ROKUJURO

Lars, welcome to the board! The seller did not really supply a wealth of informations on the sword. I think, this will not be sufficient to prevent a possible deception. Don't buy a signature, buy the sword! If the price is not very very low, there will remain a risk as TAMBA no KAMI YOSHIMICHI is one of the very often copied signatures. As you will read here on the NMB, the signature has to confirm the smith's specific features which you should find in the blade. In this case, the MEI may read YAMATO no KAMI YOSHIMICHI (see http://www.nihontocraft.com/Yamato_Yoshimichi.html for comparison).

Grey, pure copper is way softer than any kind of steel, so it's a simple but efficient way to remove active rust, when bone, antler or ivory prove to be too soft. Working with a pointed tip only on the rusty spots, the polish will not suffer much. In any case, the polish is more affected by rust than by removing it, I think. But of course you are right with your advice, if a traditional TOGISHI is at hand!

In case this was active red rust, first rule is to stop it. You can use a strip of pure copper as a tool. Bone or ivory are probably too soft. This may not make it look as nicely as a freshly polished blade, but it may save from further damage. This is important in the HA area as the high carbon content of this steel attract rust much more easily than the JI or other (softer) parts of the blade. Rust in the HA also goes sometimes deeper into the steel. Concerning protective oil, it is more important to apply a very thin film quite often than what oil you use. Of course a modern 'creeping' machine oil is superior to most traditional oils.

If this was bought from KLEFISCH (lot 500, Auction 91) they added the following information: TOMONARI (H 10010) had been working in Hamano style. Hope that helps!

David, to help developing 'an eye' for the real stuff, please go up to the research button and hit 'fake swords'. There is some valuable information that may help you save some bucks for a real blade. Also have a look at what is shown here at NMB, there are many nice (genuine) items for comparison and learning. In the long term, buy some good books and study before you waste your money. And then have some real pleasure collecting!

Some years ago, I bought a special SAYA rasp from NAMIKAWA for about $ 70, if I remember correctly, but it will only go up to the KISSAKI area of a KO-WAKIZASHI SAYA. Having one made as Steve suggests may be a good and much cheaper solution! But don't choose a fine grit, it will not work!

FUCHI seems to read NARA NAGAHARU (or perhaps KIYOHARU?). The set looks a little bit crude compared to good NARA work, I think.

Sean, is there a misunderstanding? Of course the blade was not cut and then had a longer NAKAGO welded on! Only the MACHI were moved upwards which results in a shorter NAGASA and longer NAKAGO. This does not alter the length of the whole blade!

Polaris, I think I can see a SHU (second KANJI) and a KANE for the name, but it's far from safe! You can try with light from the side or direct light plus talcum powder, but if this does not produce better results, maybe a specialized institute can x-ray it. Please sign all your posts with your real first name plus an initial as is the rule here.

Filipe, yes, at first look it seems to be a war-time blade with no visible HADA, but with carefully made NAKAGO. I cannot see clearly if it is oil or water quenched. Do you see NIE or NIOI? A recently drilled second MEKUGI ANA may suggest use in a KYU GUN KOSHIRAE or as IAI TO. The TSUBA does not add much to the value in my opinion, nor does the KOSHIRAE, so it remains your decision if you want to spend that sum for it. If it really was a handmade, water-quenched GENDAITO, the price might be o.k.

I am shocked to read that Michael Hagenbusch has passed away. I have known him for about 40 years, and although we did not meet these last years, I have always kept good memory of him. His knowledge in things Japanese was amazing, and he permanently increased it. He told me that he often travelled to Japan to attend KANTEI sessions. He had a considerable number of very high class swords and TOSOGU, but it may not be known that he had a wonderful collection of JIZAI OKIMONO as well. His apartment in Munich was full of wonderful and famous Asian art items, and he loved to live with them. Let us hope that there are some wonderful pieces of Japanese art in the next world so he can enjoy them......

Please sign all posts at least with your real first name plus an initial as is the rule here. KINMICHI worked in KYOTO; you may get some information on the genuity of the MEI if you look for MISHINA school. The NINJA of IGA province do not add much to the value of the sword!

The TSUBA with a SANSUI theme does not look like TEMPO in my eyes. It seems to be cast. On the MENUKI I seem to see a duck but might indeed be both cormorants. As the TSUKA-ITO is quite loose, you might push it a little aside to see more of the MENUKI.

Although the NAKAGO has been wire brushed (which is a very bad damage), I do not see hints for a late manufacture. Instead, the MEKUGI ANA looks KOTO to me, but maybe just the pictures. Chris, you wrote: Someone wants to sell an "old" Wakizashi. Seems, someone wants to buy one....What is it that you are attracted to in this case? Is it the price? It might be difficult to really enjoy this WAKIZASHI in this poor condition, but it will not be cheap or worthwhile to get it properly restored. TSUBA seems to be worthless, KO GATANA the same, so think about that. By the way, there is no MINO period!

Chris, thank you and welcome on board!

Vajo, please sign all your posts with at least your real first name and an initial as is the rule here. I don't see any HIRAGANA on the NAKAGO. Charles, as far as Japanese genuity is concerned, I would not want to venture a guess on the basis of photos of a part of a NAKAGO alone. The YASURI ME is sloppily executed as well as the MEI and the MEKUGI ANA, the brass HABAKI seems simple but o.k. The structure in the YAKIBA is strange and not typical. This together with the absence of any patination could all be hints to a recently (<80 years) and hastily made blade, but as Chinese fakes are getting better, I would not even exclude this possibility. More good photos are needed for a better judgement, in my opinion.

'Damascus' HADA, thin brass HABAKI, MUNE MACHI and HA MACHI not on the same level, KISSAKI shape doubtful, NAKAGO JIRI not in one of the traditional shapes, MEI chiselled questionably - to me this looks like an 'artificially aged' (= rusted) fake.

Brian, I had the same GOOGLE malware warning again as reported some time ago. I cannot produce a screenshot (it is all red and I cannot copy), but they say the attackers are on zctmnvhdae.ddnsking.com I can only get to the NMB site when I agree to go to a 'potentially dangerous site'.

Garry, you should not feel accused personally (and there is nothing to forgive), but I wanted to express my regrets that there is a tendency to see things related to Japanese arts and crafts much too easy. When I read that you restored 'a completely ruined KATANA' for Christmas, I asked myself what you might know (or not know) about it and the techniques involved. And I remembered the lack of patience in many Westerners when these difficult tasks are to be executed. Quite often there is no understanding that no short term restoration will be accepted by the specialists - the work is only finished when it's finished! And of course none of the crafts and skills can be learned in the internet or from books! If everyone interested would take the time to look closely at swords, handle and compare some carefully and patiently, go to sword club sessions and exhibitions, read a lot in good books, not very many Chinese (or other Asian) copies would be bought inadvertantly!

Sergei, size is definitely not a KANTEI point in this case! But you have to consider that SASANO SENSEI's samples are a collection of exceptional and outstanding KANAYAMA TSUBA and not your standard ones which were smaller. For most collectors the bigger ones are probably more attractive. At least, this is what I was told.

Curran, if it was indeed a KANAYAMA TSUBA it would probably be in the range of the larger ones, don't you think? I have the impression that many are only about 68 to 72 mm in diameter, and SHIBUI SWORDS/Elliott Long notes:.....Most Kanayama tsuba are relatively small but thick..... .

Sergei, circles and horizontal bars are common design features in OWARI TSUBA. Yours seems to be quite large for this school. If you could get it papered, it would be a very valuable item.

Iain, normally you would not expect a TSUGI NAKAGO without a signature (until it is a decoration repair). In this case it might just be a linear corrosion. By the way: It is HABAKI, not Habakai.

I am always stunned with the way some people (in the West) deal with traditional, approved, and reliable techniques. 'The Japanese do it this way, I know, but there must be a shortcut to save time and efforts!' For me the first step is to learn and to understand, then I can try and practice. Most of the time all this goes together, so it's not always the brain that learns but the hands as well. Japanese craftsmen are certainly no magicians, but they have a lot of experience and continuity in their respective crafts, and often I am kind of awestruck when I see what can be done by well trained hands and with a certain feeling and respect for the materials used. I feel it would be a loss not to value these traditional techniques for what they are. The least is that they produce a very high quality that has been tested over centuries under realistic conditions.