cofor22

Thanks but I did not mean shapes, I meant construction like kobuse, San-mei etc. Is it possible (or even necessary) to identify the type of blade construction? Conny F

As the title says, is there any way to approach the blade to identify construction type? Conny F

Thanks Steve, The worst fault in the blade can be seen in the first image. Below a couple of images of small irregularities in the steel. Otherwise it is very even quality. Looks very sharp and is "meaty" as it is nicely convex from shinogi to ha. Can Ji-Hada be described as ko-itame and do I see some masame in Shinogi-ji? https://gemology.se/files/waki/biggest_ware.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/biggest_ware_daylight.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/ware_01.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/ware-hada-nie.jpg Conny F

Got the blade and have done some measuring and shot some images. Nagasa: 39.5 cm Sori: 1.1 cm Moto-haba: 31.12 mm Saki-haba: 22.6 mm Kasane: 6.5mm tapering to 4.8 mm What can be said about hamon and hada from the images linked below? I find it difficult, as a newbie, to describe. https://gemology.se/files/waki/hada_02.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/hamon_02.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/hamon_03.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/hamon_closeup_01.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/hamon_closeup_02.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/boshi_02_daylight.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/boshi_03_daylight.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/boshi_04.jpg Conny F

So, the verdict is? Conny F

Thanks guys! There is a similarity in cutting and recutting Gems and to polish and repolish blades. You can never add what you have removed and part of the equation is to preserve material at the same time as the finished result needs to be as beautiful as possible.

Thanks, I have read a lot of Marcus excellent information. The nagasa of this blade is just 39.5 cm. I will try to get images of true hamon when blade arrives. Also some microscope images of steel and hamon. Conny F

Thanks Jussi! Besides the mei, what can be said about blade? Yes I am in Sweden. Conny F

Thanks for your input Ken. A few more images uploaded. I certainly did not buy the signature. The blade shape was what caught my eye and I early suspected gimei. That will not bother me at all as long as I get a nice piece to study. Anyone like to comment on the images, please let me know what can be seen in terms of age and overall quality (as much as can be told by an image). https://gemology.se/files/waki/full.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/left_01.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/left_02.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/right_01.jpg https://gemology.se/files/waki/right_02.jpg Conny F

Right that is only what is in the image. Time is well past midnight here, will add a couple of more images tomorrow. Even more when my blade arrives. Conny F

I just bought a short but relatively heavy wakizashi. 390 gram 39.5 cm cutting edge. It is signed Shigetaka but mei looks wrong to me which makes me guess gimei. Some research made before deciding to go for it gave me a hunch it could be legit anyway. Am I completely lost? The image is put together in Photoshop. Center one is what I bought, left is second generation and right is first generation. In my untrained eyes it seems close. What do you say? Can it be Echizen work of, let's say, ok beginners quality? https://gemology.se/files/Comparison.jpg Conny Forsberg

Hi forumites, Quick presentation of myself: 58 years presently serving as the mayor of our municipality. Else I have been working in the IT-industry and at the same time running my own business as a gemologist and gem cutter. I have been interested in Japanese blades since I was very young. Today the interest has shifted from pure martial to focus on the craft. As a gem cutter I really appreciate the craftsmanship of both the smith and the togishi. I bought a sword many years ago but as it turned out to be etched it promptly returned to the seller. Burned for a long time I just bought my second one (a wakizashi) and eagerly waiting for it to arrive from Japan. This place is a great resource and hope to stick around to learn for a long time. Conny Forsberg