SwordGuyJoe Posted March 28, 2010 Report Posted March 28, 2010 All, I was hoping someone might be able to help me with a Rikugun Jumei Tosho named Yasumoto Norimitsu. I know he was a RJT smith and found his mei on Dr. Stein's site (http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/norimits.jpg), but does anyone else have any more info on him? Thanks in advance. Quote
k morita Posted March 28, 2010 Report Posted March 28, 2010 Hi, Yasumoto Norimitsu 安本徳光, His real name was Yasumoto Norisada 安本徳定 ,lived Iwate prefecture. [Tosho Zenshu] on page 639 . Morita Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted March 28, 2010 Author Report Posted March 28, 2010 Thank you so much. WOuld you be comfortable sharing a scan of the book you reference? I am trying to find him all over the place, but with little luck. I found he is the father and sensei of modern swordsmith Yasumoto Akira (Go: Masamitsu) . If google is translating correctly, he is the brother of Rikugun Jumei Tosho swordsmith Yasumoto Yoshimitsu - and perhaps trained him? (http://www.heiseimeitokai.com/sell/sell_47.html) If anyone else is able to provide more, I would be very appreciative. Quote
george trotter Posted March 28, 2010 Report Posted March 28, 2010 Hi Sword Guy Joe, I found a little extra information to add to Morita san's answer... but there is not much info on him. First, he is listed in Hawley 1981 as NOR 513 in Iwate Prefecture, 1940. Signed Oshu Gosho Ju Norimitsu Saku Kore. In Ono GTKSS 1971 p.68 he is given a brief mention as part of the Iwate Yasumoto swordsmith family line as follows: Yasumoto Noriharu, b.Mei 37, signed Oshu Gosho ju Minamoto Yoshimitsu. He was RJT and studied under his father? Yasumoto Kinzo (or Kanemasa?) and also swordsmiths Yoshihara Kuniiye, shodai Kato Sukekuni, Miyairi Akihira (all very good).. This Yoshimitsu had a younger brother Yasumoto Norimitsu (Morita san says personal name was Norisada) (this is your guy), no other info. Your Norimitsu had a son Yasumoto Tadashi who worked post-war and signed Gensho. He studied from his father Norimitsu and his uncle Yoshimitsu and was chosen in the first Shinsakumeito Exhibition. That's about all I found...mention of his grandfather, brother and his son, but almost nothing on him...sorry. Regards, George. Quote
george trotter Posted March 28, 2010 Report Posted March 28, 2010 Joe, I checked your link and Yasumoto Akira might be my Yasumoto Tadashi, I think it can be read both ways (my reading probably wrong though).. It says I think that Yoshimitsu is his uncle and Norimitsu is his father....which fits the info from Ono. George. Quote
k morita Posted March 28, 2010 Report Posted March 28, 2010 Sanks George san, scand [Tosho Zenshu] on page 639 Quote
george trotter Posted March 29, 2010 Report Posted March 29, 2010 Thanks Kiyoshi san. Joe, this link by Morita san confirms that your Norimitsu is RJT and his personal name was Norisada. George. Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted March 29, 2010 Author Report Posted March 29, 2010 Thank you both so very much for your assistance. It is greatly appreciated. Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted December 13, 2011 Author Report Posted December 13, 2011 All, I finally have some updated photo's of the polish on my Norimitsu. See attached. This is one of the most impressive blades I have ever seen (selfishly motivated by the fact that it is mine). I think the sashikomi is well executed and looks very good. Shows beautiful activity through the hamon and flowing into the boshi. Also as a point of reference, the blade is big and beefy resembling the sugata of a Ichihara Nagamitsu blade that I have. What do you think? Quote
huntershooter Posted December 13, 2011 Report Posted December 13, 2011 I like that a great deal. If this is a Star stamped blade no wonder it is "big and beefy". The RJT specs call for "big and beefy". Enjoy your blade. Quote
runagmc Posted December 13, 2011 Report Posted December 13, 2011 Looks pretty good to me. Any full pictures of suguta? Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted December 13, 2011 Author Report Posted December 13, 2011 Unfortunately not at this time. The blade isn't star stamped, but custom made (viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7261). Quote
cabowen Posted December 13, 2011 Report Posted December 13, 2011 Nice looking blade.... Notice how the strong ashi at the base of the blade become indistinct to nonexistent above the monouchi? This results from uneven heating with the tip end hotter than the base. Something to keep in mind when evaluating a blade... Quote
runagmc Posted December 14, 2011 Report Posted December 14, 2011 Nice looking blade.... Notice how the strong ashi at the base of the blade become indistinct to nonexistent above the monouchi? This results from uneven heating with the tip end hotter than the base. Something to keep in mind when evaluating a blade... That would imply a lack of control by the smith during yaki ire, but... I was thinking, it could actually be beneficial to the toughnes of the sword. A harder ,but less flexible edge in the monouchi, and a softer more flexible edge toward the machi. Seems like it could make sense in theory. It would be giving the smith too much credit to say he was thinking that far ahead from one sword, but if that was a characteristic that was consistent in a smiths work, you might think it was made that way for a reason. I'm not suggesting that's the case here... I'm just thinking out loud Quote
Daniel Posted December 14, 2011 Report Posted December 14, 2011 A beautiful Gendaito and in sashikomi, I love it. I wouln't mind having that as a christmas gift. Regards Daniel Quote
Surfson Posted December 14, 2011 Report Posted December 14, 2011 Thanks for the teaching point Chris! That is a beautiful blade - do you have a photo of the entire shape and tang? Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted December 14, 2011 Author Report Posted December 14, 2011 See photo attached here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7261 Quote
george trotter Posted December 15, 2011 Report Posted December 15, 2011 Hi Joe, The sword looks nice and with an interesting personal dedication inscription too...I really like such WWII historic details...I'm glad to see you polished in the original sashikomi too. I must say, all but one of my WWII gendaito are polished in WWII sashikomi, and I like it, but as Chris Bowen has said a number of times, the WWII polish was done more hurriedly and is not as "revealing" of the true characteristics of the blade as modern polish. Your modern sashikomi polish sure seems to show much more hada activity etc than my WWII polishes for sure...so this backs up what Chris says. What are the mounts? regards, Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted December 15, 2011 Author Report Posted December 15, 2011 This is mounted in Shirasaya - No military mounts (unfortunately). Quote
Bruno Posted December 15, 2011 Report Posted December 15, 2011 I am certainly wrong but the shino-ji should not be polished like a mirror? Quote
runagmc Posted December 15, 2011 Report Posted December 15, 2011 The shinogi ji and mune are burnished. They can be burnished to different levels of finish. Some people prefer a lighter burnish because it makes it easier to study the qualities of the steel. Some people think a heavier burnish to more of a mirror finish looks better. It's more of a matter of preference. Quote
Bruno Posted December 15, 2011 Report Posted December 15, 2011 Thanks for the clarification Adam. Quote
Bruno Posted December 18, 2011 Report Posted December 18, 2011 Joe, Did you sent it to Japan for the polish, or did you choose someone in the USA? That is fine if you don't want to share the info. Quote
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