First Nihonto

[Srevens]

Hi all, new here but I joined because I recently received my first Nihonto! Pretty excited, its just a wakizashi however and not a full katana but I adore it all the same. I don't really have any information on it since it was a gift, however I think the smith's name is Yukimitsu 行光 looking at the nakago. It lacks any other real information so I'm pretty stuck from there, I'm no where near experienced enough to know smithing schools and characteristics of a nihonto to make an educated guess on its era or smith school, If anyone can help with some information that would be great.

 

But I can admire it, I often get lost looking at the hamon, I just find it amazing to just stare into and the clean lines are just perfect, I never understood how people could stare into seemingly bland paintings for ages, I think I kinda get it now   . Here's a link to the imgur album, please excuse the oil on the last image, I'm currently using a heavy mineral oil and it beads up like that no matter what, currently looking for a lighter oil.

 

- Brandon L

 

https://imgur.com/a/rmXOptM

[Geraint]

Dear Brandon.

 

Welcome to NMB and thank you for sharing your excitement, it's always a great time when you get a new sword.  If you click on the FAQ link at the top of the page there is some guidance on caring for your sword.  You are correct in your translation of Yukimitsu but with just the name it will be a difficult task to narrow it down to a specific smith.  Enjoy the sword and may it be the first of many!

 

All the best.

[paulb]

Hi Brandon

Congratulations on your first sword which is far better than many of us achieved at our first attempt!

As Geraint says the mei is not going to be terribly helpful in the first instance when trying to establish which smith this is. The shape and size will give you a good indication of age.  The hamon is very active, it is quite individual in style and you should start looking for similar. Likewise the nakago is indicative of a number of schools so by identifying and describing the characterisitcs you see there such as the shape of the nakago, the way it tapers, the shape of the tip and any file marks you can see, it should help point you in a particular direction.

As a final point please get the heavy oil off as soon as possible. Ideally if you are going to keep a blade in oil it needs a very light coat of choji oil and if that isn't available something like sewing machine oil has been used as an alternative. Use it sparingly. A heavy oil coat will trap dust and grit which will then sit in the saya and you risk scratching the blade.

enjoy your sword and let us know how you get on identifying features and what you think it might be.

[O-Midare]

Hello Brandon, congratulations on your first Nihonto, I noticed you are in Toronto. We have a sword group that meets at the JCCC (Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre)6 Garamond Court, Toronto, ON, M3C 1Z5, I believe our next meet date is November 16. It's a great group of guys and there is a few members on the NMB. If that is something you would be interested in.

[Alex A]

Well done.

 

The hamon reminds me of Ishido

[Stephen]

Very nice first sword. Second Paul's tip. Just a thin coat of oil. If its beading you have to much oil.

[Rivkin]

Well, its actually quite a weird sword.

Maybe its oil, which can hinder the view, but then we still see nice nioguchi... If as it looks now it has very tight hada, and hamon is very uniform and glassy inside, though in ambitious Ichimonji pattern.. This suggests something late. O-kissaki, boshi is not suguha - this almost certainly not shinto.

But if its shinshinto (say Yokoyama school, "Sukesada" or someone) then why a nijimei and shallow yasurime that disappears at times!

 

Could you please photograph it with oil completely wiped oil (maybe there hada underneath and its Momoyama???) and also photograph the first 5 inches of hamon over the nakago - this section is quite characteristic for many late Ichimonji schools.

 

Kirill R.

[Alex A]

Looks to be iri-yamagata nakagojiri

Still reminded of Ishido.

There was a Kashu Yukimitsu, became a pupil of Ishido, he signed  2 character Yukimitsu (not saying the mei is legit) and the nakago style was the one mentioned.

 

Best i can come up with.

[Stephen]

Definitely not Bizen nakagojiri.

[Rivkin]

Could indeed be some early shinto Ishido style... The condition of nakago is consistent, sometimes they did not use suguha in boshi. Still weird.

 

Kirill R.

[Srevens]

Thank you all for your replies and information, I'll post another album tonight with the oil wiped off.

 

- Brandon L

[Srevens]

Here you go, I'm not sure if they helps but I wiped off the oil as much as possible and took a few more photos in the light. https://imgur.com/a/0HNqjzO

 

Thanks again, 

 

- Brandon L

[Rivkin]

I am sure few or none members here will share my puzzlement, but here it is.

Kaga smiths from the period tend to have very distinctive ending to their nakago, which is not here.

There was Bungo Yukimitsu who did Bizen Ichimonji style, but he started with sugu yakidashi and had suguha in boshi - as almost every respected Bizen enthusiast of the early Edo.

 

I think the possibility of late Edo or gendai blade in Ichimonji style being strengthened with the mei alluding to Oei Yukimitsu, while strange, cannot be completely discarded.

 

Kirill R.

 

Probably erroneous and certainly personal opinion.

[Alex A]

Hi Kirill, it is a tricky one and im not sure either way, 

 

Spent time having a quick look in books and online yesterday, and found a reference somewhere to the Yukimitsu i mention using iri-yamagata, which is what the nakago appears to be.

 

Sometimes with references/material, there is little to go on.

 

There is also a chance the end of the nakago has been reshaped for one reason or another, just speculating.

 

Nakago looks reasonably old to me, but who knows.

 

With lots of time spending on it, in hand,im sure it could be worked out, or maybe just send it to Shinsa.