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Update on Wakizashi

Misterbovigoren
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Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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Hello all, I'm back with an update on a wakizashi I acquired a few years ago. I started a thread that can be seen here: 

 to ask about the origins and authenticity of this wakizashi blade. Since then, I have had the blade polished and a shira saya made for it, and i'm basically wondering if any of you more knowledgeable folks on here can offer your opinions on the possible origins of this blade now that more of its features (hamon, hada, boshi, etc) are visible. I was offered a possible explanation for whom the Smith may have been related to, as well as a time era for said Smith, but I'm wondering if the features of the blade align with this info, or if it appears to be from a different time period than previously thought? Thanks a ton for any thoughts you're able to offer 😊

New images of the polished blade can be seen here:

 

https://imgur.com/gallery/N1CslJ3

 

 

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Rivkin Veteran

Rivkin

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The polish looks untraditional, a lesser version of what Dave Hoffine does.

Sugata-wise it has 1650 feel, beefy, wide, straight but not Kambun yet.

Basically sugu boshi also hints towards shinto.

Steel has shinto feel.

Hamon has a bit of late Muromachi Mino style look, but this style was used by very many. Can be Etchu/Kashu/Echizen Seki etc.etc.

Still I believe the work is from 1650s. Regarding the smith's origin, I am not sure but its not going to be the first or second tier name, chu-jo saku or chu-saku.

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Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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  On 11/11/2023 at 2:46 AM, Rivkin said:

The polish looks untraditional, a lesser version of what Dave Hoffine does.

Sugata-wise it has 1650 feel, beefy, wide, straight but not Kambun yet.

Basically sugu boshi also hints towards shinto.

Steel has shinto feel.

Hamon has a bit of late Muromachi Mino style look, but this style was used by very many.

Still I believe the work is from 1650s. Regarding the smith's origin, I am not sure but its not going to be the first or second tier name, chu-jo saku or chu-saku.

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Awesome, thank you so much for your input! For reference, Josiah Boomershine is the person who did the polish for me. 

Stephen Grand Master

Stephen

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Posted

Really hard to tell from those pix.

 

Learn to take photos an post here and not on that image site...after getting around ad's I quit viewing and left.

 

One polish can't be judged from that lighting on a white background. 

 

Proper photos required. 

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Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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  On 11/11/2023 at 10:55 AM, Stephen said:

Really hard to tell from those pix.

 

Learn to take photos an post here and not on that image site...after getting around ad's I quit viewing and left.

 

One polish can't be judged from that lighting on a white background. 

 

Proper photos required. 

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Understood, thank you for your input! I will work on that tomorrow when I am more fully awake, right now it's 3:00am here and I'm feeding my newborn 😅

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Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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  On 11/11/2023 at 10:55 AM, Stephen said:

Really hard to tell from those pix.

 

Learn to take photos an post here and not on that image site...after getting around ad's I quit viewing and left.

 

One polish can't be judged from that lighting on a white background. 

 

Proper photos required. 

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Hello Stephen! I hope this is helpful, thank you for the advice. 

Stephen Grand Master

Stephen

Posted
Posted

Passing on commenting after recent post I find insulting to further your education in Nihonto.

 

Sorry if someone here told you, you should have it polished. 

 

You know the ol adage about silk purse?

 

 

Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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  On 11/12/2023 at 5:30 AM, Stephen said:

Passing on commenting after recent post I find insulting to further your education in Nihonto.

 

Sorry if someone here told you, you should have it polished. 

 

You know the ol adage about silk purse?

 

 

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I'm afraid I don't understand the first bit of your comment. As far as the last two sentences, you're saying I can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear? I was never under the impression that this sword was very valuable, or desirable, beyond something for me to look at and study. I just wanted to know more about it.  Thank you for your input a and guidance!

Rivkin Veteran

Rivkin

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Posted

Can be a bit earlier than I originally thought but does not make a lot of difference.

Having nothing against untraditional polishes of this type, except they are and do look a bit cheap.

 

In Japan you can get go man yen polish with hadori so thick there is nothing to see, ju man en polish where it can work out well on some blades but its still done in dealer's own shop etc..

Now in the US there are couple of people doing rough and tough polish - as long as they stick to lower blades, iai showato especially, don't want to cause them any trouble. 

In principle no element here is subdued or distorted so the polish still allows for reasonable assesment.

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Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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  On 11/12/2023 at 7:46 AM, Rivkin said:

Can be a bit earlier than I originally thought but does not make a lot of difference.

Having nothing against untraditional polishes of this type, except they are and do look a bit cheap.

 

In Japan you can get go man yen polish with hadori so thick there is nothing to see, ju man en polish where it can work out well on some blades but its still done in dealer's own shop etc..

Now in the US there are couple of people doing rough and tough polish - as long as they stick to lower blades, iai showato especially, don't want to cause them any trouble. 

In principle no element here is subdued or distorted so the polish still allows for reasonable assesment.

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Thank you for the information! I reached out to a couple of togi that I found online, I can't remember exactly who since it has been a few years, but they all either didn't reply, or flat out told me "No, the signature is probably fake" and wouldn't take on the project, hence, me finding Mr. Boomershine. All I knew about him at the time was that some people gave him really good reviews and he was a gentleman to speak to so I had him work on the blade for me. Any recommendations for who to reach out to for a future project I have? Thanks again for everything! 

BjornLundin Community Regular

BjornLundin

Posted
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For advice, please add photos in the nihonto section then you may get an opinion if there is any value to have it restored professionaly by a togishi. Otherwise just let it be. There is advice on the board to relatively safely treat a rusty sword or pass it on. My 5 cents 

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Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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For what it's worth, I don't see any of you as elitist. You are doing a wonderful and noble thing here with this forum. I appreciate you all very much. Thank you for lending me your ears and minds. 

Larason2 Community Regular

Larason2

Posted
Posted

I actually think Mr. Boomershine did a pretty good job. It's a bit rough, but it's a real sashikomi. Should have spent more time on the finest stones, and not pushed so hard on the chu nagura, then he would have gotten more hada. For the Hadori hamon finish, he should have followed the lines of the hamon more, as it is, he just polished a straight line with the hazuya and there it is. He did use nugui, however. He should have used a different jizuya and spent more time on it, didn't pick up the hada much at all. So it's kind of an amateur polish, but not a bad one by a long stretch.

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Brian

Brian

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All I know about him is that he has had some fairly decent comments about his work from people I trust. Not recommending or criticizing his work, just mentioning that he has done some ok work.

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ckaiserca Proficient

ckaiserca

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I think a key thing to remember is you can usually get a very nice blade in very good condition for less money than the price of buying a mediocre blade and having it polished. Sometimes, you find a real diamond in the rough that is worth having a restoration done on, but many (most?) blades that have been allowed to rust in someone's attic are probably not worth the effort and expense of a good quality polish.

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Misterbovigoren Contributor

Misterbovigoren

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  On 11/12/2023 at 6:46 PM, Larason2 said:

I actually think Mr. Boomershine did a pretty good job. It's a bit rough, but it's a real sashikomi. Should have spent more time on the finest stones, and not pushed so hard on the chu nagura, then he would have gotten more hada. For the Hadori hamon finish, he should have followed the lines of the hamon more, as it is, he just polished a straight line with the hazuya and there it is. He did use nugui, however. He should have used a different jizuya and spent more time on it, didn't pick up the hada much at all. So it's kind of an amateur polish, but not a bad one by a long stretch.

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Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Would it be alright with you if I pass this message along to him?

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