Looking to buy my first Katana...

[tphan]

Your thoughts on this sword?

 

Tom

 

[hxv]

Dear tphan,

 

Please sign all of your posts or they will be deleted by the Mods. The sword is signed Norimitsu, a well-regarded Bizen smith, but the hamon looks Mino. Matching the mei and the hamon, I would hazard a guess that it's gimei. The mounts are not high quality. Overall, it's not too terribly exciting (in my opinion). I would recommend buying a few (inexpensive) books and read them before making a commitment to buy.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Grey Doffin]

Ditto what Hoanh says and also. The groove on the unsigned side in the nakago ends at the wrong place and on the other side it is cut sloppily. The mekugi-ana is too large. The patina of the nakago looks fishy (could just be the photo). I think there are all sorts of red flags on this one. Buy books.

Grey

[Stephen]

a lot rides on what you paid for it, looks to be true nihonto but like said some small flags, but don't be too put off. Its better than what some buy for the first time but a bit ways off of a good complete package, many nakago have been messed with when refited. what do the fittings look like? closer shots of the hamon and hada if you can photo them please.

[hxv]

Is this the item in question?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLD-Antique-SIG ... 3cdc6c33d3

 

Hoanh

[John A Stuart]

I think it is at the price showing when I go to the auction a decent package. Although signed nijimei I still believe it may be made by an Echizen Seki smith Norimitsu. The seller thinking Bizento is only wishful thinking. For a first buy and not knowing why this sword is attractive to you; price? Kanbun shinto is favoured? just want a whole deal? it is OK, but, remember suriage shinto swords are hard to divest later, unless there is a particularly special trait. John

[tphan]

Thank you all for your input. Yes, I should probably do a lot of reading before any buying. However, I am not wanting the perfect piece by any means... As stated before, looking for a beginner blade. I do want a real/old sword though. This one seems to be in pretty good shape and hopefully wont be too expensive. Anyone care to guess where the auction ends?

 

Tom

[Brian]

The nakago is all sorts of wrong. Patina, shape, lines and groove.

It isn't what it is trying to be I bet. Hamon looks like Seki wartime. It wants to be suriage, but I think it has been altered to look shortened.

Maybe not a great first choice.

 

Brian

[Marius]

Tom,

 

The seller has no clue about nihonto (or so he says). There is no return policy. You might buy a sword with a fatal flaw (like a hairline crack called hagire that you cannot see in pictures) and lose a lot of money.

 

What seems sure right now - this sword may be a nihonto, but it could have been made yesterday and it is certainly not high quality. I am with Brian on the wartime time of manufacture, BTW. The mei is fake, the patina is fake, the mounting is low value.

 

Why buy on eBay when there are quite a few very good and trustworthy dealers around?

 

I am sorry, but playing lottery is not the smartest approach to such a purchase.

 

Read this and think it over, this is free advice that can save you a lot of money:

 

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16947&hilit=Rules+newbies

[John A Stuart]

Yes, the nakago is suspect. Odd. Maybe better safe than sorry is the way to go like those guys said and they pointed me to something I overlooked. I was checking around to try and make sure about the signature's possibilities. The only way this could be nijimei is to be an earlier Bizen smith and as it has Seki traits, as well as the nakago oddities, impossible to be legitimately either one or the other. John

[raven2]

Hi Tom,

 

I am going to agree with Brain and Mariuszk here. The hamon does not look right to me (I think seki is a good bet) and the nakago has all kinds of problems. Why not try looking in the for sale area down below or try some of the dealers in the links section above. All of my blades have been acquired this way and I can say I have never been disapointed. Here are a couple of links to blades in the same price range:

 

http://www.nihonto.us/MUMEI%20WAKIZASHI%20MP.htm

 

http://yakiba.com/Wak_Echizen-Seki.htm -still an o-suriage shinto blade, but papered and in good shape with nice koshirae.

[tphan]

Wow, you guys have been extremely helpful. Thanks for the guidance & links. I will keep my money in my pocket and read up on these things.

 

Regards,

Tom

[Dave R]

I buy fittings, tosogu. via ebay, but I would only ever buy a blade that I held in my hand and looked at there and then, and from a dealer I can find again. There are so many things that be overlooked in a photo, hidden or faked.

[Mark]

blade looks like it could be oil tempered, maybe a Showa era blade with old name

[cabowen]

This is better left alone.

[Clement]

And, for the first one, it is advised to have, at least, a Hozon NBTHK paper and then check the blade. More safe to me for a first buy.