Whats your thoughts in this blade?

[JD808]

Ok so im a newbie to all of this and I'm aware this is not nihonto atleast to me. But what do yall think of the blade itself as far as craftsmanship? Worth the buy? I'm planning to just house it in shirasaya and wall hang it so to speak what would be the most one should bid on this item? Thanks for the advice  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Uchigatana-19-/174709272166?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

[Rivkin]

That's an interesting example. The polish is completely non-traditional, and one has to wonder whether the forging is also so. The style sort of emulates Nambokucho's Omiya, but there is coarse variation of nie size, with larger pieces shifting towards the ji, something one expects to find in late pieces, etc. etc. It could be a decent shinshinto example, butchered by polish, or it could be something completely non-traditional, but reasonably well done.

[vajo]

Polished blade without habaki. Komonji?

 

The sword is well forged. A lot to see. Really not bad,  but i`m with Kirill could be a new one.

But if you look on the nakago it looks like this was an old sword with cleaned and removed patinated nakago. Maybe it was a ww2 mounted old family sword in a bad condition and some one let it polished by an untrained guy?  There are no filemarks on the nakago but deep scars. On the other hand the nakago ana looks new made.

 

On a deeper view it looks old!

 

 

I would say its an shinshinto sword. But with overpolished nakago. Or the picture is badly made.

 

[JD808]

  On 4/1/2021 at 5:32 PM, vajo said:

Polished blade without habaki. Komonji?

 

The sword is well forged. A lot to see. Really not bad,  but i`m with Kirill could be a new one.

But if you look on the nakago it looks like this was an old sword with cleaned and removed patinated nakago. Maybe it was a ww2 mounted old family sword in a bad condition and some one let it polished by an untrained guy?  There are no filemarks on the nakago but deep scars. On the other hand the nakago ana looks new made.

 

On a deeper view it looks old!

 

 

I would say its an shinshinto sword. But with overpolished nakago. Or the picture is badly made.

 

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Thanks for the help regardless if its old or not I was wondering as to the quality of the forge and am i spending too much on my 450 bid for it? 

[JD808]

  On 4/1/2021 at 4:29 PM, Rivkin said:

That's an interesting example. The polish is completely non-traditional, and one has to wonder whether the forging is also so. The style sort of emulates Nambokucho's Omiya, but there is coarse variation of nie size, with larger pieces shifting towards the ji, something one expects to find in late pieces, etc. etc. It could be a decent shinshinto example, butchered by polish, or it could be something completely non-traditional, but reasonably well done.

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First thanks for your time and insight. Bre with my newbie questions. But the kasane is alittle on the thin side if indeed this is a repolished old sword what are the chances of it having anymore thickness to give if polished again?  

[Rivkin]

  On 4/1/2021 at 6:29 PM, JD808 said:

First thanks for your time and insight. Bre with my newbie questions. But the kasane is alittle on the thin side if indeed this is a repolished old sword what are the chances of it having anymore thickness to give if polished again?  

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If its a traditionally made sword, there is no indication of it being tired. It should survive plenty of polishes.

[vajo]

450 bid is to low. If this is a new one the work is very good. But i belive now its an older blade. Look at the ara nie so much to see in the blade. This will go for much more i think.

[francois2605]

  On 4/1/2021 at 6:48 PM, Rivkin said:

 

If its a traditionally made sword, there is no indication of it being tired. It should survive plenty of polishes.

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The hamachi tells me that this sword is far from its end of life. 

 

[JH Lee]

I believe this is one of the controversial blades from the eBay seller "Komonjo" which has been repolished at some expense, with artificially aged nakago.

[JD808]

  On 4/1/2021 at 8:20 PM, JH Lee said:

I believe this is one of the controversial blades from the eBay seller "Komonjo" which has been repolished at some expense, with artificially aged nakago.

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Hey I read about your post about komonjo after I had bought a blade from him. I knew what I was getting but I didn't know he's been doing this that long.

[JH Lee]

  On 4/1/2021 at 11:42 PM, JD808 said:

Hey I read about your post about komonjo after I had bought a blade from him. I knew what I was getting but I didn't know he's been doing this that long.

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I'm just speculating.  This is one of the nicer ones, it seems.  Whoever is making these is getting better at it... for better or worse.  But there are some details in the pattern of the hamon that I think I recognize as being consistent across a lot of the blades from komonjo.  Specifically, the rounded tips of the choji "bulbs" have a very particular definition and shape.

 

It's worth at least as much as you've bid.  There isn't anything in the reproduction market that comes close to this one.  But if you start approaching the $1K mark on this, I'd say you'd be better off buying some nice tosogu.  Just my 2 cents, such as it is.

[Jwrussell]

This is bare blade, right? So keep in mind the cost of shirasaya and habaki. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

This is a great looking blade, I suspect it isn't an old one but the workmanship is really good. Would be a great project sword to build a fine Koshirae for.

[JD808]

  On 4/2/2021 at 1:12 AM, JH Lee said:

 

I'm just speculating.  This is one of the nicer ones, it seems.  Whoever is making these is getting better at it... for better or worse.  But there are some details in the pattern of the hamon that I think I recognize as being consistent across a lot of the blades from komonjo.  Specifically, the rounded tips of the choji "bulbs" have a very particular definition and shape.

 

It's worth at least as much as you've bid.  There isn't anything in the reproduction market that comes close to this one.  But if you start approaching the $1K mark on this, I'd say you'd be better off buying some nice tosogu.  Just my 2 cents, such as it is.

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Hey thanks yeah I'm the lead bidder but honestly I'm not going over 500. I had to spend enough money to get the komonjo blade a habaki and shirasaya made. And thanks for all your time and advice I'm learning alit from you guys and this forum

[NewB]

In my opinion it Looks great But the color of the steel gives me a gut check for a non Japanese made blade! There are 3 known 'dealers' of these blades within the USA so approach it with caution is my friendly suggestion! 

 

John

[JD808]

  On 4/2/2021 at 3:24 AM, Darkcon said:

In my opinion it Looks great But the color of the steel gives me a gut check for a non Japanese made blade! There are 3 known 'dealers' of these blades within the USA so approach it with caution is my friendly suggestion! 

 

John

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Hey thanks for the advice If it don't get any higher I'm happy but im willing to let go of it lkme that specially knowing what it probably is

[NewB]

  On 4/2/2021 at 3:30 AM, JD808 said:

Hey thanks for the advice If it don't get any higher I'm happy but im willing to let go of it lkme that specially knowing what it probably is

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Ultimately it is your money but some people buy these at less than $200 wholesale a piece - brand new, long and in their original machine oil... and considering the sold auctions I dare say my gut check is accurate!

 

 

John

[JD808]

  On 4/1/2021 at 8:20 PM, JH Lee said:

I believe this is one of the controversial blades from the eBay seller "Komonjo" which has been repolished at some expense, with artificially aged nakago.

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Ok last time about "komonjo" but I noticed he sold like 4 o 5 rusty noho to in shirasau with papers. You think this asiansworddirect. Person who's been selling repolished blades lately buys komonjo old legit rusty stock and polishing them and selling for the high.just speculation of course. But ill shut about him now. And for the record I'm happy with the one blade I bought from him. Until I find my first authentic piece🤞

[Ken-Hawaii]

Nope, it's not one of Mike's blade (Komonjo), although he finds it interesting, but very thin. He's been trying to identify the seller for some time, but hasn't had any luck.

[JH Lee]

  On 4/3/2021 at 1:33 AM, Ken-Hawaii said:

Nope, it's not one of Mike's blade (Komonjo), although he finds it interesting, but very thin. He's been trying to identify the seller for some time, but hasn't had any luck.

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Whoever is making and putting these out, the most prolific reseller has been komonjo.  I'm sure there are others.

[JD808]

  On 4/3/2021 at 12:35 PM, JH Lee said:

 

Whoever is making and putting these out, the most prolific reseller has been komonjo.  I'm sure there are others.

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Exactly although I feel a little guilty buying one and contributing to the bs sellers like this create for people who think there authentic gendaito. Atleast I knew what I was buying from the start I actually heard of this komonjo guy and hi " gendaitos" on Facebook and ots common knowledge there fakes but decent quality if you know which ones to buy and for peanut prices 

[AntiquarianCat]

It looks like it has a lot of nie. I thought that was only something you could get with water quenched swords made in traditional or similar to traditional methods. The kisaki looks nice as well.

If it is a counterfeit then does this mean whoever is making these has gotten so good as to make their forgeries with what were the hallmarks of traditionally made blades? Bad news if that is the case.

[JH Lee]

  On 4/6/2021 at 8:07 PM, AntiquarianCat said:

It looks like it has a lot of nie. I thought that was only something you could get with water quenched swords made in traditional or similar to traditional methods. The kisaki looks nice as well.

If it is a counterfeit then does this mean whoever is making these has gotten so good as to make their forgeries with what were the hallmarks of traditionally made blades? Bad news if that is the case.

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I think something like that has always been inevitable.