Please translate this and help me learn to do it myself

[jason_mazzy]

Please translate this for me. And nex to each character can you tell me how you knew how many strokes it was?

 

 

 

 

Thank you.

 

edit what I have gathered and know I am wrong is:

井 I

don't know second. am I close?

貞 Sada

成 Nari

[jason_mazzy]

Here are some pics. My photo skills are absolutely horrible so don't expect much. but the black or gray stuff is nie. alot of frost nioe and good nie.

[jason_mazzy]

平長成 Maybe I taira naga nari ?

[Maurice_lmb]

Hello

 

My guess is INOUE SHINKAI

:x

 

Maurice

[Mark Green]

J,

That is Shinki.

 

Next to Tadayoshi, The most Gemei

[cabowen]

Gimei Inoue Shinkai, without a doubt. Pick up a copy of the book by Koop and Inada called "Japanese Names and How to Read Them".....

[jason_mazzy]

Yes I see the difference. What a shame to add this signature to a beautiful sword. There are some hammer marks, and it almost looks like they erased the original signature to add this fake one. The blade also is cut down and seems older than this mans known smith years. I am determined to get some decent pictures of this sword, because the flaws are very minor. only a few very small openings and really nothing but a couple scratches. and a very nice nie and nioe blooms throughout what looks to be a running water type grain. Anyone with photo skills please help me out. I have emailed a few sites that have nice Nihonto posted but they seem to use a proffesional photographer. I just have this kodak 12 mp I bought to snap up photos of the new stuff.

[watsonmil]

Dear Jason,

Actually I agree that this sword is probably considerably older than Shinkai. Can you get a photo of the overall sword and boshi ? There appears to be lots of activity = study !

... Ron Watson