nagamaki - Franco

No habaki, a clue?

FYI, http://www.shibuiswords.com/nobuiyeschool.html scroll down to Nobuiye http://www.shibuiswords.com/tsuba-artisan-schools.htm (not intended or meant to be as a promotion or recommendation of this dealer)

Hello All, To be clear and as Ray was the first to say, Franco needs to get an assessment. Otherwise I stand by my previous comments. Thank you.

Luis, In my way of thinking percentages become meaningless if the sword purchased is heat damaged. In my way of thinking it only takes one wrong decision to see your percentages go up in smoke. In my way of thinking learning how to recognize heat damage before buying a sword is a percentage that should be 100 percent. Again, hopefully I'm wrong, and perhaps, Franco, will be kind enough to share his findings if he has this sword assessed. As for polishing my advice based on experience is wait until you do have a sword worth spending $120.00 an inch to polish, and then don't cut corners.

Greetings, Lifeless colored steel, that grey like what I'm seeing in these images, is almost always not good news. Exposure to high heat alone can ruin a sword, it doesn't necessarily have to be scorched, it can even occur and only be evident on one side and not the other. Even the type of rust, dry, scaly, can be an indication of heat exposure. Hope I'm wrong. Also, when a good signed sword by a well regarded sword smith is happened upon, it is highly advisable not to cut corners where polishing is concerned. Especially on a sword that requires foundation work, "penny wise, pound foolish."

Hello Franco, Although I agree with Ray's thoughts, from what I'm seeing there looks to be heat damage especially on a section of the sword towards the habaki, if so, it's done. Also, when a sword has chips combined with rust much will depend on the height of the hamon versus depth and location of the damage in regards to being saved. A chip/damage 3 mm or less is usually ok, more becomes iffy.

Hello Ray, My thought is that the Ko Kinko call here is a let's play it safe, and, yes, may speak to quality or lack there of, as in not mainline work.

Hello, Not seeing any hint of nie and based upon hamon pattern, steel color, would guess a nioi Mino product mid to late Edo, but, then again, I could also be completely wrong.

Hello, Having a sword polished can be a very rewarding experience, that is if everything is carefully researched ahead of time. Which includes choosing not only the right sword but polisher as well. Doing otherwise could easily lead to very disappointing results all around.

Hello, Figured, thought I'd let you and perhaps Ford fret and suffer a bit first , no worries. Immediately obvious is the length of the kissaki is shorter than its width, not proper. As to why that is needs to be determined, poor polish, boshi about to run off :?: This points out another importance of kantei. If we can determine who made this sword we can then look up good (similar) examples of this smiths work and determine what the boshi should look like for comparison. On the flip side the lack of a complete boshi could make it very difficult to confirm exactly who made this sword.

Possibly a reasonable polish candidate to complete a good package.

Words have meaning, and no where more than in the language we use to define things nihonto. I absolutely love it when a nihonto book or article takes the time to define and explain the meanings behind the Japanese terms. It completes the picture. Additionally, being Italian, I find that there are times in which the improper use of Italian words borders on the offensive even though the speaker, sometimes an Italian American, is unwittingly doing so. So, I can only imagine much the same for a Japanese person. Laziness = ignorance.

Hello, Would add the possibility that the kissaki/tip has been shortened/altered at some point to this discussion. Unless this sword is nambokucho or older, a restoration would be based on personnel attachment, imo. An appraisal first, followed by a window, would be good first steps if keeping. When swords require significant foundation work, and I think this sword falls into that category, choose a polisher wisely. p.s. Northern California, you have an excellent club, sword show, and Jimmy Hayashi (polisher) in your neck of the woods.

fyi, https://www.google.com/search?q=Mihara+ju+Masachika&oq=Mihara+ju+Masachika&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Hello, That metal screw should be replaced with a wooden mekugi.

Before pics? Thank you.

https://archive.org/stream/japaneseswordmou16guns#page/34/mode/2up/search/KOGAI

This tsuba and fuchi/kashira prove once and for all that it's the fittings that find the owner!

Hello Kyle, For reference, while going through older files I came across this ko gatana which featured a toran-ba hamon by Suketaka who was well known for this style.

A mumei Shinto sword will have a limited value and resell market. Which means unless it's in someway an excellent example (in which case why isn't it signed?), be prepared to own it once you've bought it. p.s. Shinto should not only be signed but ubu as well, o-suriage would definitely hurt the value. There is good reason why collectors adhere to TokuHo requirements. Daisho = matched fittings and/or made together matched swords. https://www.google.com/search?q=Shodai+Nobutaka&oq=Shodai+Nobutaka&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

It should darken with age, if properly made it has already been rubbed with a natural finish.

Greetings All, As collectors we are quite often searching for tidbits of information which elevate our knowledge and understanding of things nihonto to a higher level. These journals do that. And I fully agree, this is a bargain.

Quick 'buyer' thoughts, reasonable price, signed & papered, koshirae, on the short side, out of polish, flaws that will not polish out , looks like hamachi may need to be reformed, *shape based on these images unimpressive imo (collectible swords begin with shape), quality based on these images is still a question. * how and would a new polish change the shape?

Hello, In addition to ivory piano keys a visit to flea markets will usually turn up old ivory (often broken) crochet needles/hooks, that can be very useful in such projects.

Correct.