Joseph P.

Hi guys, I recently obtained an old blade in not-so-good condition. There is some red rust on the nakago (and some flaky) and I would like to know how to get rid of it. I remember a long time ago, I read that you can use bone or ivory or something. The blade has some deep nicks all along the edge, so much that I'm not sure it could be repaired. So back onto topic, how do you get red rust off?

Oooooh. So it is Taiwanese, and it honors the military history or battle? Thanks guys, wish I could find it's age. I like the look. :D

I've had this for awhile, and the only reason I bought it (from the Swap Meet) is because it looked good and had everything there. I think it is Vietnamese or Korean. Can anyone translate or make out what it is? It might be Japanese, but it doesn't look like it. http://i43.tinypic.com/66ff5s.jpg http://i41.tinypic.com/9k1ji8.jpg http://i44.tinypic.com/2h5tmvk.jpg

It sure is gorgeous. Shinto?

Wow, that is a gorgeous blade. and I love the kissaki. :D

Woohoo for Choji! Hi guys, back from a long break.

Hi guys, haven't been on much, been really busy. I wanted to know what this translates to, I picked it up at a Swap Meet for $5. I bought it because I think it looks nice. :D

Well, I think I can say it's authentic... I am sure about that, but all of its characteristics look really weird...

Beautiful blade, I can imagine the nice balance it must have! By the way, does anyone else think this smiley is creepy?

Fake. (At least the koshirae). Also, :lol: :lol:

I want a Nagasone Kotetsu blade. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasone_Kotetsu

Due to what Ian said, it is probably true this was not a yari. I guess it was just a funky looking thing somebody did. :D Though it is strange how the nakago is exposed, most likely for show. Though, since the koshirae are relatively new, we might be able to say somebody recently did this to show off some part of the signature. (Or maybe a mistake) Unfortunately, we can never be sure. Since the majority of Kuniyuki were Koto and Shinto smiths, it might have been some battlefield tanto.

Maybe it is just a funky looking thing somebody did for fun. :lol: Gabriel, that is a very complex thought, but it makes sense. I have been thinking and looking around, and I thought this might be a piece of a Jumonji/Magari yari. Notice the off-set bevel line where the improvised habaki is. It doesn't start off straight, it is curved. This could also be what causes the small curve. Though, it seems a little long for the side of a Jumonji, we will never surely know. We would need to see it in person to really get to the bottom of the mystery. It could also be a cut down Omi yari. Though, as previously stated, it is the nakago that is confusing. Notice the curve that I pointed out earlier, plus the strange sori. This might be the result of a side piece, or something else that is curved. Also, most "Kuniyuki" were Shinto and Koto.

Guys, In my opinion, this is a cut-down yari. I have been researching different types of yari, and I came across the one that looks like this ken and saved it for later, so I will try to find some more pictures of said yari, and try to figure out the yari type Notice the raised area near the nakago, that is common in yari. http://arco-iris.com/George/images/yari_4_oshigata.jpg (Pay attention to the three yari on the left, their basic shape.) Though it is the nakago that puzzles me..

That is so weird Brian, I had those items on watch so I could observe them. They looked very suspicious to me too! :?

The blade seems to be real. In one of the pictures, it looks like there are marks on the blade, as if somebody took a grinder to it, it might just be me. It looks to be an okay blade, we will not know until you get the blade. A seller who doesn't respond to emails? Doesn't offer insurance? Shady... I was looking at some of this seller's auctions too.

I was afraid to hear that. Anyways, like you said, you will not be selling this blade. Though, it is not mainly the worth, but the respect for the blade itself that you are preserving when you allow the nakago to rust. I read somewhere that it is possible to put the rust back onto the nakago, or something like that. (I have no clue whether it is true or not, or how it is done.) Though, it also said that it costs a lot of money. As for what to do next, you would have to ask someone else here with more experience. At least the mei has the original date.

Hello Phillip, I like the blade. The nakago looks clean, is it clean or is it just my eyes? (When I saw it, I thought stainless steel gunto, but then I read it was dated 1863..) Phillip, it is up to you whether or not you want to polish out those nicks. If you want the blade to be as it was, straight out of the war, then I wouldn't polish them out. I guess they are part of the blades history, whether this blade was carried on the battlefield, or used to cut weeds (If it was used to cut weeds, I would polish them out :D ). I have seen bigger nicks polished out. Either way, 1863 is a fine date, enjoy your blade.

Indeed, this blade remains quite mysterious. As previously stated by a few, it seems a little of both fake and real. The blade is what pushes me off, but I have seen some kissaki like that on blades with no polish, or in rust. That same is real, right? (It looks real.) Notice the cracked saya. There are small nicks on the habaki. The tsuka wrap is torn and tied together. The kissaki is strange, and there is no bo-hi. (Don't most, if not all machine made blades have bo-hi?) The legit mei, though not sure if it is true. Doesn't the saya opening look very wrong? Yes, I noticed that too. The large tsuka and the small fuchi. Usually, that does scream fake, but some things here scream real, while others scream fake. Maybe this blade was machine-made and polished, or is a fake. If it is a fake, it is pretty well done.

Oooohhh.... I am usually against people using old NihonTo for Iaido, I fear something might happen to the blade. Of course, it is up to the user, and some people do use old blades for Iaido and cutting. Personally, if I spent $5,000 on an antique blade I would not even swing it around. Seems like the blade is in one piece, healthy. I guess it would be suitable for swinging around (I would rather use a Paul Chen for Iaido, or something). Though, is it really worth the $5,000? Plus, as Ken stated, you have to get new koshirae for it.

This is a tricky one.. It almost looks as if it were a modern reproduction, but some things lead it to be real. Indeed, the mekugi is genuine as previously stated. The nakago (tang) seems a bit suspicious. The fittings seem to be real, but they look kind of new, as if seen on a wall-hanger. The same on the tsuka looks real. As for the blade itself, I am not sure, looks a little weird, more on the bad side. I cannot tell whether it is real or not, that I am clueless about. I recommend you get more experienced opinions on this.

Hello Sergio, Please take some more pictures of the nakago, if possible. Someone here might take to the type and color of rust and give a rough age estimate. Did someone outline the hamon and boshi on your blade with Sharpie? Well, for 100 Euros, it is a pretty good deal. The sword definitely looks real. Add some more pictures, and we will see what we can get from there.

Oh wow, those fakes are getting better. The top pictures didn't fool me one bit, but the last two could fool an amateur, and maybe even myself if I wasn't paying attention. It seems that they are forming better kissaki, as well as getting the "grain" under control. Before they looked like slabs of tapered metal. Be Careful! Look at other swords first, and read lots of internet guides before purchasing a sword, these Chinese fakes are getting better and better. (I've always had this question. What kind of steel are those fakes made out of?)

He is a good seller, I have watched his items for awhile now.

That is very strange. If this was some joke, then it worked on me. I sure wish I could've seen some more pictures though..