More Koto Wakizashi Opinions Please

[wublet]

Hello again friends

I do hope you’ll forgive the possible spam and any imposition on your time, but I recently posted a mumei sue-Koto wakizashi that I had received as a gift and posted in one of the above forums. Nothing special by all accounts but after some consideration a few possible issues have come to light, to which end I thought I might post some more information and then ask some questions that have been intriguing me. Despite my best efforts at this stage in my studies the sheer mass of information is overwhelming.

• Nagasa – 45cm

• Overall – 59cm

• Nakago - 13.7cm

• Mekugi ana – the one evident and possibly one more 4cm further down the nakago.

• Sori – approx 1.5-1.6cm

• Kissaki – 3.6cm

• Kasane – 5.5mm (ish)

The sword doesn’t obviously seem suriage, why then what seems another mekugi ana? Certainly the blade hasn’t lost a lot of yakiba despite the odd ware.

Also the shimogoji kiri/hira sujaki just looks suspect, if it is that.

I realise I may be overlooking something entirely obvious to you chaps, but would be very grateful for any opinions.

Many Thanks

[Geraint]

Hi Jeff.

 

I'm curious as to why you think the sword is not suriage, what are you expecting to see that is not present?  If we compare yours to one or two nakago that are ubu ......?

 

All the best.

[wublet]

Answer found, Some searching here has answered my question. For some reason I couldn't get the search function to work last last night.

 

So, were it a personal preference on befalf of the soldier or smith?

 

Meanwhile I will be saving for sword in better condition.

 

Never-the-less the bug has truely been acquired.

 

Thank you for your kind hints

[Marius]

Jeff,

 

if you haven't stumbled upon the advice to buy this book, do it:

 

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b889-facts-and-fundamentals-Japanese-swords

 

Grey is one of the most reliable dealers out there, BTW.

 

In the book you will find loads of information on suriage, sword shapes, the impact of wear on it, etc. 

[Darcy]

Suriage can be for many reasons.

 

1. fit it into another koshirae

2. reduce length to become legal for merchant class

3. to repair a hagire or major chip lower down in the sword (by cutting it out)

4. too long for you

 

Oda Nobunaga had a signed Samonji cut down to 64cm after one of his enemies carrying the blade was defeated. I think it was 78cm beforehand. Why it got cut so short, unknown. Why do it at all, unknown. 

[wublet]

Many thanks for the suggestion, Marius. I think a copy is in order. There's a copy for £162 on amazon uk lol.

 

And for the information too - I wish I had the funds handy to buy that Osafune Masamitsu - I think my sword collecting days would be over. Ah well, there's always the lottery.