Nihonto

[schuki]

Hi folks, greetings to you all from cold Sweden, I'm pretty new to this forum so please excuse me with my "jump" on the forum. I bought a NIHONTO Mino school Showa Period Katana of (as I could decipher, with my poor knowledge of Kanji) "Kanenaga" but Kanenaga who? Does anyone have any knowledge of this, by type of Kanji to judge and figure out which Kanenaga have smidat this Katana '. Extremely grateful for all the elements, also grateful if you can answer even directly to me at: m.schulce @ gmail.com Just so I bought two Tsuba but with these Kanji I'm stuck and have headaches posting.php?mode=post&f=1 , grateful to get any ideas about this just as authenticity on them, please, Schuki

[schuki]

Hello in gene, typical beginner, sorry but I forgot to add a photo of Katana and Tsuba, here it comes, grateful for any help in terms of Kanji equally as authenticity of this, as I mentioned in my "empty" text, I could not figure out "KANENAGA" who? has manufactured this Katana is as I said Mino school Shova Period, extremely grateful for ALL types of clue as to Thoughts on this please, Schuki, the gene.

P.S. Thankful for all the responses will besides the Forum also directly to me at: m.schulxce @ gmail.com

 

 

[george trotter]

Hi,

I'm not sure if you want to know the mei on your tsuba... but if so, it is (looks like) Kato Shigemitsu Saku.

Your sword is listed in Hawley 1981 but no info is given, it just says Kanenaga Mino 1937 8 points KAN 1691.

I looked in my Japanese books but found nothing...sorry.

Regards,

[Jussi Ekholm]

All information I can add as fellow novice is information that's on books.

 

Sesko's index lists 1 Kanenaga during Showa, Gifu (so it's Mino province), civilian name Yamada Chozo, he studied from 1936 at Watanabe Kanenaga's training site and worked as rikugun-jumei-tosho, he died February 19th 1971.

 

And Hawley lists KAN 1691, Mino, 1937 and 8 points but no further information.

 

So getting more information of RJT swordsmiths might be good way to start. Here is a some information on RJT, http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/gendai2.htm

 

But more experinced members will probably soon give more insight on things and help you out.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi M. Schuki,

Please don't use blue font again. Your original post is almost impossible to read against the dark grey background.

Thanks, Grey

[schuki]

Hello to all of you on the forum from Mr.Schuki, regrets that the wretched color of my text, it would not be sent away, but it went something wrong direction anyway, this will not be repeated. I would like to say thank you, for so long, to you who have given me any answers to my question as to get translated Kanji on Tsuba.

I have look at this link which stood in the reply to my Kanenaga but where are the following "Kanenaga (star +Seki stamp)". my is not either Star or Seki stamp is "Clean". Something confuse me in researching his Kanji and this is that: for example, found a much older Katana (Muramachi period) the exact same Kanji, then I'm thinking of "Family lereterad Smith"?. Judging by Nakago then the Showa Period, but no other evidence on the Sword for this, as I said, it is pure from all mark stamps or symbols.I have more interesting items that I have my thoughts over and this is Katana Showa Period of Sword Smith Ishihara Kane Tada but these Swords that I have seen on the Internet has a Seki or Showa stamp on Nakago, where in the mine has none of this, where the I have with the help of a magnifying glass found a small mark made ​​on the hands and this is in the form of two intersecting arrows, Some reflections on this?.

Now coming the most interesting, namely, in purchase of my first NIHONTO are Wakizashi of Mushashi No Kami Fujiwara Kanenaka, during Fushi I found a small piece of paper that was wrapped around Fushi, it seemed that this paper bit was old so the fear of not making the break I contacted the Swedish National Museum for help, which they agreed to, and after two months the paper has been in a humid chamber, I got it back "opened" and framed in an acid-free paper. Their conclusion were: paper or woodcut is as old as Wakizashi. As you can see the Kanji, there is a part of the halves in Kanji missing. I will be grateful if anyone out there can find the "red thread" what can possibly be meaningful or perhaps a simple word that they Kanji form, this makes me sleepless guys for over 6 years.as the last Grateful for any translation at them Kanji on a Muramashi Period Katana Bongo school. In Advance Big Thanks to all.

[schuki]

Here is the Muramashi Period Katana Kanji Bongo school

[george trotter]

I'm not sure what you are asking... the maker of the sword with 4 kanji mei is ISHI HARA KANE TADA, as you say, He is a modern WWII Seki maker of gunto. His name is Ishihara (something)kazu. He was registered as a swordmaker in Seki 25 October 1939. Sometimes these smiths made swords without the Seki stamp. We would need to see the blade and hamon to give an opinion if this is showato or gendaito.

 

The strip of paper I can read only the kanji "haru".

 

The last nakago pic you have posted has the mei Kanekatsu.

Regards,

[schuki]

Thanks for this answer, just hope someone can come up with solution to the rest of the Kanji, of course, here are pictures of Hamon and the blade, this Katana IS manufactured according to the old method, that means no machine madeblade or oil-hardened, this I know already, it's just the 2 arrows that makes me a bit confused, same as the 2 marks on the Nakago no mune. I have another Katana that has three such marks but close Mune machi Instead, what they are I do not know, however, I do not believe either that they were made after many Sake as "ups I screwed up with hammer" but must haf a meaning..

[george trotter]

Is the katana blade you show by Ishihara Kanetada? Can you show a pic of the whole blade?

 

By "the rest of the kanji" do you mean the kanji on the strip of paper? This is just a a piece of paper torn from a book to "adjust" the fitting of a fuchi...it has no importance.

 

The two marks on the nakago mune you show are just a fittings assembly number (// = 2) or other record keeping number. These strokes are not as common as numbers, but can be found on the scabbard mouth of metal gunto saya of shingunto (under the koiguchi fitting) , on the nakago shinogi ji of Meiji/Taisho/Showa non-traditional made kyugunto nakago (and sabres etc) and as you show here, on the mune (less common). They have no importance.

 

As for what you call "crossed arrows"...I can't see them anywhere...can you show a pic please?

Regards,

[schuki]

OK George, this was a really deep``, I accept your question more as an Insult rather than a question,Of course this is a Katana from Ishihara Kanetada from which it would be otherwise?, And if all of these images is not enough for you then there are no pastures intention you are "proving" about my credibility. On your response regarding this 2 marking the Nakago, you write to me about how this is:"other record keeping number. Can be found on the scabbard mouth of metal Gunto of shingunto saya on the Nakago shinogi ji of Meiji / Taisho / Showa non-traditional made ​​kyugunto Nakago (and sabers etc) and as you show here, on the mune (less common). They have no importance". See George that you confuse an awful lot of "Grandma and Grandpa".First this is NOT ShinGunto or Sabre or or other type of machine and serial manufactured Katana, Bat Katana made ​​by hand, ​​of Tamahagane Steel. No importance?,It is LOT important to ME because this is my Katana as I look at it no matter the money as a Privilege to own, saying that each dot or dash on my Katana is importance! Regarding the little piece of paper that I found during Fuchi, clearly that it was there to improve the fit between Fuchi and Tsuka, Something that I respond to, you can see just looking at a large photo of know this is a bit of a Book that is also "non-importance", but you can not see on an SO big picture, even Stevie wonder could see, this mark with arrows, Hmm`?

You see this piece of paper is over 300 years old, just as my Wakizashi! together makes a part of history that I is the owner and heir!, it is clear that this is the Importance to Me a LOT, if you can not read what is in Kanji on it how can you know that this is not Importance?, and how you know that this is from a book?, it can come just from anywhere, but hey George nobody is perfect, wish a nice day anyway, Regards, Schuki

[Daniel]

Schuki, George is one of the most helpful member of this board and I can assure you his answer was in no way meant as an insult. I think what we have here is a language issue.

Kind Regards

Daniel

[SwordGuyJoe]

Schuki,

I read and re-read your posts and George's and all George is trying to do is help you, which is what I think you were asking for. He was not disrespectful, condescending or anything of the sort.

 

You have three or four questions about three different blades, a tsuba, and a chuck of paper plus those questions are a struggle to try to piece together due to language barrier and it is difficult to determine what questions you are asking about what blade etc.

 

Give George a break and say thank you.

[Brian]

Indeed.

Thank George for trying to work through a very difficult language barrier, and don't be so defensive. Nothing he said was insulting at all, and was all true.

 

Brian

[Jiro49]

Not to keep flogging a dead horse, but I have to chime in!

 

Goerge did not insult you at all and since you are asking for others to lend you their time and acquired knowledge I would be carefull when assuming anything negative when they are simply trying to provide you with what you are asking!

 

Most on this board will do their very best not to be rude, even when they should be...

 

Respectfully,