28 AM Report Posted Wednesday at 09:28 AM Not yet mentioned, and may not be relevant here, but some larger blades were created especially for execution grounds. 1 Quote
Lareon Posted Wednesday at 10:34 AM Author Report Posted Wednesday at 10:34 AM the fact the habaki was very heavy (way heavier than normal) also made me think execution specific, ive seen before cases of lead/heavy tsuba being added to blades to aid in better cutting tests. 1 Quote
Lareon Posted Wednesday at 10:39 AM Author Report Posted Wednesday at 10:39 AM I do not have many photos of the koshirae, it was falling apart, agehacho kamon 1 Quote
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