Help/opinions please- newly acquired wakazashi

[st468]

Danny-

 

Thanks for the compliment! I know the conventional wisdom here is to not rush into things until you have studied and learned quite a bit. I dealt with that originally, did some homework (probably not enough), and I finally decided to have my (first nihonto) polished. I'm still not sure how good of a piece it is, but I know it's koto and I really like it. I figure the gold content alone (3/4 oz or so between the habaki and seppas) is worth at least as much as I paid for it to be polished and have the shirasaya made. So if the blade is worthless I am still good... Though I think the blade looks great in person, it is priceless to me, and I'm extremely happy with the polishing service that Kunitaro san offers. If/when you are ready to have yours polished, I strongly recommend you contact Kunitaro san (check in the for sale and services section of this message board). Good luck, and please post pictures and info if/when you learn more about your sword and/or have it polished.

 

Grey-

 

Thanks for the info about the saya, very much appreciated. I think it is a very interesting pattern, and I've wondered about it since acquiring it, though my first concern has been the blade. The koshirae will be my next focus once I can finally learn more about the blade. Is the koshirae koto period also? Tsuka in bad wrap, missing the menuki, but otherwise sound. Strange/odd/crude (very old?) tsuba? Thick gold foiled habaki and seppas, nice pattern to the habaki (not so generic). Do you have any comment on the hamon pattern, blade shape, etc.? I know mumei wakizashis are the most abundant, and are the least interesting to advanced collectors, but this one is o-suriage and exhibits some features that at least to me, are more worthy of interest than the typical E-bay garbage. Was this an old long tachi cut down? A koto wak by a no-name smith? I really wish I had the opportunity to get a better opinion form the master polisher, but the timing did

not allow. It was already packed up and waiting for export paperwork when I raised my questions.

 

Anyone else care to chime in? Don't be shy, you won't burst my bubble, good or bad is just fine with me...

 

Thanks,

 

Kory

[st468]

Wow, I'm surprised not a single experienced member here has any comment or idea about the hamon pattern and/or any other opinions regarding the questions I've asked throughout this thread (since it was recently revived, that is). I tried so hard to photograph the true hamon after the recent polish (see page 2 of this thread). From reading many other threads here in the forum, it seems that many other "newbies" get quite a few opinions and answers. I wonder if this sword is considered by many to be just junk, and the lack opinions is a result of that (just being nice)? Or else maybe I said something along the way that offends those with the most experience and knowledge in this area? Or maybe the pictures are just not professional enough? Sorry to be a newbie pain in the a$$ here, but I was just trying to learn, and more than likely get hooked on yet another collecting area. I suppose my only option at this point is to try to get it to Chicago next spring, though I'm quite worried about security if I decide to mail it in. Maybe I'll try to make the time to drive over there (I'm in MSP which is not too far). Before I invested in a bunch more books on the subject I simply wanted to feel this out a little bit more. Sorry if I wasted anyone's time.

[cabowen]

Kory, I think there are a few reasons why you aren't getting a lot of feedback-

 

-the photos don't really give a clear picture of the hamon or hada. I don't recall seeing a full length shot either.

 

-it appears o-suriage and koto, but there isn't anything visible to grab onto and go much further...

 

Having said that, it appears that it has a high shinogi (maybe just the photo angle?) and there seems to be masame flowing through the hamon with sunagashi. I would guess, based on these observations, that it may be something with at least one foot in Yamato-den. If there are togari in the hamon, then look toward Mino and its derivatives. If not, look more at Yamato centric groups. Hard to say much about the period other than Koto without the right photos but odds are later Koto...

[hxv]

Kory,

 

The photographs don't show enough to tell anything about the hamon, hada, etc. As things stand, the pictures only show a shiny sword with a yakiba. I think, and I am putting myself out on the limb here, this is the reason that you have received no comment. May I suggest that you purchase some books and read through them, and as you read through your books, look at your sword to learn to recognize specific features. For instance, what type of nakago do you have? What is the nagasa? Sori? Is your yakiba nie deki or nioi deki? Do you see any ji nie? What type of hada do you see? What type of boshi do you have? Do you have hataraki in your yakiba, and what kind? The questions go on and on. Once you begin to recognize what your sword does have and does not have, then you can play with photography to show specific features on which you have questions. Perhaps once you know what features are looked for, you will also begin to understand why certain swords command prices and why other swords don't. Then you will recognize what type of sword is worth our limited financial resources to restore, while other swords, while genuine nihonto, lay by the way side.

 

I wish you a very fun and addictive journey.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

 

EDIT: Chris's post and mine crossed.

[st468]

Chris and Hoanh-

 

Thank you for your thoughtful replies, much appreciated. I will do some additional study and try again at getting some better pictures.

 

Kory

[Brian]

Kory,

And then realize after all of that, that online kantei without features that stand out particularly strongly is nearly impossible, and at best just thrown out guesses. People are less likely nowdays to stab at schools and smiths since invariably it doesn't go anywhere. Far better to learn how to appreciate a sword and learn how to look at it, than post a sword online and hope for wild guesses. If kantei by photo was even remotely possible then the NBTHK etc would have some form of online submission.

Chris has given you more than most could give, and even that is an educated guess that cannot be verified unless you send it for shinsa.

 

Brian