DaveM4P99

Tang / mei pics to come soon...helping the owner get the tsuka off now...any guesses? Shape doesn't look quite right to me...and the tsuka seems wrong with the gunto fittings and the wrong tsuba...

Well ofcourse it was done off the blade. :lol: I can only assume that whatever chemical or acid that was used to age the habaki was not completely cleaned off...and the mark developed in a matter of 2-3 weeks. Anyway, the mark isn't getting worse at all, and it's under the habaki, so not an eye sore.

Well the mark is smaller than it looks and it is UNDER the habaki...so it isn't really an eye sore.

Well the polisher cleaned the old WWII habaki to get rid of any dirt or contaminants...but the tsuka restorer said it didn't look right cleaned and shiny so he wanted to patinate it...so here we are. I think I will leave it and make sure it doesn't get worse. I'm never selling it so I'm not worried about value...and hey...the blade is in damn better shape then when I got it!

Spoke to the polisher...he just says to keep the spot lightly oiled and it should be fine. What do you guys think? Should I send it for a touch up polish of some kind? Or just leave it, as it is under the habaki and (hopefully) not getting worse?

I am sure it was not due to polishing...I kept the blade well oiled and applied oil every day / then every week / very frequently after initial polish...and Ieft the habaki OFF... Then I sent it to get the tsuka rebuilt and saya made. Got it back and left it mounted for a week or two...took it apart to oil...and saw the mark. Could it not be corrosion from tarnishing the habaki?

No it wasn't the polisher...My best guess is that the person who rebuilt the saya and tsuka didn't clean the habaki after tarnishing it... I am less worried about blaming anyone, and more interested in if it should be re-polished immediately to protect the blade...I am pretty sure it won't spread since I cleaned the habaki and the blade very well...but I am no expert...

Hi All...So I found a slight line of corrosion on my newly polished blade, right where the top of the habaki meets the blade (I pulled the habaki down a little to expose the mark)... My best guess is that when the Habaki was tarnished (to make it look correct), the acid or vinegar that was used was not cleaned off completely, and it corroded a line into the blade. It's not terribly deep, but it is deep enough...and it happened fast, probably only a couple weeks after I got it back. How bad is this? Should I send it back to the polisher for repair? Or should I not worry about it? The mark is completely covered by the Habaki, but I also don't want the corrosion to harm the blade in the long run. I cleaned the Habaki very very thoroughly, as well as oiled the blade and the corrosion mark very well...but what else should I do? How worried should I be? Thanks all. -Dave

Some of you may remember the story of my sword (1780s Tegarayama Ujishige), and how I discovered its WWII capture story from the Tachibana Maru. Thread here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=6575 And my eventual full restoration of the blade and fittings: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14899 So the blade (and the Nambu pistol) were given to my grandfather by his best friend right after the war...Col. Eugene F. Melaville. He was a division surgeon in the Pacific and was awarded medals for his medical service on the front lines. Anyway, out of nowehere, Col. Melaville's step grandson got in touch with me today after reading about my story online. He told me that he has the other Japanese sword that Col. Melaville brought back with him after the war! I had no idea. Here are a few pics he sent me of the sword, and Col. Melaville's medical book... So I replied, and told him the whole story of my sword, from discovery to final restoration. I also sent him detailed instructions and a youtube video on how to take the tsuka off, so we can read the mei. So, more photos of his blade and mei to come soon hopefully! Any thoughts on the saya or fittings from these pics? Thanks! -Dave

Great thanks all. I will pass this info along to the owner...And I may be buying a few books soon!

Wow so a Koto smith? A good one? Is it shoshin? Or gimei? I will have to do some research...but I doubt I will be able to tell.

Here is another one guys...Blade looks nice...but mei looks a little poorly cut...or maybe just old and worn out? Not sure. Thanks! -Dave

Thanks Chris!

Another member at the CMP (civilian marksmanship forums) sent me photos of a couple WWII blades, and would like to know more about them... This is the tang and mei of the TOP blade: Other side of the top blade's tang: NCO sword photos: Thanks all! -Dave

I am not even sure they are real... I actually emailed the curator to get pics of some of the tangs...he responded with only one set of photos, since the "other blades were standard military issue serial numbered blades." They still sold for over $20,000! Lots 155, 156, 157...scroll down... http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21082/61307/#r1=183&m1=1 Lot 157 below sold for $22,500. Wow...

Wow. Very cool. I will inform the owner...maybe he will want it restored...now that he knows it is 400-500 years old! We will see what a polisher says maybe. Thanks all.

Ah ok...yes...so just "suriage" is the correct term? Any ideas on translation?

Nah I think this blade is beyond repair...with the condition and the kissaka issues... But I would like to figure out if it was once a nice blade...

Put in translation section for now...will update with mei pics soon I hope... No mei / nakago pics yet...but this looks like it could be a very nice blade, no? Email from the owner:

Got another blade for everyone...seems to be O-suriage...and possibly very old? Here is the email from the owner: Any thoughts?

Great thanks guys...good advice.

How should I protect / preserve an old leather-covered army saya? Armor all? Or some other leather preserver? I don't want it to dry out and become too brittle. Thanks!

Oh and I found this katana online, which I believe was made by the same smith as my blade : http://www.samurai-gallary.com/z001.htm The mei style is spot on...even the blade's hamon and overall geometry/shape is the same as my wakizashi, no? And only for $19,000 or so...wish I could afford it!

Haha isn't that the truth.