Pika007

-someone beat me to it. edited.

Oh, it isn't a factor, i'll be getting it anyway. I'm just curious to get more details and crack where this might have come from originally, in the worst case that i decide i'm not sending it for a re-polish i'll pass it to one of the other members here (and for an equally good price, of course!) Hopefully i'll even find more info by then

I also think it ends at the machi- but it's harder to see there, unfortunately. The clearer parts are on the blade itself. Going to upload a full-res picture soon and link, i'd like your opinions as well before making a decision. It's probably going to be a while before i'll send it to get a new polish (and of course, trying to get as many details on it as i can to see if it's even worth sending) EDIT- Direct link to high-resolution picture: http://i.imgur.com/Td5wlDD.jpg Looks like the hamon goes off a tiny bit after the machi. I highly doubt this was shortened.

I tend to agree with Guido- When i received the picture you can see with the white background i thought it has to be a shortened blade, it's very wide and a bit thick. But after seeing the nakago, i really don't think it was, can't see any signs of it being shortened. Brian- what would you say is a decent price? the owner wants to get rid of it, for 300-350$ish. The fact that it comes with full koshirae in decent condition is already worth it i think, i'm tempted to get it myself and send it to get a new polish.

I recently received a request to try help recognizing a certain wakizashi, or at least try to dig up from details. Apparently, aside from the item being already in germany during the 1930's, there isn't much information. Here are the pictures and what i can gather from it (i took them, and handled the item personally) Gallery of closeups, nakago, and the different parts: http://imgur.com/a/55AtK Seems like a shinshinto, big kissaki (though i'm not sure if this should be called an o-kissaki, probably not long enough) Suguha hamon, nakago seems ubu, mumei. I'd date the mounts (both by style and condition) to very late edo period, tsuba doesn't seem to fit with the rest and might be from a later time, the kozuka seems like someone juts shoved it in there, is a completely wrong size, and probably not related at all to the whole set. Unfortunately, there is evidence of usage of sand paper quite long ago (rust has already settled on the scratches), and polishing paste not long ago. Inspection under a magnifying glass didn't reveal any hagire, karasu-guchi or shinae, surprisingly aside from the bad surface condition (rust doesn't seem deep.) the blade looks like it's in very good condition. If anyone can pour more light on this, or point some mistakes i made in my evaluation (these are just my thoughts- i did not give them out as an advice or something) i'd be glad to receive any help, and every comment is much appreciated.

Sure thing- Thanks Brian, i will have a chance to inspect the blade personally tomorrow, if anyone is interested, i'll add higher quality pictures.

Uploading for a friend- he recently purchased this tanto, which seems really weird. The koshirae and lack of details in the blade make me think it's fake, but if it is- it's convincing enough. The "sayagaki" is unlike anything i've seen, the pictures i have are not good enough to give him a proper opinion. It also has a mei- any help recognizing it or translation would be much appreciated.

Makes sense now, as well as the third one, which seems to be missing a whole radical in the signature i posted. Was probably worn away with time or obscured by the second hole. Thank you Steve! i really appreciate your help. Too bad it means the mei is cut mid-way.

Did you ever see 美 written like this before? personally i don't think that's the one, but it might be my inexperience talking.

I stumbled upon a small naginata blade, has a decent looking signature. Only problem is the visibility is bad, i'm having trouble understanding it all. Full size picture- http://i.imgur.com/4rgcCLr.jpg (picture is HUGE, thus not embedded) Third kanji is undoubtedly 子 (shi/ko) first looks like 安　or 長 (yasu or naga) the second one- can't make anything of it. I hereby ask for the help of more experienced members who have seen enough signatures to make something of it. Any help is much appreciated, thanks.

bone, feeling like emaling the pictures to any admin or even one of us to upload for you? i'm following this thread from the shadows and going completely nuts waiting to see this already!

....dayum. I probably should have checked the trading boards before making this thread. I'm also assuming this is the same one? http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/14669-tadaaki-gendaito/

The second to last kanji looks a bit like 秋 to me, does anyone know any "hizen no kuni tadaaki"?

I uploaded all of the pictures i have of the blade itself to a gallery found here- http://imgur.com/qNyJxpf,BZMVjLw,v4frCoL,nqIUHEO,cPLEcz2,MdnOpUM,Kr3wUfN,17Nt4Dq,hxQfdV9,mjar5Ku,9e9b0xq,djWkWX6 Click on a picture in the gallery to watch the full size. I can clearly see it's not the typical WW2 made sword (well, no stamp on the nakago as well, and two nakago-ana like you said....), opinions on general features and quality are most welcome as well.

I received a trade offer for a blade i have, and trying to gauge what i was offered. Can anyone help translate the mei in the attached file? the blade itself doesn't look like the usual gunto ones, it looks older. Hopefully the mei will reveal some more information You have my gratitude for any help.

I have seen shoddy works before, but first time i'm seeing something stamped only halfway.... John and cabowen- thank you both for an extremely swift answer A short search shows this is indeed consistent with other mei by Miwa Masayuki, this is the weirdest way to write 正 i have seen to this date.

Hi everyone I recently visited someone who had a sword he wanted help finding what and from when it is. this is the mei- Unless something is wrong with my eyes or i read it wrong, this should be- 関三輪心行作 Here's why i have suspicions: 1- Work on the mei looks very shoddy 2- 心行 is not a name i know of in Japanese, nor does it have any meaning 3- stamp is only done halfway, which is weird, and the file marks look odd as well 4- 三輪心行作 translates from chinese. Ends up as a weird sentence, but still has something close to a meaning. I'm having trouble discerning if this is some reaaaly sloppy showa-to or a rather good chinese fake. I would appreciate any input or opinion on the matter that will help discerning what this thing is. Unfortunately i do not have pictures of the blade itself (and it is in a bad condition, black rust and finger marks which rusted in) Thanks Ofek