ROKUJURO

Derek, welcome to the NMB forum! what you have is certainly not a late World War 2 Japanese Calvary sword but probably a Cavalry sword may exist somewhere.

Well, he may always try.

Sky, then sell the SAKE and keep the TSUBA! It's a nice one!

Sky, why did you not post in the TSUBA section?

Very beautiful! Must be a great pleasure to see it fully in-hand and not only small sections!

A beautiful TSUBA in my opinion!

That wasn't perhaps a friend....

Hector, so he made the sword at the age of 85 years? Respectable!

How real did the way look when you found it? It is a KOGATANA, and I think it is authentic. Please compare with other examples you can find here (NOT in the NIHONTO section, but under TOSOGU).

Some details may indeed look like very early EDO or even before, but both MEKUGI-ANA are clearly drilled. This makes me believe the blade might be much younger, the more as the patina above the MEI does not look "old" to me: So perhaps SHIN-SHINTO ?

Hi Lionel, the photos of your WAKIZASHI do not reveal much for me. The SUGATA reminds me of early EDO, the blade looks a bit tired (= open grain from several polishes ?) in places. SUGUHA HAMON, HATARAKI not visible for me, but that may be my old eyes. The SHIRA-SAYA looks home-made (not in Japan), and is there a wooden HABAKI on the blade? If the SHIRA-SAYA is made of softwood (fir or pine), there is the risk of the blade coming into contact with resin. Not suitable. Also, only knot-free wood should be used. The NAKAGO photos (always without HABAKI please) are upside-down; the MEI is chiseled and read vertically tip-upwards. I can guess the smith as KANE (MOTO or CHIKA). The copper plug in one MEKUGI-ANA is recent and not Japanese, I suspect. Your Avatar TSUBA is also oriented upside-down. Other members will probably see more.

Thank you John! It is indeed TOISHI no TSURA NAOSHI-KI. It's a strange tool with a glass top and a fine soft surface underneath made of some foamy material - no whetstone in it, but it might be a stand to fix a fine sand-paper with water on the glass to level the bottom/sole of a KANNA. Does that make sense to you?

I kindly ask for translation help for this tool I purchased in the hope it was a grinding stone: but I have no idea what it is or how to use it. Many thanks in advance!

Jonathan, photos of TSUBA 2 and 3 are oriented upside-down (as you can see yourself). The descriptions are not in line with the photos appearing.

Joab, as you can see yourself, the blade has probably been sandpapered and is now so scratched-up that nothing can be seen. Unfortunately, the magnification is enhancing the defects more than the HATARAKI (if there are at all).

Jason, traditionally, swords are not displayed in Japan in private households, only im museums. Especially, the SHIRA-SAYA is not meant to be shown. It should rest in a sword-bag in a dark drawer to prevent it and the blade inside from taking up moisture (depending on the condition in the house). In museums, KOSHIRAE are on display with a TSUNAGI under special air-conditioning as lacquer and wood need some moisture while the steel of the blade has to be kept as dry as possible. I have read that professional display in a controlled atmosphere will look for less than 50% of humidity.

Hector, a pessimist is a realist with some experience in life!

Hector, there is no reason to be disappointed in my opinion. Having a HAMON on a stainless steel blade would be extremely special and rare in a metallurgical view. These steels would have to contain more than 13% of chromium to remain rust-resistant (they will not be 100% stainless as long as they contain carbon). On the other hand, folding and fire-welding is not possible with the methods used in a traditional forge. Inevitably, oxygen would prevent the welding by forming chromium oxide on the surface which would work as separating agent. Also, a laminating technique as used in traditional forging would make no sense as the stainless steel is completely homogeneous. So for me, there are two explanations for the clean NAKAGO: Either the blade was made with very special steel in an unknown process (in another galaxy) or, as mentioned above, it was preserved so well in its SHIRA-SAYA that no oxygen could attack it. In any case, the SUGATA, the workmanship and features are looking nice enough for me to like it a lot. Having said that, I will look on the ÔMURA site for a stainless KATANA with HADA and HAMON which should not exist in a scientific regard, but hey, you never stop learning (in case you accept that you don't know all). Having the metal of your TANTO XRF-tested would be the first step for me.

Jason, I told you in my post above: ....There is no HADA visible and the HAMON without NIE or NIOI is strange, so it might have been made with modern steel .....

Hector, I read the family name as MORITA. Maybe that leads to more information? From the internet: A Japanese TANTO (fighting knife) signed Morita Sadanobu (森田貞延) typically points to a 20th-century or WWII-era Gendaitō/showato smith, though signed records for this exact name are scarce and often considered minor or lesser-documented local artisans. Authentic pieces require evaluation of the tang filing (yasurime), signature chiseling (mei), and steel quality

Joab, photos would certainly be fine with a dark, non-reflecting background and presented as cut-outs so we could see details! I like your TSUBA!

Joab, actually, this is a frequent problem as I have read, so with some patience everything will be fine. Fortunately, these things are not urgent.

Rob, even on a sword's NAKAGO, you don't want red rust, so removing it and working towards black iron oxide is a good way in my eyes.

Charles, have a look into your PMs. Orientation of the blade tip-upwards, no HABAKI, plain dark background, object presented as cut-out so not much background is visible.

Sorry Colin, they had no video of the old masters.....