DaveM4P99

Found this on YouTube! 8mm film footage of the actual capture of the Tachibana Maru! At 10:30, one of the US guys walks past the camera carrying like 5 swords!

Thanks again for the explanations Jean! I guess in 1 or 2 places, you can see the "scratches" in very bright light...but even with a halogen flashlight and a magnifying glass, I can't see much at all. I really want to figure out when the blade was made...early or late 1700s...and by which Ujishige...More research on my part needed! And thanks all for the observations so far...keep them coming. All very interesting no matter what.

Thanks for the observations! No offense taken at all. So a fine mokume hada is what I have...not nashiji. Got it. Thanks for the pics as reference!

Thanks for the input! Yes, he did recommend to oil the blade as soon as I unpacked it, and oil it fairly frequently for the next month. First I used some very good quality gun oil to clean and preserve the newly polished metal...but I cleaned that off a day later and applied mineral oil. Clove oil will be the long term oiling method though. Yes I should have gotten a shirasaya made after the foundation polish, but I did not think of that...However, the gentlemen who is building me a shirasaya and/or a new tsuka, Nihonto Antiques, is right near me in New York...so I may drive it to him to avoid any shipping damage. I trust he will protect the blade well when crafting the shirasaya/tsuka. Nihonto Antiques makes a good shirasaya (according to them), and costs around $650...steep price, but necessary. But I plan on getting a shirasaya, and rebuild my shin gunto tsuka with the original fittings.

A few more macro photos to show the hada...I do indeed see the swirled mokume or itame hada above the shinogi...but still only see what looks mostly like "pear skin" nashiji below the shinogi...I have untrained eyes ofcourse.

Thanks Brian! There are about half a dozen TINY little black dots that are the last of the pitting...not really noticeable unless photographed with a macro lens. They are all around .5mm or smaller. How would I go about researching the smith more? Buy some books I suppose? I have access to the New York Public Library...I believe they have Japanese Nihonto books, but many are only viewable with special permission. I assume they are very old and collectible books?

Thanks for the comment and opinion! I do appreciate what a true Japanese polish can do (or at least I am learning to appreciate)...but honesly, I didn't have that much money to spend on this, and I did what I could afford. I can now appreciate it even more, and I trust this polish will allow the blade to survive another 250 years, at least...and that was my goal. Can I ask, Jean, what is the tell tale sign of the amateur polish? What could a better polish have brought out better? The hada, the hamon etc? This is a good learning experience for all I think. Also Jean - what do you think the blade is worth? I am mostly interested in learning more about Tegarayama Ujishige (3rd generation? Worked in late 1700s??? Still not sure??), and how he was viewed as a smith. And what makes HIM specifically not as "desirable" of a smith? Thanks!

I think (hope) that has more to do with my rushed photography and lack of any good lights. Any suggestions on how to best photograph the hada? The hamon? So you are seeing a fine wood grain huh?

Thanks for the comments mark. I am interested to learn what kind of hada it has. Nashiji or konuka? And what implications the type has. Any other opinions / observations welcome.

Oh and doing more research on the Tegarayama Ujishige smiths... member "mdiddy" gave this insight: So he says 3rd gen Ujishige (according to his source, was in Harima around 1780)...so 3rd gen Ujishige...not 4th gen, since 4th gen Ujishige became Masashige, and had a different mei style...OK understood... And in this book, it says that 3rd gen Ujishige was actually Masashige's older brother: http://books.google.com/books?id=zPyswmGDBFkC&pg=PA290&dq=tegarayama+ujishige&hl=en&sa=X&ei=oc4PT4fOEoPY0QGe4qSLAw&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=tegarayama%20ujishige&f=false However, this source says that 3rd gen Ujishige was the FATHER, no? And he worked around 1716-1736. Source: Genealogies and Schools of Japanese Swordsmiths: Mit Deutscher Einleitung http://books.google.com/books?id=cH-8BYsgGgIC&pg=PA111&dq=tegarayama+ujishige&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xc0PT4eSHOn40gHqsdm5Aw&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=tegarayama%20ujishige&f=false So THAT geneology chart shows "Ujishige 3" as the FATHER of both younger Ujishiges...and "Ujishige 4" (supposedly the eldest son) as working around 1789-1801...so it looks like HE was the older brother of Masashige, no? According to that geneology chart? So any thoughts? Who was the real 3rd gen Ujishige? Early 1700s smith and the father of Masashige and Ujishige 4?? Or late 1700s/early 1800s smith and the older BROTHER of Masashige who worked around the same time? Or am I missing something? Thanks! Dave

So researching my blade, made by a Tegarayama Ujishige, and the various generations of those smiths...I stumbled on this book mentioning an American that visited Japan in 1903, and viewed a number of beautiful blades... http://books.google.com/books?id=e2UUAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA33&dq=tegarayama+ujishige&hl=en&sa=X&ei=eMgPT_vFC9Cq0AGh08nHAw&ved=0CEQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=tegarayama%20ujishige&f=false He described a Tegarayama Ujushige wakizashi in great detail, and translated the sanskrit inscriptions on each side of the blade, and inscriptions on the tang, in the book above... Now check this blade out - 3rd one down: http://www.japanszwaard.nl/uk/zwaarden-consignatie.html - 3rd one down: http://www.japanszwaard.nl/zc3.html Sanscrit Inscriptions on each side of the blade, and on the tang...same blade length - 18inches - or around 50cm...And both made by an Ujishige. What do we think? I should have bought that blade before it sold! Interesting to research this stuff...even if I am very limited in knowledge and resources.

OK here are pics...I think it turned out GREAT...So I am very happy. Next step...Shirasaya, Tsuka and Saya. I will take very good care of it from now on...clove oil, kept in a cool dry place etc. The one macro shot shows a "Nashiji" or "Konuka" hada if I am not mistaken? BEFORE: AFTER

Yes...Actually, I already carefully cleaned the nakago of the crusty, active rust a while ago...so everyone here could translate the mei more easily. For the other side of the nakago (the unsigned part), I will see if I can clean off some of the active rust carefully as well... I know not to remove any of the "patina" though. The blade should be arriving back from the polisher this week. Will post pics soon.

Looks like pretty good work to me...but what do I know?

Hmm interesting. I actually already have the original copper habaki which still fits- according to the polisher...But I figured the tsuka had to be custom fitted. No? I know a lot of WWII shin gunto were standardized, but still thought they needed a little custom fitting... Or are you saying that I would just display the gunto tsuka (and gunto saya) separately, and not have them mounted to the blade? So would this fit my blade? I assume no. http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-ORIGINAL-IMPERIAL-Japanese-NCO-SAMURAI-SWORD-TSUKA-GRIP-GUNTO-PART-/110797970980?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19cc12de24 Also, does that tsuka look fake to anyone else?

Hmmm...according to their website, they are still in Commack, NY (Long Island). http://www.nihontoantiques.com/contact_us.htm

Yes I do have the original gunto saya...but does it look beyond restoration? The leather is pretty beat up...the tip area is damaged, and I don't know if the leather wrappings can even be taken off without getting destroyed... I also still have all of the fittings, except the menuki. (The Kashira/pommel is not pictured). I know the WWII gunto style isn't the most desirable, but it is how I relate best to the history of the blade.

Hi All - So I should be getting my wakizashi back from the polisher next week...and am looking into getting a WWII (shin gunto?) style tsuka made from scratch (new core, new wrappings, but using MY existing habaki, tsuba, end cap, fittings etc.) I am also looking to get a nice new Saya made along with the new tsuka. I inquired with a pretty well respected polisher and tsuka/saya maker in Long Island (New York)...Nihonto Antiques...http://www.nihontoantiques.com/nurisaya_and_koshirai%20new.htm So he is quoting me a cost of $1,200 to mount the sword...meaning he will remake the tsuka (using my shin gunto fittings) and make a custom black laquered Saya...He says that the $1,200 includes the following services: Turnaround time is 2-6 months too... What does everyone think? Is this a fair price? Sounds steep to me, but I know nothing. Thanks!

Hey! Welcome to the big apple. Nihonto Antiques out in Commack, NY (long island) seems good...but is VERY pricey. Around $700 for a shirasaya...$400 for a new tsuka rebuild...and $1,500 for a new tsuka and saya combo. David McDonald is around $450 for a new tsuka rebuild...and he says it should only be around $325 for a shirasaya using ho-wood.

Thanks Brian. I emailed David and inquired about a new tsuka build using my WWII shin gunto fittings. I do know I need a shirasaya, but for $650-700, I don't think I can afford a rebuilt tsuka for another $400 quite yet... But then I am looking toward the future, and maybe thinking I should just get the tsuka rebuilt with full blown fancy saya for around $1,200 to $1,500 total. (price quoted by Nihonto Antiques). Thoughts? Thanks! -David

OK so the people at Nihonto Antiques in Long Island (NY) quoted me the following: $400 for a rebuilt tsuka with my current shin-gunto fittings. $650 for a shirasaya. Seems a little high for both, no? Other sites I saw said $125 for wrapping service, and $90 for a rebuilt wood core/handle. Thanks for any advice.

I think I may have the tsuka rebuilt and rewrapped in the existing shin gunto mounts that I have...then get a simple shirasaya for just the blade...not the tang. Is that appropriate? I don't think I can afford a nice fancy saya just yet, but I do want to protect the blade...and have a WWII tsuka. Thanks! Dave

Yes I too try to keep antiques and artifacts as they were given to me. I have a good collection of firearms (both modern and old)...and war memorabilia...I agree that their imperfections are part of their history... However this blade sat in a chest in a flooded barn for decades...and acquired a lot of rust and pitting...which is not the true history of the blade...and definitely not the history that I want to preserve. Hence the polish job and restoration.

OK great thanks for the link as a reference! So around $125 for a wakizashi wrapping service, and about $90 for a newly carved wooden handle. No extra for fittings, since I can re-use my shin-gunto fittings. I think a new lacquered saya is out of my price range for now...so probably just a shirasaya...for what? around $400? Sounds like the next step to me. This is proving to be a fun and expensive project! Thanks to everyone for the help so far. I will post pics as soon as it is back from the polisher.