Authenticity of Katana

[hertzyinmn]

Hello, I am not looking for any specific information but I really would like to know if this sword is a Meiji period sword as it was described in the auction. These are the only pics  for now until It gets to me . I won this sword and I know there are many fakes . Most of the characters are covered in rust . Any thoughts comments appreciated , Thanks 

[ROKUJURO]

Mark,

welcome to the NMB forum!

To make a comment and an assessment easier, it would help to show the photos of the blade always tip-upwards. The red rust on the NAKAGO does not allow to read the signature except one KANJI which looks like 'HISA'. In this case, it might be a good idea to wrap the tang in a rag and soak it with low viscosity machine oil. Then it will hopefully be possible to brush most of the red rust off with a soft brush. Then it may also be possible to slide down the HABAKI for better photos of the NAKAGO.

The blade above the HABAKI appears very dark in the pictures, and I am afraid it might have suffered a chemical treatment (etching). There is something visible that may be a SUGUHA HAMON, but in this condition it is difficult to decide. 

An expert (I think we have members in Minnesota) should see this in hand for a better judgement, but for the moment I can only say that the sword looks like a WWII item and not like a replica or fake.

[xiayang]

Looks like

 

兼久 = Kanehisa

[vajo]

7 hours ago, xiayang said:

Looks like

 

兼久 = Kanehisa

 

See the same.

[hertzyinmn]

Thanks I will get some pics when I get time that will do justice, Thanks for your time 

[Bruce Pennington]

Mark,

You might already know, but the brown/blue tassel is for company grade (Capt's & Lt's) officers.  The leather covered saya (scabbard) was often the fittings used on older civil blades, however officers also used them on modern WWII blades, so hard to just go by that.  The nakago (tang) looks longer than the usual WWII blade.  Like to hear some nihonto guys give some opinions on that.

The rust, while heavy, doesn't look that old.  I have several WWII Kanehisa blades on file, including some that are RJT star-stamped.  Like Jean Collin said, I'd get some oil and a deer antler and see if some of that orange rust will come off.  You can buy deer antlers at pet stores.  They've been cut in half and have good straight edges for such work.  It's the only method I've heard of that is approved by the sword community for removing rust.

[Stephen]

Before a tool is used just use a lightly oiled rag wipe down changing fold on each wipe.

That way your not running rust particles back over it. If its covered with layers that are flaky take a wood spoon or hammer and lightly tap to see if they come off then oil it.

[Stephen]

Took ten tries to post that ....bills must be due for web host 😂

[Rivkin]

Its a late blade (long nakago with very deep and widely spaced yasurime which is patinated but now covered by recent agressive red rust), possibly Showa, in not a stellar condition. Yes its real, yes the signature is most likely real too, the name is not  uncommon.

From M.Sesko's book:

KANEHISA (兼久), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanehisa” (兼久), real name Niwa Kihachi (丹羽喜八), his family name Niwa is sometimes also quoted with the characters (丹波), born December 6th 1908, younger brother of Murayama Kanetoshi (村山兼俊), he worked as a rikugun-jumei-tōshō and died January 1st 1989, jōkō no retsu (Akihide), Third Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)

 

Quite possibly this guy, not too many who signed nijimei.

[John C]

You can also get bone burnishers for leather working on Amazon. They come in different shapes.

John C.