Research Aides - Brick wall!!!

[SwordGuyJoe]

All,

A while back, I posted a request for translation assistance - viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5020. Koichi-san helped me out and let me know that the smith was Isachi Kanehiro (伊佐地兼弘) and gave me a link where he is listed as a Seki Smith (http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/seki.htm) - and that is about as much information that I can find on the guy. I have a Ichihara Nagamitsu (signed Ichiryushi), Nagamura Kiyonobu, Koa Isshin Mantetsu, Kumazawa Kanetoshi, and a Ikami Sadahiro. I can find something on each of them online or in my reference books. I have the out of print "Swordsmith's of Japan 1926-1945", by Fuller and Gregory, Slough's book of Oshigata, and Hawleys (not much help on Showa era, I know).

 

Maybe I am lucky on the other blades that there is a lot to find and this one I am just out of luck, but not willing to throw in the towel quite yet. Does anyone have any suggestions, whether it is websites, books, etc.? I would like to have a little bit more to hang my hat on that a single link. Thanks everyone!

[pcfarrar]

There is very little information avaliable on the vast majority of showa period Seki smiths. The only other books to try are the Toko Taikan, Gendai Toko Meikan and Gendaito Meisaku Zukan. As Isachi Kanehiro isn't a highly rated smith he probably wont be in them.

Buy a Kasama Shigetsugu, Amada Sadayoshi etc. next and you'll have plenty of material to research.