Never Before Examined Sword

[Crescent Moon]

Hello All, discovered a swordin shirasaya with kanji, hanging high on a wall out of 4 yr olds reach. As added safety saya taped shut with duct tape, held together with electric tape. Had inherited from his grandfather...wrong war, wrong time and wrong mounts. Gently explained fact from family fiction. Asked if I could examine it. Ultimately let me take it for a few days.

 

27 inch with vibrant tall 3 cedar flat repeat hamon pattern. Very small tip with good turn back, reduced proportions rather than snout style. Good curvature, falling rain habaki. Lot of prints, begining rust, no visible openings or cracks.  

 

Told me that because the handle kept falling off he glued it on with gorillia glue. Allowed me to take it for three days to properly clean blade and try to correct mistake of glue. Razor seperated the tsuka. Gently softened glue with acetone than rubbed with hardrock maple(hard wood) to reveal sig and date. Two hole nakago. Have been working the blade with powder ball and choji oil. Trying to crack date and signiture. Would like to have Id'd it when I return it to go along with a tutorial for continued care. 

 

Am asking if anyone would care to help out with sig and date? nakago and saya kanji match...even just some hints would be appreciated. Thanks J 

[mywei]

Musashi kami Kanenaka, Echizen ju

[Shugyosha]

What Matt said, from Markus Sesko's E Japanese Swordsmiths:

 

KANENAKA (兼中), Tenna (天和, 1681-1684), Echizen – “Musashi no Kami Fujiwara Kanenaka – Echizen-jū” (武蔵守藤原兼中・越前住), “Kanenaka” (兼中), “Yamamoto Musashi no Kami Fujiwara Kanenaka” (山本武蔵守 藤原兼中), he signed his name also with the characters (兼仲), he lived in Ichijō (一乗) in Echizen province but moved later to Edo, his workmanship is similar to that of Harima no Daijō Shigetaka (播磨大掾 重高), gunome-midare, wazamono, chūjō-saku

 

I don't think you would describe the hamon on your sword as sanbonsugu. It looks more like a mixture of gunome and choji midare to me but others may have different views.

 

Anyhow, looks like a nice sword - I'd do my best to borrow it for a very long time if I were you. 80)

 

Best,

John

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

Based upon that nasty looking rust at the yokote I would be very reluctant to place this sword back in the saya for storage. 

[Greg F]

Hello J (please use 1st name so we can politely address you). Regarding the rust on the kissaki, If the owner is going to keep the blade in that saya you could suggest to him to maybe buy a shot gun cleaning kit and use it to see how much build up of dust and oil there is in there and clean it out until a replacement is made as it should be a priority. Enjoy the sword.

 

Greg

[Crescent Moon]

Hello All, Thank you so much!

 

My name actually is just J and happily ask that you use my first name.

 

I had recognized No Kami Fujiwara Kane but thats as far as I had gotten last night. I kept wrestling with a variation of Mune but knew I was on the wrong track. Naka was never on my radar...So while Im disappointed that I didnt work it out myself I really appreciate what you have given. Dates likewise are very difficult for me, so I really appreciate the help and will now go back to the books. 

 

Photos of blade are as it was when initially drawn from saya. I will take the liberty to post additional photos once its been properly cleared for better viewing so that it may act as a future reference for someone. 

 

The saya is tape wrapped as well so I will remove the tape and evaluate..If its largely separated I will razor separate and clean...if not I'll clear out the bottom as suggested....I will be returning the sword to the owner tomorrow...hopefully he will be able to better preserve it and frankly if it comes to me one day I would be very happy! I think its a great sword.

 

Should I post better detail photos?

 

Thanks again, J

[Gordon Sanders]

that would be great !! :-)