Help with a Craigslist find

[RodneyM]

Hello Everyone

Took a chance on a cheap blade that showed up on Craigslist.  I'm pretty new to all of this so I'd appreciate any information on what I've found

Blade length 70.5cm

Total length 95cm

 

Thank You

Rodney

 

[Katsujinken]

Hi Rodney,

 

This is not an authentic Japanese sword. It is especially obvious looking at the nakago (tang).

[RodneyM]

Oh Well, 

Better stick to NMB for my second purchase

 

Thanks

Rodney

[Peter Bleed]

Well, gee, Rodney, welcome to the world of free kantei. I have to say that I do NOT agree with  Michael - at least not completely. My guess (!) is that this may be a "Japanese" blade albeit not a "samurai sword." The proportions are all screwed up, but the geometry is pretty good. The tang ( oh pardon me, tsk, tsk) the "nakago" is strangely long and it has got a filled hole, but it looks to me like typical Seki treatment. And it sure doesn't  "look" Chinese at least it doesn't look like recent Chinese fakery. I could believe that this is some manner of an early Showa-to or conceivably something made in China during the pre-War 20th century.

I also would concur that you had best stick with the NMB!

Peter

[Katsujinken]

Good points of course Peter. I should have been more specific: it's not a traditionally made Japanese sword, which I think i what Rodney hoped he was buying.

 

What do you make of the misaligned machi?

[raynor]

Not the worst I've seen but enough red flags to say stay away. No smith nor polisher worth their salt would let that kinda kissaki, or lack of, out the shop for instance.

[Tom Darling]

I'd like to know if you have the seppa tsuba that would fit this blade?

 

 

Tom D.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Rodney, no matter how bad a blade it might be, do NOT set it down on concrete!

 

I agree with Peter that it's a "real" Japanese blade, but, as others have pointed out, the geometry is weird, to say the least. Does it look like someone has ground down one side of the nakago, by any chance?

[AntiquarianCat]

It looks like the yokote is missing. Is that something can happen due to extreme abuse? And is that a fatal flaw?

[RodneyM]

Thanks Everyone

It did come with a tsuba. I will post a coupe more photos of everything when I get home from a camping trip.

 

Rodney

[Geraint]

Dear Juan.

 

A partial answer to your question.  The yokote is a somewhat subtle thing and can easily become blurred or obliterated by, for example, someone 'cleaning up the surface rust'.  It is sometimes useful to see if you can detect where it would start at the ha.  In this case there is no discernable evidence that the sword ever had one, that could be a sign that it never had one and indicate that it is not Japanese, or it could be because it has seen some damage.

 

If all else is sound then a good polisher should be able to recreate the yokote having reformed the geometry of the area.  If that is the case then it would not be  a fatal flaw.

 

All the best.

[16k]

I believe it is real too. Takanome yasurime points towards Seki. Not very old going By the patina. WeirD  machi. Perhaps some bubba modified it. Strange sword.

[ChrisW]

Looks almost like a Murato... perhaps heavily backyard-butchered by some Bubba as JP suggests?

[Tom Darling]

Mune-machi & Ha-machi are not in line.  

 

 

Tom D.

[Ganko]

Chinese copies are noted for  large offsets in the machis on their swords. This is because they don't make a habaki in the proper way.

This sword is most likely a Chinese imitation.

[Babu]

I had a Paul Chen 14 years ago looked exactly the same.exept mine was in full koshirae and far better condition.Tip broke off 15mm during Tameshigiri.