New suguha wakizashi. Info/Worth polishing?

[slavia631]

Hello again Brian, all!!

 

I recently bought this mumei wakizashi for a mere $170US, and am wondering if anyone can tell me anything about it. It has an interesting suguha hamon, and the hada is barely visible (if at all). Any guesses as to the age/school/etc. would be greatly appreciated. I would really value some expert thoughts on this blade, and I hope my photos help.

 

I am also wondering if this blade would be worth sending off to be polished sometime in the future? The surface is immaculate aside from the one kizu seen below. The ha is also perfect, with no chips whatsoever. This blade is not tired, as it has a 6mm kasane at the mune-machi, tapering to 4.5mm near the kissaki.

 

Any impressions, thoughts, or suggestions?

 

 

 

 

 

[slavia631]

More details...

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance, friends!

[Stephen]

aside from the one kizu seen below.

 

What you got is a 175 dollar blade, do not waste any more money on it....kizu the size of the grand canyon is a big ouch to eye, study the other side and call it quits on this ...my 2 yen.

[Grey Doffin]

Ditto from me; that opening could swallow a whole bunch of money.

Grey

[slavia631]

Thanks guys. Besides the kizu, any guesses as to it's age/school?

[Brian]

Andrew,

I hate to point out the flaws only, but I guess honesty is the way to go. A good deal at that price, someone will pay more just for polishing practice, but I go completely with the other guys here.

Also wanted to point out the position of the mekugi ana says the nakago has been reshaped a bit, and look at that shinogi line

Makes me seasick following it :lol: Ah well...for the money you can happily work on it a bit yourself I think.

As to age, no idea, but i would think at least a Shinto?

 

Brian

[slavia631]

Yes, the shinogi-ji is bollocks. I actually bought it from a fellow who was selling it as a "polishing practice" sword.

 

I have seen worse go for much more on fleaBay....so maybe that is the path for this blade. I can put any profits made toward my "good blade" fund. Thanks again all.

 

 

 

Just a theoretical here but if it weren't for that horrid kizu, would your opinion of the blade change much?

[Grey Doffin]

Not much.

Grey

[Guest reinhard]

First of all, I fully agree with Stephen's and Brian's doubts. I'd like to go one step further and say: This is not a Japanese product at all. Apart from the strange-looking blade itself, the sole mekugi-ana is far beyond proper placement and the nakago's "aging" looks........strange.

 

reinhard

[Brian]

Personally I don't have any doubts it is genuine and Japanese. The nakago has been altered based on its lines, and it is probably o-suriage, and the new ana was badly positioned. No point forging a fake like this, and even with the acid treatment, you can see there is a wakizashi under there. However not worth debating much, as it is past its prime anyways.

I do recommend passing it on and upgrading. Just getting the lines right would be a major expense, and not worth spending money to get a flawed blade out of it.

 

Brian

[remzy]

That is the biggest flaw i have ever seen.

[AndreasU]

That is the biggest flaw i have ever seen.

 

Hmm, then you havn't seen much

 

You should have seen the "nails" they tried to sell here in germany on the "Kassel Waffenbörse" last year in Oktober. There were som gents from the UK who tried to sell oil quenched "This sword was made by one of the few Seki smidths in the time of peace (1942) with patience. There is absolutely no Yokote on this lovely blade and the fumbari was perfectly polished away so that the beautiful kizu's can be seen beside the nice ware, there is a really nice straight hagire which shows the skill of this particular smidth"

knife's for a the peanuts of €1200-1900. The dents in the gunto saya were deeper than some holes on an old Polish road.

 

Beeing someone who likes straight words and thinks that diplomacy is something for someone who is bored, I tried to ask them what they think how stupid someone will be to spend more than €50 for the crap and his answer was that he is selling this on a regulary base in the UK for the same amount of money....

 

Latest then I noticed were some of the beautiful pieces come from some of the members here offer some time....

[paulb]

One wonders why, if he is selling rubbish at inflated prices in the UK he feels the need to travel to Germany?

I havent been to an arms fair in the UK for many years and although the quality of Nihon-To is rarely very high at the general events I have to say I havent often see items of the quality you describe being sold as authentic, repros or anything else.

Please do not take the impression from your experience that:

A) All dealers from the UK are crooks

b) That all dealers from the UK are stupid or

c) All buyers in the UK are stupid

I am pleased to say our proportion of crooks is no greater (regretably no lower either) than anywhere else.

I am sure the same is true of our stupidity.

Regards

Paulb

PS if you hadnt guessed I'm English

[remzy]

Seriously now, that thing looks like its several milimetres deep!!! dont tell me you are seeing this on a regular basis on nihontos, Andreas... if so then i suggest you change your hanging out spot!

[Brian]

[Stephen]

Thanks for that Brian was going to hit it with a move on, much better items to post on.

[slavia631]

Hahaha! Agreed. Thanks again, guys.