hddennis

So they will bounce a Seki stamp but "some" star stamps are okay? Does any literature exist that states these stamps are strictly for determining the blade as nontraditional? I wonder if they could be just stamps that say this item is acceptable as a weapon to be used by Japanese troops much like RZM marks state that items are acceptable for the German Army and have no say at all as to how the item was produced? Howard Dennis

Thanks Chris, sorry I wasn't able to capture more detail. I do believe this blade is traditionally made. Having said that I'm confused by the following: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=8010&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=75 At the bottom of this page is a chart of stamps. Showa-to stamps. The military ruled that all nontraditionally made blades manufactured for the war effort must bear such stamps. Since My blade has a Seki Stamp is it an exception to this rule? Or is the statement incorrect? Howard Dennis

Anyone have an opinion as to what this blade is now that I've posted pictures? Howard Dennis

John, this was the best I could capture no matter what I tried. Hope it shows you something. Howard Dennis

Had these on hand, will try for better tomorrow. Howard Dennis

John, At least I'm improving my skills by your tests! Howard Dennis

Sorry John, that is SO faint I mistook it for file marks at first, it can't be seen except by carbon and tape oshigata and then it's only a partial strike that is extremely small and hard to decipher. Howard Dennis

John, this is the best I could do: Howard Dennis

We are now talking about a second sword not the first one I mentioned here which I mistakenly thought was stainless steel. Howard Dennis

"The Kokuin is a puzzler, where did you find the information that it read forged 100 times?" It came from a list of smiths names on Dr Stein's site: OSHIGATA OF SHOWA ERA Japanese SWORDSMITHS http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/hyaku.jpg Howard Dennis

Lance, While I've got your ear, help me with your Seki knowledge. After initially missing the Nagoya stamp I decided to recheck another recent purchase. Nice condition unsigned gunto with what seems to have been a leather covered wood saya. Blade has a decent polish and nice hamon but no visible hada. Appears to be a pinhole in one side and a dip in blade that looks like original polisher was chasing a flaw and lowered blade surface for a few inches. Only tang marking is a partial stamp that seems to match "Hyaku Ren Kokuin" Hundred Times Forged. I have been calling this a gendiato, but now I find a very weak partial Seki stamp. It is so weak I could barely captured it with the sooted tang and tape. What do I call this now? Is it showa-to because of the Seki stamp? Is it gendiato because of the "Hyaku Ren Kokuin" stamp. I'd show the Seki stamp but it just won't photograph. Howard Dennis

Here's a partial tang stamp on an unsigned gunto showa-to which also has a Seki stamp. Howard Dennis

Here's another possible Nagoya-like stamp that matches yours on a blade signed Kanemune dated 1943. Howard Dennis

Thanks Lance, that's what I thought, just wanted someone else to come up with the same conclusion. Two heads are better than one. Howard Dennis

Thanks Lance, I'll check that out. Does the stamps presence mean this is not a traditionally made blade or does it just mean the blade was accepted for use by the arsenal? Howard Dennis

Fellows, in an ongoing attempt to understand this sword I went over it with a fine tooth comb this morning. As my interest was older blades, I never learned anything about late blades and they are unfamiliar to me. I first stated this blade had no stamps, I was wrong. After this discussion of what my blade and smith could be I thought I'd go looking for a Seki stamp to verify Lance's opinion. I found a stamp but don't know what it is. Can anyone tell me what this stamp is and what does it's presence on my blade signify? Howard Dennis

I'll be honest and say I really don't know. It appears to be polished steel and not plated. The hamon is frosty but when light is reflected off it no noi or nie is seen and there is no hada that I can see. Howard Dennis

Thanks Lance, that's an interesting concept. To work though we have to assume that the Japanese site got it completely wrong. I've been sitting here studying my signature and the last Kanemune #122 completely matches mine in all aspects. However I do NOT believe that 283 is the same smith. His Kane is very similar but not a perfect match. His mune lacks the line that goes crossways and splits the upper and lower part of the character. #122 and my sword also both lack a Seki stamp Why would that be left off both swords? Howard Dennis

I sense you still don't think I know enough to tell when temper is present or not. I've polished enough Japanese steel over the last 25 years to know there ain't no window in this sword, it's all one hardness. In order to get a window or hamon you need two different hardness's of steel , it's how Japanese swords work. Hard edge, soft spine, etching will split the two like oil and water. I've done it countless times Howard Dennis

Just got this little beauty in the mail today. Howard Dennis

pictures? I hope.

[attachment=0]Kanemune 6.png[/attachment][attachment=1]Kanemune 5.png[/attachment][attachment=2]Kanemune 4.png[/attachment][attachment=3]Kanemune 3.png[/attachment][attachment=4]Kanemune 2.png[/attachment][attachment=5]Kanemune 1.png[/attachment]here's some pictures, I hope.

I realize the costs would rule it out I was just wondering if reason my sword shows no temper is because it was oil tempered which once lost can't be regained. For some unknown reason this blade is all one hardness. Howard Dennis

I'll try to get pictures tomorrow. My experience has mainly been with Koto and Shinto swords which react immediately to any light etching no matter how bad the surface. I wonder if the late swords with oil tempering only has a very light surface hardening that the etch doesn't react to? Can oil tempered swords be repolished and regain the original hamon? Howard Dennis

Gabriel, Thanks for your response. I appreciate the help. I used to belong to the JSSUS for years and have handled many swords and polished a few. Trust me when I say this sword has no temper or hamon. Pictures will only prove to you it looks exactly like the sword on the site you listed, mounts, blade, nakago and signature, the only difference is mine shows no hamon. Now that I think about this, the nakago shows a small amount of patina like your example so it can't be stainless steel but maybe it's the gunsui-to steel. Howard Dennis