Wakizashi swords translation

[Copycat]

Hello All, 

 

Could any of you assist me or teach me how to translate the below signatures?

 

I would like to learn the background of the  swords I own. 

 

Wakizashi 1

[Copycat]

Wakizashi 2 

Side 1

[Copycat]

Wakizashi 2

Side 2

[Copycat]

Wakizashi 3

 

Thank you.

 

Kind regards,

[Bugyotsuji]

Where to start. Several of the following are, or should be, covered in a basic handling list.

 

Kees, black rust is good, keep it on, red rust is bad, don't get them wet!

 

Can you get the same orientation as the top one for all of these nakago shots?

 

Starting at the top, W1., you have three sections, the area, the town where the swordsmith worked, and his name.

備州　Bishu is a wide area of west Honshu that covers, Bizen, Bitchu and Bingo.　Very faint and difficult for anyone to read.

長船 Osafune is the most famous sword manufacturing village community in this area.

住 Ju (or sumi) indicates the smith was living/working there at the time.

祐定 Sukesada were a famous house/family of smiths that spread out over several generations. They varied in quality from mass-production to sublime quality.

 

[ROKUJURO]

NAKAGO 1: BISHU OSAFUNE JU SUKESADA

The other photos should be showns vertically (tip-up) to make reading easier.

[Copycat]

Hi All,

 

Thank you so much.

 

I will need to make new pictures and will be posting them in a minute. 

[Copycat]

[Copycat]

[Copycat]

[Copycat]

  On 4/1/2023 at 12:49 PM, Bugyotsuji said:

Where to start. Several of the following are, or should be, covered in a basic handling list.

 

Kees, black rust is good, keep it on, red rust is bad, don't get them wet!

 

Can you get the same orientation as the top one for all of these nakago shots?

 

Starting at the top, W1., you have three sections, the area, the town where the swordsmith worked, and his name.

備州　Bishu is a wide area of west Honshu that covers, Bizen, Bitchu and Bingo.　Very faint and difficult for anyone to read.

長船 Osafune is the most famous sword manufacturing village community in this area.

住 Ju (or sumi) indicates the smith was living/working there at the time.

祐定 Sukesada were a famous house/family of smiths that spread out over several generations. They varied in quality from mass-production to sublime quality.

 

Expand  

 

Thank you for for the detailed information. I will try to remove the red rust and keep them dry.

 

It was raining outside for the pictures. 

[Copycat]

For anyone interested. The full pictures of the incomplete wakizashi swords in question:

 

Wakizashi 1

[Copycat]

Wakizashi 2 

[Copycat]

Wakizashi 3

[Mark S.]

Not sure why you would bring them outside in the rain?  Water and blades don’t mix.  While not fatal, please make sure to do everything to limit any further possible issues.
 

Step 1: DO NOT put blades back in sayas wet or even damp.  Wipe everything down with soft dry clean cloth or tissue.  Let everything dry out completely and when you think it is dry, wait longer.  Wood and other softer items tend to soak up and hold water much longer than we think.

 

Step 2: Wipe blades down with highest percentage isopropyl alcohol you can obtain.

 

Step 3: Oil blades lightly.  Search NMB for oil recommendations.

 

Step 4: Do not attempt red rust removal until you do a bunch of research here at NMB on proper techniques.  Trying to do it quickly or incorrectly will do more damage.  

[Copycat]

  On 4/1/2023 at 2:33 PM, Mark S. said:

Not sure why you would bring them outside in the rain?  Water and blades don’t mix.  While not fatal, please make sure to do everything to limit any further possible issues.
 

Step 1: DO NOT put blades back in sayas wet or even damp.  Wipe everything down with soft dry clean cloth or tissue.  Let everything dry out completely and when you think it is dry, wait longer.  Wood and other softer items tend to soak up and hold water much longer than we think.

 

Step 2: Wipe blades down with highest percentage isopropyl alcohol you can obtain.

 

Step 3: Oil blades lightly.  Search NMB for oil recommendations.

 

Step 4: Do not attempt red rust removal until you do a bunch of research here at NMB on proper techniques.  Trying to do it quickly or incorrectly will do more damage.  

Expand  

Thank you for your concern, but please do not worry. I will follow your steps .

[SteveM]

Inscription on the second sword

 

Front:

紀新大夫末河内守源行平

Kishin Dayū sue Kawachi-no-kami Minamoto Yukihira 

Yukihira, Lord of Kawachi Province, descendant of Kishin Dayū  ("Lord of Kawachi Province" is an honorary title, kind of like OBE or MBE)

 

Back:

貞享大月日 

Jōkyō Ōtsuki-no-hi

This is suggested with some reservation, so wait to see if any corrections or alternative suggestions come in.

Jōkyō is a Japanese era name (corresponds to 1684-1688). What follows is slightly more confusing. It is normal to see an era name + number + month + day. The inscription on this sword just has the era name, with no year inscribed, which is unusual. I'm unsure of the month, as Ōtsuki is not a normal name for a month. It could mean October - Ōtsuki is a poetic name for October - but it is highly unusual. 

 

Overall I'm suspicious because of the above idiosyncrasies, and because of the rust in the grooves of the inscription, which makes me think the inscription is new, relative to the rest of the sword. As you may know, forgeries are extremely common in the sword world, and sword inscriptions have been forged for centuries. 

 

Your other sword says 

廣信作

Hironobu saku

Made by Hironobu