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Posted

I am considering having the sword I asked for information on in this topic polished. I don't know whether it would be worth the cost or even if it would benefit the blade. If so, could I wait to do so? Or would that allow the blade to deteriorate further? The saya is wood and leather only, so there's little danger on that front.

 

Also, any information or even speculation about the sword would be welcome. I know nothing at all outside of the information provided in the link.

 

 

Both the hada and the hamon are very beautiful, but can only be seen under the right light (the hamon is very faint). There are some nicks in the blade near the habaki and some rusting on and around the kissaki, as well as on other parts of the blade. Some very slight pitting is present.

 

EDIT: I feel that at some point in the past this blade has been the unfortunate recipient of a hack amateur polishing job. Part of the patina on the nakago near the habaki looks chemically cleaned off, and the habaki doesn't really fit too well. The mirror finish of the blade is also making me suspicious.

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Posted

Several important criteria. Do you like it enough to invest in it? Is it healthy with no flaws, either fatal or otherwise? Is the name correct and is it high enough ranked to warrant the investment? We can't judge the latter without a closeup of the mei.

Posted
Several important criteria. Do you like it enough to invest in it? Is it healthy with no flaws, either fatal or otherwise? Is the name correct and is it high enough ranked to warrant the investment? We can't judge the latter without a closeup of the mei.

 

A closeup is provided here, as is a likely translation, as well as a reference to Hawley's book, which I don't have, so any information found there would also be welcome.

Posted

So let's assume the mei is good (Chris is one of our best kantei practitioners and i assume he has looked it up in a reference book). To me, the tang looks pretty good. Only two holes and appears to not have been cut or reshaped. I don't see evidence of it having been stripped of its patina in the photos.

 

What can't be told is whether it is machi okuri. Most advanced collectors want to have their shinto or later blades to be completely ubu. For a koto, machi okuri or even suriage or osuriage are quite acceptable since most swords of that era have been so altered. For shinto or shinshinto, one usually doesn't have to settle for a blade that is less than ubu. Of course this all depends on other factors. If a blade is made by a saijo saku or jojo saku maker or is drop dead gorgeous or has sentimental value or......then many advanced collectors will still see fit to have it restored, something that done properly (i.e. sent only to a leading polisher and getting papers and high quality kodogu etc.) is quite expensive. In fact, unless the purchase price was zero, it is often not possible to justify restoration on a solid ubu shinto blade made by a chujo saku maker from a strictly economic perspective, since the value of the blade with hozon papers after sinking $6 or 7 thousand into it is.......$6 or 7 thousand or less (this is for a katana, but the numbers correspond for a wakizashi).

 

For your blade, there are still several questions to be asked other than whether the tang has been machi okuried (if you indulge me as I make a verb out of this!). You say that you think the blade has had a "hack" polish done to it. Well there are hack polishes and there are hack polishes. If the amateur that has worked on this blade took off too much meat, or polished through the skin or created a hagire or badly reshaped the blade, then you might be in a situation where the blade simply can't be properly restored by a professional polisher.

 

To me, the blade looks fairly attractive, though I think it looks like it is on the short side (sorry if you gave the dimensions, but I haven't gone back to read both threads). It seems to have nice activity though. If the blade is restorable, the mei is good, the blade has no flaws and is ubu and you have bonded with the blade, you could probably have it polished and papered and have a new habaki and shirasaya made for it and be ok. You could enjoy and study it for some time, and when the time came to move it along to the next collector, you might be able to get most of your investment out of it. Best of luck!

Posted

Thanks, that's a huge help. The sword was actually a gift, so I might go ahead and send it to a polisher and see if he thinks it's worth restoring. Any recommendations for a polisher that would do the blade justice?

Posted
Any idea what his usual rates are?

 

Hi Josh,

 

From my personal experience: Bob charges me $2700 for a 28" blade, so about $100/in.

 

In your case, it could be more or less (per inch), depending on how much work is involved. Blades that are badly rusted and deeply pitted, bent, with broken tip, etc. will cost more than blades in relatively good shape.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

Posted

Hi Josh,

 

Adam is dead on with the cost of shirasaya and habaki. For a daito, I paid $450 for shirasaya. I paid another $400 for a habaki. $850 total. The thing is, polishing and getting a new habaki and especially new shirasaya go hand-in-hand. you don't want to spend $2000$-$3000 on a new polish and have it damaged by reusing the old shirasaya.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

Posted

Hi Josh,

 

Understood! I was a very poor college student for many years. Until you are able & willing to restore the sword (two separate issues), just keep it oiled and stored in a cool dry place. Be sure to wipe off the old oil an apply new oil monthly. Mineral oil will do the job.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

Posted

Josh,

 

Also, don't touch *ANY* part of the blade (the nakago being the exception) with your fingers or let it come in contact with human skin or anything corrosive or water. Don't let the blade be touched by anything even mildly abrasive. If you follow these simple steps,the blade will be preserved.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

Posted

Comment, plus:

There are Chu Jo Saku swordsmiths capable of producing Juyo work, this information should be part of a collector's research for this or any smith of interest. If this smith has produced top level work, how does this example compare?

 

Since names and recommendations are being given, here's one more polisher fully trained in Japan, Takeo Seki 1-604-936-1198 (BC Canada).

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