Grey Doffin

Just yesterday I picked up a gunto, signed, "Koa Issin Mantetsu" (Asia one heart, Manchurian steel). What's unusual about it is that the standard army Shin-Gunto mounts have been chrome plated: saya, ashi, koiguchi, sepa, tsuba, fuchi, kashira, and even the menuki. The chromed menuki are under intact, period tsuka-ito that shows appropriate age so I know this was done by the Japanese before the sword was surrendered. I've seen blades chromed in the US after the war but never one done before surrender (this blade isn't chromed; just the mounts). Have any of you seen this before? Any idea what it means? Thanks. Grey

My recommendation for a novice's first buy is books. Grey

Tiffany, Yes, the missing pin through the handle can be replaced and it should be replaced ASAP. Without a pin (mekugi) to constrain the blade in the handle, if the sword is dropped or bumped the blade can crash down inside the scabbard and shatter its tip in the scabbard bottom. It is also likely to fall out of the handle if you're drawing or looking at the blade. You can whittle a new pin from a bamboo chopstick. It doesn't have to be pretty or authentic but it does have to be there. Grey

I don't think that is mizukage and I'm not certain that the sword is more than a little suriage. The seller states that the blade is naginata-naoishi, a cut down naginata. In that case the original mekugi-ana would have been lost when the nakago was lopped off and the lower of the 2 mekugi-ana we see could be the ana that was put in when the blade was mounted as a sword. Rather than mizukage, the line at the ha-machi looks to me to be where oil wasn't completely wiped off. Yes, if it were mizukage I'd expect to see it on both sides and it should be at 45 degrees the other way. That said, the numerous grain openings are stronger evidence of retemper. The opening bid is higher than the sword is worth, I think. Best not to buy. Grey

The Norimitsu on Fred's site looks very nice, the paper should be good, it once belonged to a very sharp collector (Bob Lewert), and I agree that it should pass Tokubetsu Hozon if someone wanted to have it repapered. I won't comment on the price; that's for you to decide. One thing you need to ask yourself: do you want to own 2 Norimitsu wakizashi or would you rather have 2 pieces less similar? Grey

A little bit of trouble. Hard to fill in one of the forms because the cursor and screen disagreed about where they should be; otherwise it went well. However, once Darcy has it ready for everyone, you all need to buy a copy; this is a first class effort. Excellent articles about the history of Bizen-to and crisp photos & oshigata of some high end pieces. Also, a thorough write up of each piece. I'm a third of the way through it and I've learned tons already. Kudos to Darcy and Bob Benson for a job very well done. So, if you're serious about sword study, here is an impressive book at good price. Buy it. Grey

The sword is signed, "Bishu Osafune Sadamitsu" and dated, I think, "Kansho Roku Nen Hachi Gatsu Hi". That's a day in the 8th month of 1465. Grey

Hard to tell much from the pictures but it looks like the blade has seen a great deal of the polishing stones. It seems to narrow quickly above the ha-machi, an unnatural curve in the edge. I'd ask for a straight on shot of the blade with no habaki so you can see if I'm right. Grey

Fake or fantasy piece; doesn't look like true Nihonto to me. I don't think it has much age either. End of 20th or beginning of 21st century. Grey

So are we; post some pictures please. Grey

Just so everyone understands, never use Nevrdull or Noxon or any other type of polish or cleaner on the nakago of the sword. If there is active red rust on the nakago you can use a small amount of sword oil to stop its progress. Any other work to be done on the nakago should be left to a competent polisher. (Good idea for the rest of the blade also.) Grey

It looks to me like an arsenal stamp has been removed. If you see a depression in the nakago just above the mei there's a good chance the stamp (and evidence of WWII origins) has been removed and the nakago patinated to make it look older than Gunto. Grey

Only if someone buys it at that price; otherwise not. Grey

White, unscented tissue paper is fine for a blade in polish. Just be sure that it wasn't made of recycled fibers, which might contain coarse particles. Grey

I also think the kissaki has been messed with. What's more, in every picture the edge looks like it has a secondary bevel. I wonder if some amateur polisher has been practicing on this. I'd definitely stay away from this one. Grey

I don't think any damage would be done with talc, uchiko, or chalk dust, as long as the powder is removed completely. However, I think a photograph done with proper lighting and no powder would be preferable to powder, and a well done oshigata also would show more detail than a powdered nakago. Grey

I'm not bothered by the length of the hi in the nakago; I'm concerned by the length of the ware (defect) in the hi. Also, in one of the pictures I see a strong masame hada, which I wouldn't expect in Bizen-to. If a sword is retempered 2 of the many things that might happen are defects (ware, open grain, fukure) and change of hada (itame tends to become masame). I don't know if the sword is retempered but that is always a possibility. Very difficult to tell from pictures. Grey

About the sword in question, in answer to your questions: There is a mottled, almost polka-dot, appearance to the steel of this sword; I have no idea how that was done but I know it isn't found on real Japanese swords. The sword also has what appears to be a grain, somewhat similar to what would be seen on the real thing. Usually on the fakes this grain is more pronounced; maybe the mottling has something to do with toning it down. On a real Japanese sword, grain is the crystalline structure of the steel made visible by a properly done polish. What you see are individual points that together make a pattern. On the fakes (this one included) what appears to be grain is actually different qualities of steel folded together. What you see on the fakes are lines of different steels as they appear on the side of the sword. Hope I've got this right (think I do but you guys will correct me if I'm not) and hope this helps. Take care, Grey

Just got the dates for Tampa next year: Friday thru Sunday, February 8 to 10, 2008. Grey

Yes, sometimes good items show up at the flea markets. Would you be able to tell them apart from the bad items? Study 1st; then buy. Grey

Scott, If your level of experience with Japanese swords is such that with the sword in hand you can't tell the real thing from a fake, you need to be studying, not buying. Ask around; there's bound to be sword study groups in Northern Japan, museums with swords to see, and books to read. If you don't have at least some knowledge of Nihonto you can be taken advantage of by an unscrupulous seller no matter where you are. Grey

I can't see the 1st kanji in the 1st photo. The 2nd Kanji can be read "dai" and the 3rd can be read "kore" (hard to tell without the context provided by the 1st Kanji) "Kanetoshi Saku" completes the mei. The 2nd photo reads, "Masatoshi Tsukuru". Grey

The original nakago was larger than the center portion of the current nakago; I think we can all agree on this. The only reason I can think of for why it was reduced would be to fit it to some sort of WWII tanto koshirae. It certainly wouldn't have been reduced to allow for the added metal; that wouldn't make sense. At some later date, perhaps recently, the extra steel was added for strength and appearance. I'm surprised that a neater job wasn't done. Anyway, that's what makes sense to me. Grey

And I see no reason to suspect that it is part of a broken sword. Looks to be a perfectly good O-tanto or Ko-wakizashi. Grey

Peter, May I ask who polished it? Seems strange the polisher didn't see it coming and take steps to minimize the damage. Grey