DTM72

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!

My mistake Moriyama san.

I would recommend posting in "Translation Assistance" section of this forum.

Nice looking tanto and koshirae. What matters the most is that you enjoy it and it fit your budget!

I've found a few Chinese blade makers that are forging some pretty decent blades. One thing they all seem to be completely lacking in is their fittings. How can they do so well on the blades, then put some cheap cast fittings with painted gold or gold plating!

Nanban tetsu (南蠻鉃) literally means "Southern barbarian steel"

Sophisticated...LOL

The thread for pilot swords was starting to go on a tangent to wakizashi length kaiguntos. I figured I would start the thread to get the ball rolling on this conversation. I believe @Bruce Pennington had a chart tracking short blades in kaigunto koshirae...I think? @IJASWORDS @Shamsy @PNSSHOGUN @BANGBANGSAN My kaigunto is signed nijimei 兼定 Kanesada and has a late koto period wakizashi blade. Koshirae matches the blade. Dimensions are; Nagasa = 21" (53.3 cm) Overall length of tsuka and saya = 31" (78.7 cm)

I also have a wakizashi length Kaigunto, so I would gladly jump into this conversation. I'll get one started now.

Tango no Kami Kanemichi 丹後守兼道 Opposite side is Kiku mon at the top. I can't translate he rest at the moment. There were multiple generations of Kanemichi so I cannot say exactly which one this is. 丹後 = Province where smith lived 守 = Honorary title of smith 兼道 = Smiths name Just to let you know, this is a very famous smith, and there are many fakes. Not saying this signature is faked, just wanting you to know this is a possibility. See ing pics of the blade itself will help all of us give you more information that you seek. Dan

Most recent story is the plimpton collection. Some went to auction, some were direct sales on here, some went to eBay. I got a very nice field grade kyugunto that is in near mint condition from this collection.

eBay seller sent me an offer to buy this at a reduced price. My concern is that all the photos of the hamon show that it is a suguha hamon, but one photo shows a notare (Wavy) hamon. It may be that the seller accidentally mixed another photo in with the correct photos. Just something to keep in mind on the eBay battlefield. Dan

Love the Mt. Fuji with the moon!

I remember Oda Nobunaga fighting a mountain clan in Iga that fought unconventional warfare and were ninja like, but maybe not necessarily ninja. See article below. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-greatest-ninja-battle-195580

I sent you a message asking for additional pics of the end of the saya and the end of the tsuka. I am also wanting to make you an offer on the sword, if I get the pics. Or, are you wanting to buy this sword from a site and are asking questions about it? Dan

Sent you multiple messages.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314076629152?hash=item49206d08a0:g:z-4AAOSwxVViz~Z9 Check out the kakihan too! The sayagaki was definitely written by the honami!

^^^^^^Trusted dealer in the post above me^^^^^^ Click the link below his name for authentic examples at reasonable prices. http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com

I was messaged for a link to the website. The box and stand were includeed in the price. https://shop.samurai-armor.com/?v=7516fd43adaa In total, I paid $1720 usd. $1225 for the armor $275 for shipping to the USA $87 tax $133 for importer to move through customs.

Thank you all for the education on that. Much Appreciated!

I know this can be a touchy subject but I wanted a set of armor that i could actualy wear and train in. Actual antique armor should be treated as such and I could not bring myself to wear, much less train, in an actual Edo period armor. All that being said, I had a set of armor crafted by Iron Mountain Armory and their US counterpart Shop Samurai Armor. I am 100% happy with how this turned out. For those who want a nice display piece that can be customized to your liking, this would be an excellent place to go. Per their website "All the workers at the iron Mountain Armory work under the guidane of, or have training from, Japanese Katchu-shi or artisans who have been crafting armor since 2003. Until 2011, they were only making armor for the Japanese market. In 2011 Iron Mountain Armory was opened to allow direct sales to the European market. Since 2014 the armory has been the largest producer of Samurai Armor and accessories sold in the world." They have supplied movie studios with armor for multiple movies and stories. I just want to throw them out there for anyone who may want something that can be used and beat-up, that is NOT made of fiberglass or cheap materials.

Just so I can learn, why would the carver avoid "四" ? It has another meaning besides 4?