Mei Help, Please

jasper · October 3, 2006

Can someone please translate this. It is a heavy tanto blade.

Thanks, -Rob

Nobody · October 3, 2006

reads Kaneyoshi (兼吉).

Stephen · October 3, 2006

care to share more photos

jasper · October 5, 2006

I have always had a hard time photographing blades. Sorry for the watermark too, I had that set accidentaly when I cropped and adjusted them.

Unforunantly someone took some fine steel wool to this and it has scratched it up. I have used the pompom powder ball on it many times and it has helped a bit. The hamon is starting to show much better now.

This is a thick blade, measuring about 7/16" thick at the habaki. Cutting edge measures about 11 1/4"

Any comments are very much appreciated.

-Rob

Bungo · October 5, 2006

don't know much about the sword but it's interesting to see a completly matching f/k and tsuba.

Is the fuchi signed ?

milt THE ronin

jasper · October 5, 2006

No signature on any of the fittings.

jasper · December 3, 2006

Can anyone help with the smith or is the mei just the school?

b.hennick · December 3, 2006

KaneYoshi

jasper · December 6, 2006

I have found several smiths that have used the name KaneYoshi from 1300-1920. I am guessing that this is around 1700?

Is this worth the cost of a polish? Can anyone tell if the steelwool scrub marks did to much damage or not?

Thanks, -Rob

Stephen · December 7, 2006

no not much damage at all a togi can make it right in no time...looks like a nice project.

kusunokimasahige · December 7, 2006

i would have it repolished!

KM

PS the nick in the cutting edge is typical of damage done in battle or defense.

wether or not against Jitte or Kat or Wak I cannot say.

A very interesting piece indeed!

jasper · December 7, 2006

I know this gets asked alot on this board but I have never had a polish done and would not know who to trust. From what I understand there are only a couple people in the US that are good, the rest are in Japan.

What is the typical turn around time for each?

And if it goes to Japan should it go to the NBTHK while it is there?

How are losses claimed by the carriers/polishers? Are they responsible?

If I get the polish, NBTHK papers, Shirasaya and Habaki, I am into it of upwards of about $2000+. I only have $200 into it so far.

I guess I need to figure the value of it once it is complete. No reason to invest $2200 into somthing worth only $1500. Any ideas?

Stephen · December 8, 2006

alot of good questions that mostly should be answered by your self...id contact Bob Benson @>http://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/ read his shinsa page then contact him. the two things going for you is its a tanto so that wont cost the max price of a katana polish and your in at a low cost ...cant say for sure about the mei but a full polished Tatno with papers is for the most part going to run well over 2500, id also op for a new tsuka wrap and saya... might a well go the limit would be my thinking.

Bungo · December 8, 2006

...cant say for sure about the mei but a full polished Tatno with papers is for the most part going to run well over 2500, id also op for a new tsuka wrap and saya... might a well go the limit would be my thinking.

not anymore.............

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

milt THE ronin

Stephen · December 8, 2006

uncle Milty may be right but i doubt yours wolud look like a well used kitchen knife. go to the big sellers and see what thier tantos sell for look around take your time its not going anywhere.

jasper · December 8, 2006

Thanks for the help. I would agree that my tanto is not a steak knife. I have another tanto that is simular to that eBay auction item and there is a big difference between them. -Rob

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