Souledge_za

After cleaning it there is quite a cool filing pattern on top of the habachi, might be unintentional but it cool nevertheless.

Success!!! I slowly poured boiling water over the habaki whilst turning it, then pressed the base of the nakago on a piece of wood against a wall and slowly tapped a hardwood offcut against it with a hammer on each side. Came off quite easily. Very slight ridge on the top and bottom of the blade between the blade and the nakago where the habach was. Also a bur on the top close to where the habachi was fastened that must have happen sometime in its history. See pictures below:

Any suggestion on a technique for removing the habaki? I tried running hot water over it whilst turning and then using a wooden chisel and hammer to knock it off but it is very stuck. I could try penetrating oil but don't want to damage or stain anything?

I took some photos in sunlight, might have been a bit late in the day as the shadows mess the pictures up a bit.

I really don't have the knowledge or skill to do anything to it at the moment. My plan is to let Brian have a look at it (if he would like to) the next time I am in Johannesburg and then take advice on how to maintain/clean it etc from there.,

The saya seems to have a lot of very detailed work on it as well.

This is the best one I have at the moment, I'll take one in sunlight this weekend with a tape measure next to the whole body.

I took two more better resolution photos of the Mei (the right way around).

I'm going to attempt to take some more detailed photos this evening of the nakago and kissaki, its going to need some cleaning before any kind of hamon is visible; it has been wrapping in cloth in a cupboard for about 20 years. I can take any other photos/measurements that might be helpful?

Apologies, I can take a better picture of the Mei the right way around? I have an office in Joburg and travel up quite often (apart from the lockdown recently) so if it worth investing in I will gladly recondition it. I can bring it up in the next month or so. I'll PM you my number now, in meetings most of the day but whatsapp me any time. Andrew Taylor

This is my first post, although I have been reading the forum for some time and I find it very informative. My father passed away a few years ago and the lockdown gave me the time to go over some of his belongings that came into my possession. In particular there is a Katana that has been in my family for quite some time. I do not know the history of it except that either my Grandfather or his Father brought it back from the Pacific and it has resided with my family in South Africa since then. I had always thought it was just an officers sword from WW2 of some kind, but after going through a lot of the posts on this website I am now not sure and it may be older or it may be worthless. Below please find some pictures of the sword, any information or comments on it would be highly appreciated. I am not looking to sell it, just get some background on it. I can take more detailed pictures of any part if required? There was a single wooden mekugi holding the handle in place which tapped out easily, although there are several holes drilled in the tang which is curious. There was only one hole in the handle for a mekugi. Thank you for any input.