Sword I've Had For A While-Information Sought

[MichaelZWilliamson]

I'd never removed the tsuka because some idiot glued the mekugi in place.  I finally carefully drilled and punched it out.

 

I bought this as what I thought was a Pattern 1886 with some wear that might be field use, might also be carelessness, and realizing it had some wear.

 

 

 

https://www.sharppointythings.com/piwigo/i.php?/upload/2019/04/05/20190405125159-7a18f07c-la.jpg

 

 

 

I'm unable to remove further. It looks like possibly someone got the seppa swapped and forced the front one on the rear.  It moves about a quarter inch and stops, friction held against the nakago, and I don't want to force it.

 

 

 

https://www.sharppointythings.com/piwigo/i.php?/upload/2019/04/05/20190405125220-8395d83e-la.jpg

 

 

Gallery is here: https://www.sharppointythings.com/piwigo/index.php?/category/17 if that doesn't link correctly I'll post individually.

[John A Stuart]

I would hazard to say the red rust is making the seppa hard to remove. Rust expands the original diameter. It must be removed by boning, even by some bamboo until it can be wiggled free. Time and patience. John

[MichaelZWilliamson]

I was able to carefully tap everything free with a rubber mallet, some cloth padding, and patience.  More photos later or tomorrow.

[PNSSHOGUN]

You did well Michael, old family blade in field grade (Major to Colonel) Kyu Gunto mounts. Condition looks good too, apart from the missing wire on the handle, add a field grade Kyu Gunto or Shin Gunto tassel and you have a great piece. Here's my example:

[MichaelZWilliamson]

I would hazard to say the red rust is making the seppa hard to remove. Rust expands the original diameter. It must be removed by boning, even by some bamboo until it can be wiggled free. Time and patience. John

That seems to be the case.

[Ken-Hawaii]

One trick I've used is to place the tip of a vibrator on the stuck item (usually a seppa), to vibrate it free. Works only sometime, but worth trying, as it doesn't damage anything.

[Mark S.]

One trick I've used is to place the tip of a vibrator on the stuck item (usually a seppa), to vibrate it free. Works only sometime, but worth trying, as it doesn't damage anything.

And the wife doesn’t mind?

[MichaelZWilliamson]

Thanks.  I can now buy a vibrator as a business expense.

[eternal_newbie]

Thanks.  I can now buy a vibrator as a business expense.

 

As an aside, they're also commonly used as upper back massagers by hospitals and respiratory therapists to ease chest congestion in babies and small children.

[MichaelZWilliamson]

As an aside, they're also commonly used as upper back massagers by hospitals and respiratory therapists to ease chest congestion in babies and small children.

Yes. And actually, my first thought was an industrial vibrator like we use for concrete pours, or a smaller one used for settling media in a container.

[IJASWORDS]

Re vibrator, just be careful, I know a girl who bought a vibrator, and it chipped her teeth!  

[Geraint]

And there goes this thread!  

 

All the best.

[Brian]

[MichaelZWilliamson]

Yes, as fun as the humor is, I'd like to get back to the sword and what it might have been before.

[Geraint]

Dear Michael.

 

Well John has told you the details about the koshirae.  After that we are trying to judge the blade in out of polish condition and from limited photographs.   It looks suriage, by how much is harder to tell.  It has a narrow shinogi ji and a small point.  If you measure the sugata and add a couple of inches where does that get you?  (Original length might help with age.)

 

What can you see of the hamon and boshi?  There seems to be a considerable degree of taper from base to tip, does the hamon get narrower towards the tip?  If so then that might mean a blade tht has lost shape due to repeated polishes.  If you can get the habaki off then what does the blade look like from the mune?

 

The hi looks irregular, can you see if the blade thins down in line with the irregularities or is it just the hi that is wobbly?

 

I know, questions, questions and you want answers.  

 

All the best.

[MichaelZWilliamson]

25" sugata, shortened ~2" from original, based on the polish along the current nakago, and the hi rather far into it. Definitely suriage.

 

The hamon is visible, very lively, and much thinner toward the tip.  Kissaki is about 1.25" long, boshi seems to run parallel to the edge all the way up, possibly tarumi?

 

There is some irregularity of curve to the hi.

 

I presume the blade was fitted to the military scabbard.

 

 

 

https://www.sharppointythings.com/piwigo/i.php?/upload/2019/04/06/20190406131322-314e8b70-la.jpg

 

 

 

https://www.sharppointythings.com/piwigo/i.php?/upload/2019/04/06/20190406131306-61552c5f-la.jpg

 

 

 

https://www.sharppointythings.com/piwigo/i.php?/upload/2019/04/06/20190406131249-ba49513e-la.jpg

 

Other images added to the link in OP. The hamon is very hard to photograph. I'll try with proper lighting later.

 

It appears I'm unable to post any images from my site now.

[Brian]

You can easily upload those images to the site.
Not much you are going to be able to figure out about this one, since we are missing hada and hamon. Patina looks like it might be a Koto. You do find some nice blades in Kyu Gunto mounts.
This one might warrant a window. The hi may be atobori.

[MichaelZWilliamson]

When I've uploaded images reduced to fit the specs, they're too small to tell much.  I'll try to get some polarized light on. The hamon is visible, but barely.