ROKUJURO

Burt, obviously, you are not informed about carbon dating: Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon..... The measuring accuracy is about +/- 40 years, so would not work for WWII.

Burt, your blade is obviously not EDO JIDAI. You can see that from the patina on the NAKAGO. If it was made as GENDAITO, it could be that the smith drilled a MEKUGI-ANA right after he forged it. When it was put into military mounts, they had to drill a second MEKUGI-ANA to make it fit. I would not assume a big secret in these notches at the ende of the NAKAGO. Certainly no hidden sign of age or length. This thread should have been posted in the "military" section

Jedediah, as you could read here in various threads, old papers are mostly worthless. If a Japanese seller cannot provide recent papers (which would be an easy thing to do for him), he knows the signature is not SHOSHIN. It is a very well known swordsmith. If you liked the blade and the KOSHIRAE for what they are, it would be anothet thing. Perhaps you could negotiate.

Catalin, even in this condition, any skin contact should be avoided with your blade. Don't test your sword! If it was mine, I would make the best photos possible and send them to a traditionally trained polisher to get a first assessment. In case the HAMON is really gone (by a fire), the blade has not much value left, but it may well be concealed by an improper treatment (when trying to polish it).

Silver does not oxidize under atmospheric conditions. The brown-blackish patina is silver sulfide, a result of the chemical reaction of silver with hydrogen sulfide.

Lenny, welcome on board the NMB! How did you manage to dig out a 15 years old thread?

Bruno, that looks like TSUNEKIYO, AKAO school.

Yes, I don't think it is FUJI, but what about TSUTA (ivy)? On the MIMI I see 'normal' KARAKUSA

The same to you Dale!

How's the chance a living and working sword-smith gets faked? Phone him up and ask! In addition that: How is the blade? You don't want to purchase a NAKAGO with a MEI!

James, if there was a date, it might be on the other side of the NAKAGO.

James, welcome to the NMB forum! These signatures are written (and read) vertically, tip-upwards. The NAKAGO does not look old, so probably quite recent. But age is not important in case the quality is good.

No, it refers to a certain MITSUYUKI, but it is not Japanese as well. Crude and not made with the typical techniques.

Yes, you are right, it is all pretty off and ugly. If you look at the MACHI you will see that they do not align. That alone is a clear giveaway for non-Japanese manufacture.

Thank you David!