help with mei please

[Mark]

i have a tanto. i would have thought it was Shinshinto unless the nakago has been cleaned.  The mei seems hard to see especially the last kanji of the makers name

 

all help appreciated!!

 

i think i see Chikushu? JU ???  ???

 

thanks

mark

[Bugyotsuji]

A couple more shots under different lighting conditions/angles would surely help clarify this, Mark.

[Ray Singer]

Mark, I am going to take a wild guess below.

TSUGUHIDE (次秀), Bunkyū (文久, 1861-1864), Hitachi – “Hitachi Kasama-jū Tsuguhide” (常陸笠間住次秀), according to tradition the son of the Genji-era (元治, 1864-1865) Hosaka Masatsugu (保坂正次)

[Mark]

Thanks Ray!  Piers I posted a changed picture. I will get additional a bit later 

 

thanks again mark 

[Mark]

[Bugyotsuji]

That's great. Thanks Mark. I think Ray nailed it, but that was a TOUGH one!

[Mark]

thanks to both for the help. it was challenging, makes sense and time period is right. i appreciate the help

 

mark