Gunto translation

[sbf]

Usually I am able to crack these but this one has me stumped. It’s a gunto, has the small Nagoya stamp. The blade appears to have grain, but I think the hamon is faked in. I believe the signature to be either Kanechika, Kanemichi, maybe Kanenao. Any ideas?

[mecox]

Its a hard one, possibly KANEYASU   兼安

[Bruce Pennington]

I don't have any Kaneyasu blades that are stamped (yet?).  But yours doesn't match the Kanemichi nor Kanenao on file.

 

I found this other Kaneyasu.  Not exactly the same, but clearly both mei played loosely with the "yasu".  You could be right Mal.  Where's @SteveM?

 

[Nobody]

I think Kanesada (兼定).

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

兼定 (Kanesada) 岡田 定男, a Seki Kaji Tosho. It's a good fit with the description of the sword and style of Mei.

[Bruce Pennington]

I have several Kanesada on file.  Kanji style seems to vary considerably with him, so this wouldn't surprise me.

 

[The Blacksmith]

Two possibilities that perhaps spring to mind are Kaneryu or Kanemata, perhaps unlikely, but a possibility.  Sorry that I cannot post the kanji.

 

Russ

[ROKUJURO]

Bruce,

these are probably different smiths. The left-side NAKAGO says OKADA KANESADA if I am not mistaken. Not script variations of the same smith.

[Bruce Pennington]

Sorry to hijack your post, Steve!

 

Sesko has 2 Kanesada listed for WWII:

KANESADA (兼定), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanesada” (兼定), real name Okada Sadao (岡田定男), born September 9th 1905, he worked as a guntō smith and died September 1st 1966, ryōkō no jōi (Akihide)
KANESADA (兼定), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanesada” (兼定), real name Ōno Hiromi (大野広美), he studied at Watanabe Kanenaga´s (渡辺兼永) place Watanabe Kanenaga Nihontō Tanren Juku (渡辺兼永日本刀鍛錬塾) and worked as a guntō smith

 

So the one on the left is Okada Kanesada.  Can anyone translate the blade on the right?  Slough lists a Furukawa Kanesada, and this sort of looks like him.  Slough lists, in English, several of his mei.  If I could get this one, it may match one of them.

[sbf]

Wow. Seeing the diversity of opinions, I don’t feel so bad about being stumped. Now I have further avenues to research. 
Thanks to all.

 

      Steve