ROKUJURO

See above!

YOKOYAMA probably.

Luciano, we have a "WANTED TO BUY" section.

Rob, we will probably never know how they were made, but you can come closer in case you could clean out the underside carefully. If UCHIDASHI technique was performed, you would see the chisel traces. If the surface texture looks bumpy, but smooth, casting is more likely. As far as I know, soldering and brazing are rarely used in TOSOGU making.

Hi Lewis, it is just the opposite. The long KITAE WARE are incomplete welding spots, mostly caused by insufficient temperature in the folding/fire-welding stages. They are often seen on the MUNE as results of the composite construction

John, what would happen technically when heating up a TSUBA to melting temperature? We are talking of 1.538°C. As you cannot suspend the TSUBA on a wire or so in a furnace, you will have to place it horizontally on something flat that would be more heat-resistant. As all metals are very good heat conductors, the temperature on the upper side of the TSUBA will be the same as on the underside. So while you are trying to create a "like-melted" texture on the upper side, the underside will do the same and take on the texture of the material it is lying on. Now the details: A clay-based ceramic board that could withstand temperatures of about + 1.500°C was not known in Japan and is not known elsewhere today. In high-temp ceramics like porcelain, silicon-carbide boards are now used which withstand temperatures up to 1.700°C (theoretically). In traditional porcelain firing in China and Japan (about 1.350°C), special fireclay-based boards were used which had a short life-cycle. So I am afraid we have to discard the notion of YAKITE SHITATE being a "superficial melting" process in TSUBA making. As the term YAKU implies, fire plays a role in the process, but it is not aimed at melting. Coming to GAMA HADA, we should have a look at a toad's skin first (see images). I am not speculating how it would have been made on a TSUBA; there are several ways to do it, and none is fast and easy. Looking at your TSUBA above, my comment would be (not looking at the NAKAGO ANA shape which is off) that it was made by casting in coarse sand. You can buy TSUBA like these cheaply as souvenirs (see images of my souvenir TSUBA below).

This tag looks unusually "fresh" in my opinion, compared with others that have been shown here.

This is not really an inferior method in MENUKI making. If you look at the very detailed outer structure, it cannot be achieved just by pushing material in and out. But I admit that one should see these MENUKI cleaned in-hand to be sure.

Calabrese, I was told that this method is not lost, but if a goldsmith wants to apply it, a special exhaust system with recuperating filters has to be used.

It was perhaps not a humorous remark but a misunderstanding. The MENUKI have obviously been made in a "lost wax model" casting process instead of UCHIDASHI.

Thank you Bruce, I can see it now. It is just a wrong HABAKI. It could be dangerous to handle the sword as the blade could come loose and the MEKUGI could just fall out.

Trystan, of course KUNISHIGE! I read it and I knew it, and then I wrote it wrongly....

Lee, unless there are special exhibitions, you will see swords mostly in museums and often on the 5th floor of important warehouses like MITSUKOSHI. As I have heard, most dealers don't have swords on display, so you cannot just go there and have a look unless you want to buy..

Nazar, I saw this as well, and I would like to see if the MACHI truly align.

Frank, the signature is chiseled and read vertivally, tip-upwards, so I broke my neck for you to read KUNISHIGE. I cannot read the first KANJI of the province. It does not look like a typical WWII blade, but to say more, we would need god photos of the naked blade. Have a look a your PMs.

Ken, in that condition, it will be very difficult even for a professional photographer to show more of the features. The blade would need a professional (= traditional) restoration first. Please do not try this yourself! What can be found online about HIZEN TADAYKI is not much: In the Hizen Tadayoshi lineage, Tadayuki is a historically significant figure during the late Edo period. When the 6th and 7th generations of the main Tadayoshi line passed away prematurely, Tadayuki (a senior disciple) took over the forge, managed the school, and successfully mentored the 8th generation of Tadayoshi (Hachidai Tadayoshi) until he reached adulthood. Notable Characteristics of Tadayuki Blades Steel and Grain: Hizen blades are renowned for their highly refined Jigane (surface steel) and often display Konuka-hada (fine "rice bran" grain). Quench Lines: Tadayuki blades frequently feature elegant notare (wavy) or suguha (straight) temper lines. Signature: Signatures will typically translate to "Sesshu Ju Fujiwara Tadayuki" (for the Osaka lineage) or "Hizen Koku Tadayuki". For a comparison of an authenticated example: https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product/antique-Japanese-sword-katana-signed-by-tadayuki-nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-certificate/?srsltid=AfmBOoryBB8LXnS2Kd3kM4r8Eh__2DDliIlbbIU8-jv6KstOCvXelvCq Roger Robertshaw is an expert on HIZEN swords: https://www.hizento.com/author-book-roger-robertshaw-tadayoshi.php I believe he is a member here.

John, in that case, wouldn't it be easier to take some material off of the wooden scabbard liner?.

That was the guy who "cleaned" his car with an angle-grinder....

I experienced the shut-off as well.

Ken, the photo of the sticker(s) ( I see two of them as well) is upside-down, so difficult to read.

Beautiful, I like them! No sloppy work, perhaps sold before finish was completely done?

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Aiden, if ever you get your hands on genuine Japanese military blades, please post images of them in the military section. This NIHONTO section is for traditionally forged authentic blades.

Hi Glen, thank you, very interesting and helpful! One of the factors you did not mention is the making of a TSUBA. I believe this will be most important. As you say, we shall see....

Criss, the photo is not oriented correctly, it should be turned 90° to the right. The "signature" may be read as ISHIKAWA (= stone river). It is still not an antique item which you can test with a hot needle.