Info from Nakago types and finishes

[Stegel]

Hi,

A question to our learned colleagues....

I'm with the understanding that early blades had their tangs 'hammer' finished, newer blades had various file finishes (Yasurime-traces of a file). Certain file marks could then lead to certain smiths/schools, perhaps?

The shape of the tang gives an insight into it's past such as age, period, shortening etc.

 

My question is, Can these observations lead to a certain school of smiths, or are they generic and spread across the spectrum?

I would like to know more this particular nakago (obviously shortened, no file marks and strange shape) and ask the members if they can deduce anything from it, age/period/school wise.

Looking forward to your comments.

Thanks in advance

/Ernst

[paulb]

The shape of the nakago and file marks are extremely important indicators of age, school and smith in unshortened blades. If a blade is shortened it becomes more difficult to gain that information. The blade you are showing appears to have been shortened by a couple of inches. I am basing that view n the ware and dip in the nakago which I am guessing is the result of it having an ill fitting tsuba at some time in the past. If that is the case the end the nakago will have had the shape changed and the filiing may well not be original.

hope this helps

[Surfson]

I'm not the most qualified to answer your question, but will have a stab (no pun intended) at it. I think that the shape of a sword is more informative than the nakago, especially for suriage or osuriage swords. Your sword is a little unusual, in the sense that it appears that it is made with a prominent masame hada which has affected the rusting pattern of the nakago, yielding the interesting striping pattern in the tang. I'm sure we will hear some other hypotheses about the striping. Based on the ana, one might think that it was only machi okuri a bit, but based on the jiri, it appears to have been suriage, and there is the possibility that it is osuriage.

[Bazza]

Robert and All, yes, I believe the "stripe" pattern is rusting of the masame hada, not a sensuki (shaved) or other file type.

Best regards,

BaZZa.

[nagamaki - Franco]

The workmanship of the sword itself is what a shinsa will use in its attempt to determine the maker of the sword. This nakago "appears" to be O suriage, in fact none of the original tang may remain. It may be helpful to post an image of the entire sword to view its overall shape.

[Eric H]

I believe the "stripe" pattern is rusting of the masame hada, not a sensuki (shaved) or other file type.

agreed!

 

Generally the yasurime are an important part of the mei. In a smith‘s career its style remains throughout the same and usually it‘s in his masters style. Furthermore the intact yasurime on a mumei nakago can help to identify the smith.

 

This nakago has obviously been improperly cleaned possibly with the aid of an acid.

 

Eric

[lbkmd43]

agree with the majority no original yasurime left o suriage and visible masame improved by etching LKanarek MD

[Stegel]

Thanks to everyone for your interesting comments and feedback,

I originally wanted to know if you could detemine the approx period, age and possibly school of manufacture of a blade, by looking at its tang. Your comments have confirmed that the tang is of limited use in this determination, particularly if it has been modified since its original manufacture. It will only tell part of the story.

Your keen eyes have noticed things i did not even think of, nor consider, such as the 'ill fitting habiki' . A closer look confirmed just that!

I was unaware of the use of Acid in cleaning tangs, who does this?? would it remove filemarks? and is it common practice??

I can't believe that people would actually do that!! (impact of residues could be bad! - would you have to clean at all to remove any, if they exist??)

As suggested, i've added a picture of the complete blade. (Looking at blade shapes, i'm not too sure of this one)

I have included a few other pics of the blade, two of the masame hada which runs the whole length of the blade ( it took about 10 pics to finally get some that were usable).

Also can anything be known from the polishers marks? there are some under the habiki and on the mune near the tip.

Any comments would be welcome.

[christianmalterre]

Dear Ernst,

 

just saw your´s request here....this is on first sight an nice sword here!

Where are you situated?(Germany?)-if yes,(as me,too)i will send you some documents given out by Kenji Mishina and Michael Hagenbusch(German language)which very clearly explain and show several points of your´s recent inquiery here...

Just PM me...

 

Christian

[Eric H]

few other pics of the blade, two of the masame hada which runs the whole length of the blade

That the nakago has been treated with an acid is an assumption...based on the fact that the nakago surface shows a faint relief of the masame structure of the blade...no yasurime are detectable.

 

Polishers used, not always, to mark their work with „nagashi“ lines, under the habaki and on the kissaki-mune...a track to the individual polisher is not given.

 

Eric

[Stegel]

Thank you both Eric and Christian!

 

/Ernst