ROKUJURO

NAGOYA-MONO TSUBA were mainly made in MEIJI and TAISHO eras, but I get the impression that this TSUBA might be younger than that.

Was that meant to be read as MICARTA? Indeed, that would be quite off of Japanese swords!

This is not urgent!

Hi Boris, I am surprized as this is not really a plain dark background, so details are not visible. Usually, NAKAGO have two main sides, so 9 photos (!) of that quality don't really help much. However, I think I see that a SHINOGI in the middle of the NAKAGO has been ground down which might be an indication that this was indeed a YARI before. But one day in the future, we will perhaps see good (straight vertical, tip-upwards) photos of the NAKAGO on a plain dark background so the experts (I am not one of them) can see details.

Boris, thank you, but that is not really a plain dark background, so details are not visible. To transfer some information, please present the NAKAGO photos as cut-outs so we also have a magnification. Are there any KANJI characters of a signature? On these images, the NAKAGO shape looks narrower than on some other KEN TANTO I have seen.

Could we discuss at all if this is a fake when it is MUMEI?

Zlatko, welcome to the NMB Forum! You should post also in the WANTED TO BUY section.

Hi Boris, age alone makes no damage. Japanese are known to care very well for their appreciated items. Negligence and bad treatment is rather rare, and if you look at many well-preserved weapons with more than 500 years of age, you'll see what I mean. A HABAKI does not get lost in carefull handling. and drilling a hole in a hardwood TSUKA can be done without a drill-press and without damage to the wood.. I absolutely do not intend to downgrade your KEN TANTO, but we should look realistically at it and compare to what is existing in this field elsewhere. You posted a double set of photos but none of the NAKAGO (= tang). That would be helpful to possibly determine the age. Please make a good photo (straight vertically tip-upwards) on a plain dark background of it.

If it ever belonged together..... To me, it looks like a crude attempt to put a KEN TANTO together from pieces available. Missing HABAKI, wrong KISSAKI. damaged TSUKA.

I would look into possible SHOAMI signatures as artist names usually have only 2 KANJI.

Looks like YOSHIHARU to me.

Tony, it is not about the photographer, it's about the photos. In case you want an applicable feedback, only good photos are helpful. A HABAKO is a special form of typo. It is me to apologize!

Tony, a plain dark background instead of a white one would have increased the contrast, so details are much better seen. HABAKI don't get lost, so there was certainly some sad history to the blade which is signed TACHI MEI, by the way.

Looks a bit like ISHI. To be sure, better post this in the TRANSLATION section where the experts are.

The main question is why would I want to have a Chinese copy of an authentic sword if I would never "play" with it? And the second question would be if this would be a look-alike or a traditionally made one?

A plain dark background instead of a white one would have increased the contrast and made reading easier. Ray is a magician in this field!

Derek, never touch a blade with your bare fingers! It is a general rule of care to prevent corrosion and show respect.

I know him from the cinema. He made a film when he was in Australia and became famous for making holes in a bucket.

Brian, don't you want to give it a starting bid?

I was interested in Jason's criteria.

Do I see it correctly that one side of the blade has no SHINOGI? In this case, I would call it KATAKIRI-BA shape, combined with MOROHA-ZUKURI. I am missing evidence for NAGAMAKI shape but that may be my old eyes. Otherwise very impressive blade!

Jason, what is the meaning of "antique" to you? The TSUBA may have some age, but it is not well cared for which for some makes for an "antique" look. As Dale states, mid to late EDO - that is the period of SHINTO (= new) swords.

Kevin, the signatures are chiseled and read vertically blade-tip upwards, so orienting the images accordingly makes reading easier. This one is possibly TANBA no KAMI FUJIWARA TERUKADO. (Corrected following Jan's post)

NAGASA = 830 mm or is that the overall length?

Steve, you may well use your stones for woodworking tools or carbon-steel knives. As usual, you have to test them for their effect which depends mostly on the grain size. Generally, natural Japanese stones are soft and are best used for flat grinding. Never use them with oil!