Two hole on the Tang

[Karl McEneaney]

Hello all. 
I've recently considered purchasing a samurai blade and I've being trying to find out why the tang would have 2 holes for the Mekugi.. As one of them is extremely off centre. The blade has the Seki stamp. Any help or explanation for this would be much appreciated 

[Geraint]

Dear Karl.

 

Welcome to NMB!  First of all, you say that you are looking for a samurai blade but that this one has a Seki stamp which means that in most people's eyes this would not fit that description being non traditionally made well after the end of the samurai.

 

As to the two mekugi ana, you are right to be questioning that, one is way out of line.  Looking at the somewhat odd alignment of the tsuka, the hilt, I wonder if that has been replaced?  It is quite hard to see how the nakago fits into the tsuka at all.  You would probably be able to tell with the sword in hand.  Given all this and that most of the fittings are missing from the saya then you certainly wouldn't want to be paying much for this.

 

All the best.

[Bruce Pennington]

No idea about the holes, either, Karl, but thanks for the Seki stamped blade by Ichishin for my files!!!  I have seen a few of his blades, over the years, but only one other with the large Seki and one with a Na.

 

Like Geraint said, the tsuka is at an odd angle, and the added wrapping, it looks like it was damaged and this is the resultant repair attempt.  Hard to know if it was wartime or not.

[Bruce Pennington]

Just for the FTI, Markus Sesko pronounced this as "Isshin":

ISSHIN (一心), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Isshin” (一心), real name Tanigawa Yoshiharu (谷川慶治), he died on November 1st 1945 and worked as a guntō smith

[Karl McEneaney]

Thanks a million for the reply Bruce and Geraint. I suppose I use samurai blade in a generic catch all term. 
the sword belongs to a friend of mine in work and I've taken off the Tsuka to inspect the tang myself. I was thinking, could the blade itself be of an older vintage and refitted with Shin gunto  Tsuka and tsuba hence the two hole. They don't appear to be drilled but appear to be forge punched as both holes are irregular in shape

[Geraint]

Dear Karl.

 

In this case no, the blade is not older, it is what it purports to be which is a Seki blade from WWII.  Older blades in Shingunto koshirae do not have the Seki stamp.  Often older blades are shortened and the result is more than one mekugi ana but that is not what has happened here.

 

Just to give you some idea of what is out there compare this one, albeit with a repainted saya. http://www.firearmsc...th=59&product_id=226

 

All the best.

[mecox]

Karl, yes definitely  WW2 and he registered as a Seki swordsmith on Showa 16 (1941) September 12.  No record of date of birth, but died in Showa 20 (1945).