Aarongrant

Thank you all. Ed, I will send more photos in the matter you described if it will help identify this sword further.

I appreciate your insight. Any suggestion on a safer way to store it in a manner that I can still admire it without handling every time? I’d really like to put it on display, but at the same time do not want to create damage. Maybe a shadow box with a gasket?

I don’t plan on using the saya. I only put the sword in there to check fit. The inside of the saya probably isn’t proper fit and will most likely scratch the blade after polished. Definitely won’t place the blade in this after polish. I was just bored and thought it would be cool to build one for it. Stand was made from dowel rods and some scrap lumber laying around.

Built a stand and saya for it. Here it will set until I can get polished.

Thank you. I’m sure one day I will have appraised/polished/papers. I would love to pass something like this down to my kiddos, their kiddos, etc.

Thank you rokujuro. Not to concerned of the value, but at the same time I don’t want to decrease it. I am more into the history of this sword, age being fascinating to me for some reason. I wish the tang was stamped so very badly. Crazy to think that this has been sitting in a friend of mines closet for 30 years or so. He had never researched it, but was special to him because his father gave it to him.

Thank you mywei and everyone else. I greatly appreciate your input. I do not plan on selling this blade but out of curiosity, would a polish devalue in any way?

Thank you all for your responses. Based on you guys’ experience it sounds as though I can say that this blade is at least 300 years old, would you say that is accurate?

I measured where you asked, but in two different spots. One is the very back edge and the other point is closer to the sharp side. The width at the ridges on the sides of the sword are slightly wider than the very back edge. Please let me know if you need anything else.

the ridge runs the entire length of sword, that is if I am measuring the correct thing. I measured right above where the habaki would sit. Added some more photos, please let me know if you need any more info/pics.

Thank you all for your responses. I will track down a caliper and get the thicknesses of blade. Please let me know if anyone needs any more info in order to help identify, this is fascinating and I would be more than happy to send pictures or more info.

Thank you for your response. Here’s a few more pictures

i am very new to this world. I was given this sword from a friend that may be nearing his end and he wanted me to have it. I am hoping someone out there could help me with this. Only background I have on it is that it was discovered during Korean War(1950-1953). I’ve done a lot of research but am confused on tang length, two holes in tang, and absolutely no markings whatsoever. Is this the “wood grain” pattern that handmade blades have, it’s only visible under where the habaki goes-the rest of the blade is pretty scuffed where someone tried cleaning it with something abrasive. The measurements are listed below. Any information anyone could give me on this would be greatly appreciated. Blade length 26&7/8 Blade width at base 1&1/8(hair bigger) Blade width at end 3/4(little bigger) Tang length 8&1/2 Handle length without pommel 8&5/8 Overall length 36&1/2 without pommel 5/8-11/16 curve