Kanbun Shinto?

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

 

I have been using my newly acquired and very limited kantei skills to identify an ubu, mumei blade I own. I am thinking it is probably Kanbun Shinto following the Yamashiro tradition. The blade came to me mounted in shin gunto koshirae. Dimensions:

 

Nagasa 69.5cm

Sori 1.2cm

Motohaba 3.2cm

Sakihaba 2.2cm

Kasane 0.7cm

Kissaki 3.0cm

 

The boshi looks Ko-maru, thin suguha hamon with ko-nie and dense itame/mokume hada tending to masame in the ha (I think). There is abundant ji nie and chikei. I get glimpses of activity in the hamon, but because it is very fine, I can't really see it with the naked eye and it only becomes obvious when I zoom in on photos. I would appreciate any help you guys can give me.

 

Cheers,

Bryce

 

 

 

[Guest Rayhan]

Oh boy another kantei!

 

It is kanbun suguta and i see tight ko-itame with suguha hamon, lots of nie activity with bright nioiguchi. At first glance it could be a Hizen blade but after looking at the boshi and nakago maybe more echizen. A picture under the habaki would be good to see where the hamon ends in relation to the hamachi.

[Ray Singer]

I also think this looks like like a Hizen-to.

[DRDave]

Reflective surfaces and lighting often fool me... Iori-mune ?  Nice looking blade.

[Bazza]

OTTOMH at first glance it looks like a Hizentou, agreed.  But then I look at the nakagojiri and I don't see Hizen - unless it is a waki-Hizen I'm not so familiar with.  Then I look at the hada and it seems too loose to be a mainline Hizentou...

 

Mmmmm.  VERY nice pickup, though.  Oi loiks it.

[Guest Rayhan]

Few more pics under the habaki, shinogiji and mune please

[mywei]

Unusual to have a mumei ubu Hizento methinks? Could also be Bungo Takada

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

 

Thanks for your replies. I can't post any photos under the habaki, because I haven't been able to get it off yet! I have tried tapping it with wooden tools and holding it and banging the nakago jiri down on to some wood, but so far it hasn't budged. Haven't tried hot water yet. When I have some time I will give it another go.

 

Cheers,

Bryce

[Ken-Hawaii]

Bryce, you did a good job of identifying the characteristics of your blade. I don't see any mokume hada, but I can see where you might think so, until you've seen a lot more blades. Good job, & keep up the kantei practice!

[PNSSHOGUN]

Nakago looks Bungo Takada, blade looks Hizen. Both schools were known to work together.

[Gakusee]

Hada is just quite not refined enough for Hizen

[vajo]

Someone told me mumei Shinto in Yamashiro tradition is like another John Doe.

 

Nice looking hozon blade.

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

 

Here are a few more shots of the hada and mune.

 

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

 

I had a bit of time recently so was able to move the habaki. The nakago length is 21 cm and the yasurime is sujikai. After your comments about it maybe being Hizen, I did a bit of research and Hizen does sound like a good fit for it. The only possible detractor is the sujikai yasurime, rather than the more common kiri, but there seem to be plenty of examples with sujikai as well.

 

Any more thoughts?

 

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Still going with Bungo Takada. Could we see the Koshirae?

[Bryce]

Here you go John.

 

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

 

I have noticed that the blade has a couple of small mokume burls that have a darker/flatter "look" inside them. Is this likely to be shingane showing thru the skin steel?

 

Cheers,

Bryce