echizento

Yes it did. Thank you very much.

My skills have really gotten bad, I having a heck of a time with this one. The only image I have is of the mei. I know it's a Showa blade because I can see the Seki stamp. The smiths name looks like KANEMUNE saku but I can't translate the rest. My guess is NOSHU SEKI JU? I appreciate te help.

Thanks all for your replies, I'm one of those that like to believe the legend even though the facts may prove otherwise.

I've seen Nata before, they are used crudely made, none were as nice as this. Maybe the smith made his for and important person. Thanks Ed for the reply.

Gee, I must have heard the story many years ago, too old now to remember when or where I heard it. This blade with it's reverse edge is so odd that it seems to have no other use. I just did a quick internet search and found this : https://japaneseswordindex.com/unji.htm

Came across this odd looking blade for sale on e-Bay. Could this be a head cutting blade or one that was broken and re-worked in this? Though you all work find it interesting. http://vi.vipr.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=323149476571&t=1521264915000&tid=10&category=66841&seller=koushuya&excSoj=1&excTrk=1&lsite=0&ittenable=false&domain=ebay.com&descgauge=1&cspheader=1&oneClk=1&secureDesc=0

I wish I still lived in the Bay Area, I was a member back in the 80's and I learned a lot for going to the meetings.

Interesting, not typical to the Chinese type blades I'm use to seeing, this look well made. Now that I look at the hada of the blades you reference I see where they all look about the same.

Haven't seen one of these for sale. I know it can't be original to the period, but looks like a well made blade with some age. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samurai-Sword/292464663197?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Beautiful workmanship.

Very nice looking blade, congrats.

That had to be a special order.

Excellent video.

Thanks for the information. I like to keep as much of the original lacquer as possible stabilize the areas that are flaking and restore the areas that are missing.

Sorry if this is not in the right location. I recently purchased a late Muromachi wakizashi that was in this saya. I like the saya and would like to see if it would be worth being restored. I've been away from the hobby for a few years and am not sure who is doing saya restorations now a days. My question is would it be worth the time and money to have this restored or just having a new saya made?

Very sad to hear. RIP Harry

Very odd, while I've heard of this being done this is the first one I've seen. I would be interested to see what the rest of the blade looks like.

Uwe, the blade needs to be polished so the hada is not readily visible and the finer activity in the hamon is also not visible. You say it's not a real nihonto, I must disagree. Given the characteristics, it bares all the signs of a Bizen school blade, The shape of the nakago and the patina, the sori, the shape of the kissaki, and lastly the type of hamon all point to a Bizen school blade most likely Sue-Bizen. These are but a few points that tell me it's a real sword. Granted I have been away from collecting for a few years and that even with my 40 plus years of studying nihonto I any still a novice. But at this point I think I know a real Japanese sword from a cheap fake or Chinese knock off. I was think I might buy some nugui polish and do a small window at the ha-machi. I intend to send this for polish at some point so it IMO wouldn't do any damage to the blade. I appreciate your comments.

Can't do any better with the pictures. There is very dense nioi following closely along the edges of the hamon.

It's there just difficult to see in the photos.

Thanks Josh, I figured it was Sue-Bizen which at least gives me a starting base to track down a smith. One of the Sukesada's is probably right.

Congratulations on your first blade.

Crab claw is what I will go with, Thanks. Now to try and track down which smith might have made it. Easier said than done.

Thanks.

So if I understand this, it is not attributed to a smith but presented to a temple? Thank you.