Study piece - help wanted

[Moley]

Hi there friends,

It looks like I have a lot of research to do on a new Nihonto.

Can anyone help me on my way by identifying this type of hamon (or point me to an useful reference site)

Thanks in advance Guys.

 

Gwyn

[Moley]

Here's another shot.

Thanks

[Bazza]

Somewhat reminiscent of Mino Kanefusa???

 

BaZZa.

[george trotter]

I agree with BaZZa. Mino were known for this yahazu midare (uneven arrow notch, or fishtail), so might be a good place to start.

Regards,

[Shugyosha]

Hi Gwyn,

 

Made me think of the hamon on this sword, though yours isn't so elaborate:

 

http://www.tetsugendo.com/swords/MS_152 ... ataka.html

 

Best,

[Moley]

Kissaki

[Moley]

Another of the hamon

[cabowen]

Does it have a yaki-dashi?

[Moley]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the input.

 

The hamon continues under the Hamaki and also for about 1cm (Half the wave) after the Hamachi before flatlining.

I don't think the nakago is Suriage either.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Pardon, but if I didn't know better, , I would almost believe that this hamon is drawn in.

[Ken-Hawaii]

That does look quite strange, Gwyn. There's no reason to continue "the wave" past the ha-machi, & I can't think of a way to cut down the blade while still leaving an essentially full hamon like yours.

 

Ken

[Moley]

Hi Ken,

All this got me thinking.

Whilst putting it all back together last night, the Nakago did indeed feel

"a bit small" for the chunky blade's balance.

So it might be suriage after all. If that is the case, then the blade would have had yaki-dashi?

(Also click on "blade" attachment and you can see what I mean)

[cabowen]

I don't think the blade is suriage. The hamon looks like something one might see in a Shinto Mino or Mino derived work, like Owari or Echizen.

 

I asked about a yakidashi because those are common in Edo and Osaka Shinto works. Without one, it narrows things down a bit....

[Moley]

  cabowen said:

I don't think the blade is suriage. The hamon looks like something one might see in a Shinto Mino or Mino derived work, like Owari or Echizen.

 

I asked about a yakidashi because those are common in Edo and Osaka Shinto works. Without one, it narrows things down a bit....

 

 

Thanks Chris,

Nakago just felt a bit small for the balance. Not too bad with tsuka on. It’s a fairly big blade at 72 cm and 31.5 at the hamachi.

[Kronos]

I'd agree on Mino derived work, It's reminiscent of Shinano Tadakuni or even Mino Kanefusa as has already been stated.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

Sorry, don't mean to be intrusive and a nag here. However, I don't know if it's just the images, my computer screen, or my eyes, but I am not seeing any activity in this sword that would indicate it has a hamon, no nioi line, no nie.

Please shoot me down as I would like nothing more than to be wrong.

[Kronos]

  nagamaki said:

Hello,

 

Sorry, don't mean to be intrusive and a nag here. However, I don't know if it's just the images, my computer screen, or my eyes, but I am not seeing any activity in this sword that would indicate it has a hamon, no nioi line, no nie.

Please shoot me down as I would like nothing more than to be wrong.

 

on the photo in the second post if you look on the left hand side you may just be able to make out the faintest Nioi line.

[cabowen]

Sashi-komi, nioi-deki....

[nagamaki - Franco]

  Kronos said:

on the photo in the second post if you look on the left hand side you may just be able to make out the faintest Nioi line.

 

.jpg]

 

This I take is what you're pointing out (thanks). Although this makes me think it is possibly nioi here, skepticism remains. Even if faint, would like to see what this nioi looks like with light bouncing off(?).

[Moley]

Hi Guy's,

Don't know if these are good enough?

Really difficult to photo at night.

 

Gwyn

[Jean]

Very very good Gwyn you can see the nioi line now.

[Moley]

Thanks Jean,

You guys are great.

This is what I've managed to comply so far; (any more help GREATLY appreciated)

 

Katana

 

Blade:

Period:

Mei: Mumei

Sugata: Shinogi Zukuri

Nagasa: (Length from Mune Machi to Kissagi) 28.5 inches (71.5 cm)

Nakago: Ubu, (Unsigned) 7.75 inches (19.5 cm),

Nakago Jiri (Tip of tang shape ) is Iriyamagata Jiri,

One mekugi-ana.

The yasurime (File marks) are Katte Sagari

Kissaki: O - Kissaki

Moto-haba (Blade width near Habaki: 1.25 inches (3.2 cm).

Moto-kasane: (Blade thickness at the Hamachi) 0.35 inches (0.9cm).

Saki-haba (Blade width at the Yokote): 1 inches (2.5cm).

Saki-Kasane: (Blade thickness at the Yokote) 0.25 inches (4 mm).

Sori (Curvature) : Torii Sori (near centre) 0.78 inches (2cm)

Hamon: Yahazu midare (uneven arrow notch, or fishtail) Mino were known for this

Hada: Masame

Blade condition: Excellent. In good polish with only minor pin head openings.

Mounts: Higo mounts. Fuchi fine gold details of leaves, Menuki are of Dragons on a Ken (sword)

The tsuka is fully wrapped in samekawa and has a black silk tsumami-maki binding.

The tsuba is of Twin Cranes entwined.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello Gwyn,

 

Yes, additional images very helpful, thanks. It might be worth mentioning in your description "machi okuri" (and by how much?). Overhead images of the moto and saki kasane can be helpful in giving hints about the age of this sword.

[Moley]

LOVING all this..

Learning every new post...

Learned so much new terms already.

Will post new measurements in the morning.

 

Thanks

[Moley]

Here we go fella's:

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello, from the moto kasane image it doesn't appear to have been polished down much based on the width difference at the nakago. From the saki kasane there is not much of a flair which could mean a number of things including; more typical of an older blade (would say early Edo period in your case), or possibly a polisher removed the flair (in which case, why?), but I don't think that is the case. Part of analyzing one's blade is the attempt to figure out what this blade looked like originally from how it appears today. Which is more reason to learn, study, and recognize excellent swords with excellent polishing work.

 

BTW, those 2 notches on the top edge of the nakago are likely to be assembly marks.