Franco D

Careful about making blanket statements, "only", Jacques, especially when it comes to nihonto. Something I try to remind myself of all of the time. While I'm working from memory here, I've had this conversation before on another forum. Guido Schiller's??? It appears that shintetsu was first used at least as early as the late Heian period. In fact, one polisher I spoke with told me there was core steel showing on a sword he polished from the 1100's. Fyi, another post that may be of interest here ... Keith Larman https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/1695-how-many-polishes/#comment-13014 Regards

Excellent wakizashi with a beautifully cut mei! Link works fine. Regards

New shirasaya to protect this new polish? New habaki? Careful, while newly polished blades need to be kept oiled, excess oil might soak into the saya. Are you following care instructions from the polisher? Interesting hamon. Regards

Welcome. Would love to see additional images of the entire blade if possible? Thank you. Regards

Based on these images I'm not seeing 3rd generation Kanemoto, more likely 4th. Perhaps the NTHK will be more generous. Thanks for sharing! Regards

A complete translation here might reveal otherwise. However, Mr. Tanobe's sayagaki does not always mention utsuri even when it is present. Regards

(Fujiwara Nobuyoshi) Shinto period yakidashi . More of a Koto period yakidashi . Same sword smith? Long life span? Two different smiths? True. Regards

You are entitled to believe what you wish. When the NBTHK papers a mumei sword to let's say a Bungo Fujiwara Takada they are saying that it is a Shinto sword. In the case of a mumei Bungo sword from the Koto period the NBTHK would say Taira Takada. Show me otherwise and I'll reconsider. Regards

Lots to research https://search.yahoo...kuni+junin+Hiromitsu Regards

Just to be clear what brought the subject of tsukare utsuri to mind was the image Bjorn Lundin posted. Nothing to do with your sword. Regards

Much better images! Questions answered. Thank you Regards

Curious how these conclusions were reached especially when these menuki are under wrap? Regards

The NBTHK uses "Fujiwara" in its origami as an indication of a Shinto period sword. https://sword-auctio...i-nbthk-hozon-token/

I no longer have Fujishiro or Hawley's. However, checking two other references, Sesko and Sho-shin, that rating is not mentioned/listed. The point here is to know/research the answer to all of the questions concerning the quality and facts of a blade before buying a sword. Does the sword fulfill all of your collecting objectives? Objectives must be measurable and repeatable. Regards

Solid gold. Have these been tested? Earlier generation Goto. Earlier as in who/what generation? Thank you. Regards

I could be mistaken but am not seeing that he is a rated smith. Old, new, Hozon paper is fine. Just understand why. The reason could be as simple as being a mei verification and nothing more. But, then again. Regards

Antai is a very thin dark line, a border, which runs just above the hamon/habuchi. In fact it outlines the hamon/habuchi. It is only millimeters wide, 1 to 1.5, perhaps 2 mm at most. Utsuri begins above the Antai. I do not see utsuri in the image above. Yamanaka describes one type of utsuri, the name (???) slips my mind at this time, where tired over polished steal on nihonto can be mistaken for utsuri. Regards

A signed Muromachi period sword should be Tokubetsu Hozon. It would be wise to understand all of the reasons why this sword is only Hozon. Jyo Jyo saku and you couldn't find much on this smith, hmm. While I haven't researched the reasons why, something doesn't add up. Collect what you like, but know what you're collecting. This requires hours of study backed by a solid library. Regards

Hmm, the end seam on the shirasaya sticks out like a sore thumb.

The tanto was attributed to Ko Uda. This blade was excellent and unlike any other Ko Uda I've ever seen. Regards

Very helpful, although, it still leaves certain questions unanswered while raising other questions, thank you for posting. Regards

Could we please see images of the entire sword? Thank you. Regards p.s. after viewing this video over and over it reminds me of only one other sword I've seen, a tanto.

Some nihonto are described as having "shirake like effects." But to go so far as calling these "effects" "shirake utsuri" is another matter. When evaluating features of a sword as part of determining quality (quality being the 2nd step in kantei according to Sato) a number of questions should come to mind. Is this feature intentional? Is this feature incidental? Is this feature accidental? Is this feature cosmetic? https://markussesko....i-2-jigane-jihada-3/ Regards

Cannot comment on why a Hozon level sword would receive Hozon if the boshi is missing, it shouldn't. It would appear that some like their swords with heavy make up on. There could be a number of reasons for this ranging from having something to do with; 1. quality of the sword 2. the taste of the owner 3. the ability and skill of the polisher. Or some combination of any or all of these three. Of the swords I've seen in hand I'm not seeing heavy Hadori use when the sword has been excellent as well as the polisher.