Ken_66 Posted October 30, 2014 Report Posted October 30, 2014 Hi, I'm new to NMB, & have aquired a few Katana's & Wakizashi's. I've been reading lot's of books, per the helpful advice of senior members & hope to learn much more here as well. The reason for the topic heading.... I bought a Katana a few years ago from flebay. It had running horses menuki (I love the running horses), it was described as a WWII bring home sword from Papua New Guinea. The blade was covered in axle grease by the Returned Serviceman..... to protect it from rusting Yep, the saya was full of grease. From the pictures, the saya looked like it was covered in leather. I ended up paying a couple of hundred & became the new owner. After receiving the Katana, I spent a day cleaning off the grease with Isopropyl Alcohol, wasn't impressed with the condition of the blade put some choji oil on & put it away. Fast forward to yesterday. Having a clean up & decided to have another look at the Katana. Took off the tsuka, & found mei on both sides (need help & am going to post on the approp. forum), a hard to read mei on the steel tsuba, copper seppa's a plain copper habaki, & nice looking (to me) fuchi/kashira. The saya was covered with a totally had it leather wrap, under which was a layer of what looks like white silk which was lacquered gloss black. I was able to slide out the wooden saya & it came apart revealing ....... grease. The blade has some flaws mostly fatal I guess, but someone 'may' have taken the family sword to war, & I'd like to find out some of the history from experienced NMB members. I'll post pic's to follow. Ken (Yes my real name) PS thanks for the "how to's". PPS Please let me know if I need to fix this post? Quote
Geraint Posted October 30, 2014 Report Posted October 30, 2014 Hi Ken. Welcome to NMB. Not all flaws are fatal, I can see at least some grain openings so far but not much else. The ones to beware of are hagiri which ususally are hard to spot but are cracks, often very thin, extending from the edge into the blade. I can't see any but then the photos are not going to show them. Can I suggest at least a shot of the full nakago, both sides, with the habaki removed? In hand can you see the hamon all the way around the boshi? It looks as though it might be quite wide and there is a possibility that the blade is not past hope. How about some images of the mounts in the tosogu section? Enjoy. All the best Quote
Ken_66 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Posted October 30, 2014 The Nakago pics. And more blade, Ken Quote
Ken_66 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Posted October 30, 2014 Hi, some pics of the Katana fittings as suggested by Geraint. Ken Quote
Brian Posted October 30, 2014 Report Posted October 30, 2014 Topics merged (again) Please keep the discussion of a single sword in one section, even if posting pics of the koshirae. Unless there is something particularly discussion-worthy about the tosogu. Brian Quote
Geraint Posted October 30, 2014 Report Posted October 30, 2014 Sorry Brian, my suggestion, my fault. Quote
Ken_66 Posted November 3, 2014 Author Report Posted November 3, 2014 Still working on the Mei. As the nakago has two holes, does it look like the mei runs off the end (Suriage)? Also I thought the hamon was a bit odd. In places it seems to go above the shinogi, is this a swordsmith error, or could it be deliberate. I've tried to post some pics, but the blade surface is pretty scratched. Quote
Rivkin Posted November 19, 2014 Report Posted November 19, 2014 I don't think its tired. Without seeing the mei or even nakago color, it looks like its later than koto, say shinshinto or something... For such age, such horrendous ware are probably bad enough to prevent further investing in the sword. Some are quite close to hamon... Quote
bone Posted November 20, 2014 Report Posted November 20, 2014 What the heck? I'll take a shot. I like the koshira but it looks like it was cobbled together. I could be, and often am, wrong but doesn't look like a set. Other than it looks well cut I can't really say anything about the mei. It does look suriage so it's possible it was cut down for WWII. Now to the blade... man! It has suffered that's for sure. Looks like it was used to hack down a shed or something. I doubt if it's worth anything in this condition and polishing would be a huge, expensive risk. Unless the mei is real and from a really good smith the odds of a collector wanting it is small. If you only paid a couple hundred for it *shrug* not really much downside. I look forward to seeing what the mei says. And reserve the right to change my opinion at any time. :D Quote
Darcy Posted November 21, 2014 Report Posted November 21, 2014 This is a Shinto sword by Shichibeinojo Sukesada. Oddly enough here is another one cut off at about the same point: http://sanmei.com/contents/media/G11608_S8108_PUP_E.htm He was Chu-jo saku and in general pretty decent. Quote
Darcy Posted November 21, 2014 Report Posted November 21, 2014 A full signature example. Your yasurime do not match though so that is a bad sign for authenticity unless some later Sukesada is also signing with Shichibei. I didn't try to figure out your date as I can't really read it from that photo, though someone else here probably can. Quote
cabowen Posted November 21, 2014 Report Posted November 21, 2014 Date is Manji 3 Nen 8 Gatsu. Lots of what appear to be kitae-ware in this blade which are more consistent with kazu-uchi-mono Sukesada of late Koto than Shinto Sukesada... Quote
Darcy Posted November 21, 2014 Report Posted November 21, 2014 Manji 3 so 1661. Fuhishiro says Shichibei is supposed to be doing a lot of production in Manji. So either is him or intended to be him. I don't like the yasurime but I don't really study this guy so I don't know if he's got other habits. Quote
Ken_66 Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Posted December 23, 2014 I have just noticed, & am surprised no-one else has pointed out the tsuka with menuki are in tachi style, ha facing down. Why would this sword maybe???? 1658'ish have what appears very old tsuka in that style? Quote
Jean Posted December 23, 2014 Report Posted December 23, 2014 Ken, It does not show clearly on the pictures fittings are Katana style. Is it pictures or no but the nakago edge strongly curved inside as if to form a new hamachi. Quote
Ken_66 Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Posted December 23, 2014 Hi Jean, On my third post the tsuka is pictured as it should be, tachi style, with the menuki upright. Kind Regards Quote
Jean Posted December 23, 2014 Report Posted December 23, 2014 seems somebody did some adding bits and odds on this tsuka, but needs to have a picture of the saya. Is it a tachi one? In this case the tsuka was rewrapped tachi style or the guy made a mistake in mounting the menuki. Difficult to have an idea as long as we have no overall picture of the koshirae. Is the Kashira mounted correctly? Quote
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