John C

I believe the lacquering technique here, is called kawari-nuri. All manner of things (particularly bits of abalone shell) could be used. Could yours be a type of sliced shell? I also think the tsuba may be horn. John C.

...and we worry about scratching the darn things. John C.

Rob: Kanetoshi was an RJT smith, meaning some of his blades were hand made using tamahagane steel (we call these gendaito). Under a loupe or magnifier, does this mark look like a star shape? John C.

The pierced tsuba could indicate it is a type 94. Type 94/98 swords were carried by officers. As to value, it would depend on the overall condition and the expertise of the sword smith (we need pics of the tang - both sides and any stamps). John C.

Tang doesn't have the second mekugiana either. Note that it isn't crudely cut like most. Could that be the reason for the lack of sarute hole and barrel? Seems as if it were intentional, for some reason. John C.

There are no known documents that explain exactly how the control numbers were used. Theories include: numbers relating to parts bins; numbers used by the assemblers to keep parts organized (each sword is slightly different); part numbers relating to the assembler rather than the assembly (possibly for piece-work pay purposes); and sequential numbers used for accounting purposes. There are some data which show patterns (e.g., the Mantetsu and the souvenir sword studies), however nothing official has been found. John C.

Ron: Just FYI, the "hot stamp" on the end of the tang is called a kokuin. The one on your blade was used frequently by Kanezane as kind of a trademark. John C.

The pic helps. I believe the Japan Sword Shop once sold replicas that were similar in style, however I have not been able to find a pic of one to confirm. John C.

According to google app, the top pic describes the maker, style, and other details of the pictured tsuba. The large logo on the bottom right may be Nihonbashi Takashimaya, with store hours. John C.

This probably won't help (as usual), however my 3 (two marked Nakano shoten, one marked Suya shoten) seem to have the same metal fittings, etc. The only measurable difference is the Suya marked one has a heavier, chromed blade than the two Nakano brushed steel blades. John C.

Nice star stamped gendaito, which are often found in RS mounts. It looks as if it has two chuso release buttons. This particular set-up often had decent blades in them. John C.

Sorry, Jacques, I miss your meaning. Are you talking about the book or your own penchant for negative responses? A lot of new collectors, me included, would find the information in some of the older (i.e., cheaper) books useful. John C.

I love the detail and clarity of the hamon pics in Paul Martin's book. Nice way to pick out and study the details. p.s. picked up another good book - Leon Kapp's Craft of the Japanese sword. Goes through the forging and construction process. John C.

Just two more cents - I think a polish would bring out some nie and make it more obvious. Still leaning toward water quench. Caveat - that doesn't necessarily mean gendaito (in our sense of the word). Could be water quenched and semi-hand forged using Swedish or types of steel other than tamahgane. John C.

My copy is arriving today. Review to come... John C.

Ron: Just my two cents, though I would lean toward water quenched. I'm not seeing the typical dark spots or dark shadow line of oil quenching. But I'm also not seeing nie. Could that misty line be nioi-deki? John C.

Not as bad as some. Here is a chippy Kanemune. John C

Jun: As others have said, I would not alter its current state. In addition, Japanese blades are not sharpened like western blades (i.e., focusing solely on edge geometry). When the blade is polished, the geometry of the blade from the shinogi to the ha creates the cutting edge. Here is a decent explanation: "The Shinogi and Shinogi-ji are best remembered as a pair, with the Shinogi being the ridge line where the sword transitions from the angled portion that forms the edge to the flat section of the blade, which is called the Shinogi-ji. The portion of the blade from the Shinogi to the Ha (edge) can be said to have a little or a lot of hira-niku. Hira-niku, or 'niku' as it is sometimes called, can be translated to mean 'meat' and a blade with a lot of niku has an appleseed bevel, which may not be as sharp as swords with less niku, but they actually cut better and are considerably more durable." John C.

Second column from the upper right could be a Nagoya mark? John C.

#1 and #4 above are the same pic. My initial thought is fake. The Tokyo canon mark is not done well; the dimples on the tsuka are not correct, and the release latch is not at the right angle. John C.

Average examples go from 800 to 1,000 on ebay. With some rarity and tassel, you could certainly add a bit more to yours. John C.

Emil: I'm not seeing a lot of activity in the hamon. Could it be discrete nioi or dense konie? Possibly, just not sure. Here is a good explanation for why you may not be seeing much. It speaks about blade and steel quality. John C

Thomas: I wouldn't say it's a bad buy, but I would agree it's at the top of the market. Pluses include the origami and the tassel. Being papered suggests it is water quenched, since mass-produced, oil quenched blades generally do not get papered. John C.

SaM: I'm sure you probably know this, however there should be no need to take it apart. These weren't signed, however some did have the W stamp on the nakago. The tassel could use some leather conditioner to preserve it. A gentle dab without rubbing should do it. Coach and some other purse brands make some gentle stuff. John C.

Not to sound morbid, but is that because they "went down with the ship" or because there were simply fewer Naval officers? John C.