Any information on this sword!

[claymoats]

I have been directed here as the place to go for information on my sword. This was found as part of an estate. Any and all information would be appreciated. Also tips on how to get it appraised would rock as well.

[george trotter]

All I can tell you is it is signed 

? ? Ju MoriShige     =   Morishige of ? ? (made this)).

Maybe some alcohol and a soft clean cloth and gently clean off some of that dried oil/grease?

Regards,

[Geraint]

Dear Clay.

 

This has possibilities so go very carefully.  As George suggests to clean but do nothing else, condition is all and ruining a sword is terrifyingly easy to do.  If you can give us a length from tip to the notch on the back of the blade where it finishes inside the habaki, the blade collar that would be useful, as would a shot of the whole blade from 90 degrees side view.

 

Welcome to NMB. loads of expertise and advice here.  Enjoy the ride.

 

All the best.

[Dave R]

 Things that can be told, it's in a shirasaya (storage mount) and that coupled with the engraved habaki tells us that someone valued the blade.

 The nakago aka tang is signed and has a fair build up of patina, indicating that it is of some age.

 

 Things that can be done, clean the grease of the blade, and remove the habaki for the next photo's. Do not use abrasives on any part of it at all. Post photos of the writing on the tang blade up in the way that page one of this site tells you!

 

 To take a clearer picture of the signature try dusting it with talcum powder. Take close up pictures og the point of the blade, and of the area covered by the habaki.

[vajo]

Please oil it carefully - only the blade not the nakago (handle).

And dont touch the blade with bare hands - only the nakago.

[SteveM]

桑名住盛重

Kuwana-jū Morishige

 

(using obscure variants of 桑 and 名)

[claymoats]

Adding more photos to this thread for y'all. I really appreciate the help thus far. I would prefer not to clean it up as I really don't want to mess anything up.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Clay, please read https://to-ken.uk/resources/sword%20etiquette.html You live in a high-humidity area, so please put a thin form of oil on everything except the handle, & put it back in the case.

 

From its shape, your blade could have been made from late Muromachi to early Shinto, or about 1550-1650, There were many generations of Morishge, so although your blade looks ubu (unshortened) it's hard to be sure without shots of the completely-bare blade.

 

There's no way to estimate a value without good photos. The ones you posted are okay, but don't show the details we need. Check out the NMB For Sale area for ideas on what we need.

 

Hope this helps.

[Surfson]

Hi Clay.  The very good news is that the person who put it away coated it with a thick layer of axle grease or some other heavy grease.  With any luck, the blade will be in a decent state of polish under the grease.  I have pretty good success with a product called Nevr-dull, which is essentially cotton mesh (like cotton balls) that is impregnated with petroleum naptha, which is a light degreaser.  It has nearly no abrasive quality and will remove that caked on grease very well.  A can of the original costs less than ten bucks on Amazon.  Another option is to get some acetone and use a soft cotton cloth.  Be sure to do it outside or in a well ventilated area as acetone is very volatile and flammable as well as not good to inhale.  Note, some other NMB members may disagree about the Nevr-dull, but I have never found it to scratch a blade and only use it on blades such as this that will ultimately need a polish.  I have had nothing but good success with it.  

[Surfson]

Note that the above refers only to the part of the sword that has a cutting edge.  Please leave the tang untouched as the rusty patina is desirable and the grease does not appear to have been put on the tang.  Many of the GIs coated their blades with such grease and it did a great job of preventing rust over the last 70 years.  

[claymoats]

I would love to sell this sword to someone who can appreciate and take good care of it. If interested at all pm me on here or email me at cleemoats@gmail.com

[Jamie]

Why would we suggest a product not intended for swords, like nevr-dull?

I think we should stick to suggesting light machine oil personally. The other is abrasive.

[David Flynn]

  Most people in the Nihonto world know about Neverdull.  I also saw a can of it, sitting on Tsurita San (Aoe Arts) desk.

[Brian]

I use NevR Dull myself on knives and militaria, and if I sword isn't in polish (don't use anything on a sword in polish) I cannot see it doing any damage at all.
Even on high polish custom knives, it is impossible to scratch them unless you let some grit get into the wadding. Anyways...on out of polish stuff with stains, it can't hurt.

 

[Jamie]

Maybe I’m thinking of a different product. Seems it accepted sorry for my comment

 

Personally though I’d only use oil and polishers uchiko to clean

[Dave R]

 Regarding the nakago, as with everything else there are different opinions on oiling and not oiling.  Traditionally the nakago is is not oiled, but as has been pointed out, times change and we no longer use these pieces in combat. NB, the author of the below article is highly respected in the Nihonto community.

 

Oil your nakago – The Cutting Edge

[Ray Singer]

The only issue I have with Nevr-Dull is that it produces bright, shiny spots in the polish of a blade when used to clear areas of corrosion. In the case of your sword, I might try Isopropyl alcohol first to see if that removes the oil/grease coating.

[george trotter]

Yes, I agree, isopropyl alcohol is the starting point IMO.

Regards,

[Bazza]

... Personally though I’d only use oil and polishers uchiko to clean

Which polisher's uchiko??  In my experience the sort of commercial uchiko one buys leaves hike - fine scratches that degrade the polish over time.  I see it a lot in photographs of swords for sale.  I never use it.  NEVER.  Do a search for discussions on uchiko on the Board.  Once your eyes are "tuned in" hike is a common sight.

 

BaZZa.

[kissakai]

This is a seller in Japan the Paul Martin said was worth looking into and speakes English very well

 

 

info@namikawa-ltd.co.jp <info@namikawa-ltd.co.jp>

 

You can do a search for Namikawa

[Dave R]

 I buy from Namikawa a fair bit, and got my Uchiko from them, but have no intention of using it on a blade in polish..... but not every blade is in polish! There is that state, where you need to do a serious clean to see if it's worth going any further. One thing about using Uchiko on an out of polish blade, is that you are doing nothing to it that was not done to it before.

 

 I have also seen people recommend Tsunogo, which can also be bought from Namikawa... who also accept Paypal! 

 

https://www.namikawa-ltd.com/product/72