Red Substance On The Blade Of The Sword

[LakeBum]

http://www.aoijapan.com/katana-mumei-inshu-kanesaki

 

I was going through aoi art and found this blade with a red substance in the Bo-Hi on it.  This is the first time I have actually seen this done, so I guess the first question is why would this be done?  The second question being what is it?

 

I also fell in love with a Minotogawa blade with a horimono on it, but do you think the horimono was added onto it later?  I did not think the soldiers had time to do that during WW2.  I also am surprised they did not point out that it was a minotogawa blade.  They noticed that it had a rare star stamp, but I thought the minotogawa stamp was more rare.

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/katana-gassan-sadakatsu-sakushowa-18th-year1943-june

 

As always thank you for your time and patience!

[Kronos]

Lacquer.This is when the Hi isn't polished.

[Kai-Gunto]

Strange ,It has star stamp and a mintogawa mon. But the mon is very poor quality ,I think it is added postwar and the horimono too.

[Grey Doffin]

Not speaking of the blade at aoi with red lacquer, but often the lacquer was added to hi to disguise defects therein.

Grey

[LakeBum]

Grey and Kronos, that is kind of what I thought it would be usedd for but was not sure.  Do very many swords get sold that way?

 

Thomas, ok then my world continues to make sense.  It just blew my mind that they would not advertise the minotogawa stamp, but if it was added later to trick people it makes sense.  I guess if people can put the wrong names on blades why not stamps?

[cabowen]

There is a rather small but passionate group of Minatogawa blade collectors in Japan as well as significant interest in them outside of Japan. As a result, anytime there is a buying market, there will be those trying to exploit it...