Grey Doffin

Not all swords have rayskin under the wrap. The mounts on your sword are lower quality and no rayskin was used. It isn't possible for any of us to tell you who made the sword without having it in hand, and even then probably not. What is the length of the cutting edge? If less than 24" it is an unsigned wakizashi in low end mounts, which doesn't point to anything great. Of course, any level of blade can be found in any level of mounts so you can't automatically assume the blade isn't worth a polish just from the mounts, but chances are not in its favor. I think you should put a very light coat of good machine oil on the polished portion (not the tang) of the blade, and otherwise let it be for now. If you're going to get serious about Japanese swords, in a few years after you learn much more, you can decide whether or not to get it polished. If you aren't going to get serious there's no reason to spend a couple thousand dollars on a polish you won't appreciate. Grey

Brian, My understanding, gained from those more knowledgeable than me, is that the soot will affect the nakago if left on, and that cleaning it off risks damage also. And like I said, there is no reason whatsoever to do a soot and tape oshigata. Is saving yourself 5 to 10 minutes with an ink stone worth the risk you might damage the sword? Grey

Not what you asked about but I notice that you've made a soot and tape oshigata. This isn't a good idea. The soot can alter the patina of the nakago, and if you clean off the soot you're cleaning the nakago which can alter the patina of the nakago. You want never to alter the nakago. Traditional oshigata, made with thin paper and ink stone, does a better job, isn't terribly difficult or time consuming, and won't damage the sword. Do yourself and your swords a favor and try it. Grey

A 3 legged bird? Grey

I suggested the paper and tape fix rather than rice glue because it is much easier and therefore more likely to be done, and because it can't do any damage. I wouldn't suggest that someone with absolutely no experience should attempt to glue the handle, even with rice glue. The reason why I think you need to fix the handle is that the scabbard and handle provide the best protection for the blade. If the blade were knocked off the sword stand there is a high probability that it would break. Also, sitting out in the open it is more vulnerable to abuse (picked up and handled by someone who wonders if it will cut a bed post, for example). The paper/tape fix is really very easy to do; should take all of 5 minutes. The handle looks like it has a waist (narrow section in the middle). Wrap the paper here and wrap masking tape around the paper. Slide the paper one way until it will go no further. Repeat and slide the other direction. Voilla! The handle is now secure. Next you can whittle a pin to go through the hole in the handle and tang of the sword, and you're good to go. By the way, all you out there with sayas that are starting to split, this is an excellent fix for that problem also. Value? Maybe about $600 to $800 for the sword if it is as clean (in polish) all around as it appears in your pictures, and $250 for the tsuba. This is just a guess; I haven't seen the sword and markets change. Do check out the sword care site and be very careful with your sword. They break easily. Grey

Hi, Here's what you can do to fix the handle without doing any damage. Cut strips of paper about 1" wide and long enough to go around the handle 1 1/2 times. Wrap a strip around the handle at it's smallest diameter and tightly wrap masking tape around the paper. Now slide the paper and tape either up or down to a larger diameter. This will firmly band the 2 pieces of wood but it is reversible and will leave no mark when the time comes to have the handle properly repaired by someone who works with Japanese sword mountings. Once you have the handle in one piece you need to whittle a pin to lock the blade in the handle, through the hole in the handle. Chopsticks will do fine. Without a handle and pin through it the blade is very vulnerable to breakage (the point can get chipped in the bottom of the scabbard). Hope this makes sense. It is important that you do this soon. By the way, I agree with the reading of the signature and there is no doubt about this being a real Japanese sword. Grey

Hi Kyle, The dark mark in the 1st photo and in the other photo I looked at is shin-tetsu, core steel showing through. Surprising that it shows black in one photo and white in the others. Black is what I'd expect for shin-tetsu. Considering the bad kizu nearby in the picture it isn't surprising that the blade is tired. No cleaning or polish can help, and it doesn't really make sense to spend money on a blade in this condition anyway. Sorry for bad news. Grey

I have seen a fukure in the hamon. Don't have pictures, sorry. I was told at the time that it wasn't repairable because it was in the hamon. Grey

A couple monts back I was searching ebay and the 1st listing in my search was a real Nihonto, katana with a buy-it-now price of one sixty. I was a second or so too slow to be the one to get it. That was $1.60. Love to know the story behind it. Grey

There are full English translations of all 3 issues of this book. Grey

It won't be possible to find a koshirae that fits the blade. You can buy a koshirae so you'll have an example of each, sword and koshirae. You can buy the pieces for a koshirae: menuki, fuchi & kashira, tsuba, and have koshirae made to fit the blade. Or you can skip the Tadamitsu and look for a blade with koshirae if that's what you want. This would be the easiest and maybe the least expensive option also. You have to decide what works for you. Grey

Another consideration is preservation. Unless these tsuba are properly cared for they can suffer (rust on iron and scratches & dings to soft metal). The basements of the world's museums are full of donated art objects that are unappreciated and left to rot (ask the Smithsonian about the Japanese swords that Admiral Perry brought back from Japan in the 19th century). By bringing this collection to light maybe it can be seen to that they are well cared for. Grey

The kissaki looks odd. Is it too short or is that just the angles of the pictures? Can you post a pic that shows the kissaki from flat on? If it is too short it would indicate a broken kissaki, reshaped and with cosmetic boshi. If that were the case you wouldn't want to spend anything on restoration. Grey

It is against ebay rules (circumvention of ebay fees) and don't forget that this is how the Chinese fakers stick it to a lot of the unsuspecting (low buy it now and very high postage). If it's shady practice for the fakers it should be shady for all. Grey

I'm not sure this is a fake. If it were a fake wouldn't the faker have tried a more standard way of signing the blade? Wouldn't there be a mekugi-ana? This work is done better than I'd expect on a fake. Looks like real worked steel and the polish certainly is well done. I don't know what this is but I see no reason, yet, to say it isn't Nihonto. Grey

You probably already know this but in case you don't, never do anything to fix the nakago. Leave it alone. Grey

Any properly trained polisher can fix this for you. Bob Benson comes to mind first. Grey

I agree with New Nelson's and Japanese Names by Koop & Inada. If you'll excuse my shameless self promotion, I'd like to add my "Kanji Flashcards" as being a good resource for reading sword signatures. Grey

Nakago looks very Gendai, not Shin-shinto. Looks like a gunto that has been remounted in Samurai koshirae. Don't understand why people do that. It decreases the value as a military collectible and doesn't make it into an old Samurai sword. But no one ever asks me. You have to decide if you want to spend the money for the sword but from what I've seen it isn't a great bargain. Grey

What is the difference between a naginata and a nagamaki? Sato Kanzan, in "Token Bijutsu" English edition, #10, page 31, says that they are the same but with different styles of koshirae. Grey

I told the seller the blade dates to WWII. Interesting how he didn't manage to get that bit of information posted on the sale. Grey

Steve, If you're concerned about preserving value you should leave it alone. Militaria collectors want original condition, not cleaned. I doubt that cleaning would make all that much difference any way. The ito would be a bit cleaner but it would also have a different patina, not necessarily one you'll be happy with. It could also suffer damage from being wet. An old girl friend who is a fiber artist once told me that Woolite is 10% plain soap and 90% advertising; there are better soaps for cleaning fabric. Grey

I think it would help if we could see some pictures before we have to pontificate of the merits or otherwise of cleaning your tsuka. Grey

I would say unfortunate, but not fatal. Grey

Kyle, It's a fake, a flagrant one at that, and no amount of photographs will make it less so. You need to buy books and study before you try to buy a sword; otherwise you'll just waste your money. Grey