Mei Help

[BenoitD]

I think this reads as indicated.

 

What is the date please ?

 

KI GEN ?

NI SEN = 2 X 1000

ROKU HYAKU = 6 X 100

ICHI = 1

 

2601 ???

[sencho]

Hi Benoit...

 

Yes it is 2601... thsi sword was made in 593 years time....!!

 

"Kigen" means "start of the dynasty"

 

The year was marked as the number of years in the imperial lineage from the first emperor onward.

 

Cheers

[sencho]

Hi Benoit,

 

Further to what i just posted. Emperor Jimmu (the first emperor) was born in 660 BC and this is year one in the Japanese calender that was in force from the early meji period until WWII.

 

This means your sword is .... if my math is correct and it probably isn't.... 1941

 

2601 - 660 = 1941

 

:?

[Mark]

your math is fine, 1941

[BenoitD]

Thank you for your help.

 

This sword was made by KANEMICHI (Kojima Tokijiro) a Seki swordsmith born 1902. It is a stainless steel blade with two groves (bohi) in civilain mounts. He was the n rated as low-medium swordsmith but eventually became high quality ranking. Some of his sword were tested by Nakayama Hakudo.

 

I think he was experimenting with stainless steel at that time but the sword is signed: MOTTE YASUKI KO KANEMICHI SAKU.

 

Is not yasuki stell from Izumo province and is it not mill-produced ?

 

By the way what does the kaji KI GEN means ?

 

Benoit

[sencho]

Hi Benoit,

 

KI GEN means "the start of the dynasty" ..... the start of the line of emperors in Japan.... the first emperor is supposed to be Jimmu 660 BC....

 

So the used KI GEN as prefix to dates from early Meji to WWII

 

"Ki GEN 2580" is 2580years from start of the dynasty (in 660 BC)

 

cheers!

[BenoitD]

Thanks a lot.

 

Benoit

[k morita]

Hi BenoitD,

The Yasugi-steel is excellent Tamahagane(Tamahagane-steel)that made from iron sand(Satetsu).

 

Photo

Left: Martial arts master and cutting tester,Mr. Nakayama Hakudo.

Right: swordsmith KANEMICHI .(former swordsmith name was Kanetoki).

[BenoitD]

What a beautiful picture.

 

I will add it to my file on this sword.

 

Here are some pictures of the sword. It is not tamahagane but stainless.

I know some swordsmith experimented forging with stainless stell during WWII. Perhaps he did so ?

 

As you can see there is also a showa stamp.

An historical but not very good quality blade.

 

Benoit