DTM72

One just popped-up on here, and he is on your side of the ocean.

Not looking to have every line translated but what does the top line translate to? I am guessing this is Naval due to the anchor on the lower right side. 

Thanks in advance!

Dan

I added this show to the calendar. Wife and I plan to attend. Look forward to seeing those I know, and meeting those I do not know. 

Dan

Andrew,

it is not uncomon for the tsuba to become loose. Over time, the wood of the tsuka shrinks slightly and creates space between the fuchi, seppa, tsuba. I did notice in your original pics that there is a mix of different seppa. You may need to add a thin seppa to take up the space, or swap out the cheaper looking brass seppa between the habaki and the tsuba for a thicker seppa of WWII vintage. Once you get everything apart, please take a photo of the tsuba and seppa laid out next to eachother.

A quick video of tsuka removal can be found on Youtube.

Thanks for getting back with me Steve, but I bought a different kai gunto. Sorry.

Some people here may be able to help you with that question, but the best answer lies with submission to a shinsa. Also, asking if this is a Muramasa is similar to asking is there a "Mike" here. There are lots of Mikes and lots of Muramasa. You may not know it but your question is broad.

Wishing you the best.

Not everyone will agree with my methods, but I set-up at local gun shows with a mix of nihonto and decent Chinese replicas. Many people love the nihonto and are actually surprised that a real "samurai sword" can be purchased outside of Japan and contrary to myth, the prices don't start at $10000 and go up from there. Although they may not have the disposable income to afford $1500-$2000 for an actual nihonto, they can afford a decent Chinese made katana with an actual hamon. I make it clear that they are buying a Chinese replica and show them the differences between the replicas and actual nihonto. I am now getting return customers who now have their interest peaked, did their own research, learned more about nihonto, and moved away from their replicas and into actual nihonto. I look forward to leading these few individuals and hopefully others into our collecting hobby. My goal would be to garner enough interest and form a club, but I'm just at the baby steps of gathering the interested individuals.

As Lingonberry mentioned above, movies and video games are stirring interest amongst the younger generation. Movies like Rurouni Kenshin (Battosai) and games like Ghost of Tsushima are really taking off. I had already watched the Kenshin movies but had to quicky ask some younger co-workers about Ghost of Tsushima due to questions at the shows. Having the knowledge of these movies and games helps me in the conversations, leading to additional interest, leading to eventual sales of nihonto.

Some or many may not agree with my methods above. I'm doing what I can which in my opinion is better than doing nothing. I plan on reaching out to some local dojos and looking for special events to attend. My brother in law is the head chef for a Japanese hibachi restaurant. They have 2 events coming up where they set-up a hibachi grill at a festival and promote their restaurant. I will be dressed in full armor to help draw attention to their set-up, but also have a stack of cards for additional information on Japanese swords with my contact info. 

Dan

Looks like a police sword, without the police badge at the end of the handle.

15 hours ago, waljamada said:

  I tried to argue the lack of need for a traditional dining room but lost to my wife and mom/mother-in-law.  I didn't stand a chance against that combo.

I know that story all to well. My wife is Asian, so in Asian tradition, her parents live with us.

Andrew,

The first couple pics you posted didn't really show the blade at all. The nakago (tang) only has very light coloring, making me think it was possibly Navy stainless. Alot of the Naval stainless blades had nice file marks, like yours. Now that you have included more pics, I can see an actual hamon in just one picture. So it is not a Navy stainless blade. That leads to the question of oil or water qwenched and if it is gendaito or Showato. The file marks on the habaki are not normally found on wartime blades, so that adds to the curiousity of this one. 

Lastly, the tsuba. Again, with limited pics, it is hard to tell what it is from. Once you get it in hand, disassembled, and additional pics taken, we can help you out more.

No worries though...you have an actual WWII Japanese sword that is not a replica or Chinese knock-off. My only concern was that the seller advertised it to you, and everyone else, that it was an NCO or type 95. That is 100% incorrect.

You are doing well Adam. My wife has them all confined to one location. At least it is in our bedroom and I get to see them displayed every morning and every night.

Hey Andrew. Just giving my opinions on this but wanted to get the ball rolling for you. All the parts you have look to be WWII vintage. Nothing in this assembly would have come from a type 95 NCO sword. What I do see is a type 94/98 tsuka handle in good shape. Hard to tell much about the tsuba handguard from the pics shown. My opinion is that it is a late Edo period plain tsuba and has been painted brownish redish along with a couple of the seppa spacers. The blade looks like a type 97 navy kaigunto stainless blade but cannot say for 100% sure without seeing closer pics of the blade itself. The saya scabbard looks to be a type 98 with leather cover.

Form what I can tell, you have a mixture of a WWII sword. Hopefully you didn't break the bank on it. As a word of advice, post in the wanted section what you are looking for and a price range. You should be able to get a 100% authentic type 98 (depending on condtion, type of blade, etc.) in a range from $750-$1250.

Dan

My tanto and yari both got papered, so I'm very happy!

Khalid,

Both appear to be in fresh polish. Both are Tokubetsu Hozon papered so a step above Hozon papers. AOI is well known for dealing nihonto of good and excellent levels, including Juyo papered items. Looks like a very nice pair.

Dan

I spy with my little eye a couple tachi tsuba in a picture from the SF show last weekend. Table is owned by David Easley

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10220427349181773&set=pcb.1719756218379974

15 hours ago, Darkcon said:

use www.sho-shin.com to narrow down and research what generation this might be based on sugata, jihada, hamon, boshi etc. 

 

Buying a nihonto in polish, without flaws in healthy status and with reliable papers should always be a priority. That is my take on the subject! Cheers.

 

 

J,

I've been to Sho-shin.com and done all the research I can via the internet and what books I already own. That being said, I lean towards sandai or yondai, but I don't have a meikan to compare shoshin examples to. Maybe I should have made my question clearer and asked if anyone had shoshin examples of the sandai and yondai for comparison. I still have doubt that it is sandai KAN2024.

As for buying nihonto in polish, healthy, papered, etc. I have multiple examples that fit this bill already. In my opinion, I got this kaigunto for a good price regardless if it was a stainless, a showato, or nihonto. To me, was just a bonus that it does actually have a nihonto wakizashi mounted. Is the blade perfect? No, not even close, but it is interesting to me and getting it papered and polished is not a priority, at least not until I learn more about it. Learning about what I have is a priority and I appreciate any knowledge you or anyone else can provide.

Sugata, jihada, hamon style, boshi all point to Mino style...to the best of my limited abilities.

Possibilities I have narrowed it to;

KAN2022 <- 1st Kanesada of Mino. Sugata, jihada, hamon style, boshi are a close match

KAN2023 <- 2nd Kanesada. Mei is not the same as "Nosada" 100% no match

KAN2024 <- 3rd Kanesada "Hiki-Kanesada" The sada character is very close to my example. Sugata, jihada, hamon style, boshi are a close match

KAN2025 <- haven't found shoshin examles to comapre to. Sugata, jihada, hamon style, boshi are a close match

KAN2040 <- Don't know enough about this one to make a call. From Mino and time period fits.

KAN2041 <- Don't know enough about this one to make a call. From Mino and time period fits.

KAN2044 <- Don't know enough about this one to make a call. From Mino and time period fits.

KAN2048 <- Don't know enough about this one to make a call. From Mino and time period fits.

KAN2049 <- Don't know enough about this one to make a call. From Mino and time period fits.

Does anyone have shoshin examples of shodai ,sandai or yondai Kanesada to compare this mei to? KAN2022, KAN2024 or KAN2025?

Thanks to everyone who has replied.

Any guesses?

Anyone?

Over the weekend, I picked up a WWII kaigunto wakizashi with a nijimei Kanesada blade. Looking at the signature, I already know it is NOT nidai "Nosada". I don't think Shodai made hamon of this style so now I need to figure out if this is 3rd, 4th,5th, 6th, etc.

The hamon alternates between sugu for an inch (2.5cm) then 3 ko gunome peaks, back to sugu then 3 gunome peaks.

Would greatly appreciate any help in figuring out the generation.

Thanks in advance!

Dan

Thoughts?

Not expecting a miracle of translation since it is well-worn. Zooming in on the photo showed me the remains of the anchor, and the scratches from filing or sanding it down.

Just curious as to what it once said.

Would you say this is a Shore Patrol variant or maybe an early model? @Kiipu

For those of us who were not fortunate enough to make the show, feel free to politely rub it in our faces as to how good the show was. Elaborate on all the deals you found and the unique treasures that we all missed!

Seriously, hope all went well for sellers and the attendees. I mailed two items for shinsa and I'm anxiously awaiting the results. Really wanted to be there and submit them myself, but work and family have to come first.

Post away!

Known Shore Patrol swords for comparison. Note the differences in the non-folding tsuba, the fuchi has the push button release and the tsuka end cap.

I looked through my Fuller & Gregory and Dawson books, and have found some similar, but nothing matches what I picked-up this weekend. To me, it resembles a Navy Shore Patrol sword, but looking at the end of the handle for the anchor, it may have been removed by the owner, and some kind of number and inscription takes it's place. No anchor marking on the saya either. Wakizashi blade appears to be a repurposed shinto or shin-shinto blade with the nakago thinned down and threaded on the end. Nakago is signed Kanemoto. Blade has even light staining throughout, but hamon is visible.

Unique things about this one;

• Handle core is wood, wrapped in black leather ito, laid flat, butted tightly side-by-side and wound in a spiral around the core. No evidence of any wire wrap ever being on this.
• End of handle does not have a loop made onto the end cap, that hangs down for the attachment of a tassle. This has a small loop that holds a hanging brass ring.
• Saya is black wrinkle finish, not chrome. Appears to be original and not added later. Black covers the saya, the ashi and the rings of the ashi.
• The side of the tsuba folds and engages a pin on the saya...like a naval sword. All the Shore Patrol versions I have seen do not have this feature.

I'm open to opinions on this one. If I can't match it to the books, I don't know what to call it.

Ed,

From what I can see, they are both signed by Kanesada, but it is not the same sword. The placement of the 2 kanji for Kanesada is slightly different. Your date is more typical in the way of how it was written (Think normal printed letters). the date on the sword at the beginning of this post is more stylized (Think cursive).

For your habaki, spray some WD-40 into it, ad let it soak for a few minutes. Use a block of wood against the edge of the habaki and gently tap downwards. Once it starts to move, give it another shot of WD-40 and keep it well lubricated. You may find some old dried-up oil, gunk, cosmolene inside the habaki and on the sword where the habaki was. If the gunk doesn't completely come off with the WD-40, use some alcohol to loosen it up, but use only a good quality microfiber towel. And, of course, apply some tsubaki oil, or good quality chiji oil to protect everything after the habaki and fit are are cleaned.

Good luck!