Please help translate signature

[Kgee7732]

Hi all, any information or the translation of this blade will be greatly appreciated. Handed down from my grandfather. 
Thanks in advance 

Kris 

[xiayang]

岩井一前 = Iwai Ichizen

[Nobody]

若井一前 - Wakai Ichizen

[xiayang]

1 hour ago, Nobody said:

若井一前 - Wakai Ichizen

 

You're right indeed, thank you.

 

Possibly an error in Sesko's Swordsmiths of Japan then?

Quote

ICHIZEN (一前), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Ichizen” (一前), real name Iwai Tokuichi (岩井徳市), he worked as a guntō smith

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Hi Kris!

We'd enjoy seeing a couple shots of the blade and the whole rig, if possible!

 

The small stamp near the top is the large Seki stamp of the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association.  It was a civilian organization that inspected blades for quality.  They used this stamp from 1940 to 1945, but the great majority of them were made in 1942, just to give you an idea of the age of your blade.

[mecox]

Kris and Jan,   Moriyama san is correct, the tosho is:    一前 Ichizen   若井 徳市  Wakai Tokuichi, who was a Seki smith, and likely worked in an arsenal.  Seki stamp on blade suggests around 1942.  Looks to be born Meiji 40 (1907) February 1 (report print is not clear).  He was from Kamo-gun, Sakaewa-mura and registered as a Seki smith in Showa 16 (1941) December 11, age around 34.   Based on this there is a misread of one kanji in Sesko; this is very easy to do.  "waka" has 2 strokes on top 若 ; "iwa" has 3 , like "yama"  岩.　Very little information available. Kamo is now a district to the east of Seki.