Shinshinto

[JCook]

By way of (brief) introduction, my name is Jed and I purchased this sword about 13 years ago. At the time I was still in college and frankly didn't ask any important questions regarding the sword. My interest in Japanese swords stems from my long-term addiction to martial arts of all sorts.

 

At any rate, I have periodically skulked through this forum over the years, and finally decided to join. I thought it would be nice to get more informed opinions regarding my sword. The attached photos show one of the two obvious blisters on the blade (second photo), the other is much less noticeable. It is mumei, and has clearly been shortened.

 

Of note, I am actively considering selling this is sword in the near future, so if you would like to offer your opinion as to value, I certainly would not mind, although I am most interested in opinions of quality based on the (limited) photos. Thank you in advance!

 

Jed

 

*edit* There are no nicks, dents, or chips on the blade. The individual I purchased it from also reportedly restored it. I have always thought of it as a beautiful sword.

 

[JCook]

Here are some photos of the tsuba. The second photo shows a signature.

 

Jed

 

[estcrh]

Do you remember what the seller told you about the sword when you bought it?

[sanjuro]

Jed.

 

I think you might find this sword has not been shortened (suriage) but is Machi Okuri (the blade length has been adjusted by moving the machi further up the blade). It has a very long nakago that appears not to have been cut.

[IanB]

Jed, I have a mumei katana that has had machi okuri much like yours. As a result the nakago extends almost to the end of the tsuka. The reason in the case of my sword seems to have been not only to have shortened the blade but to bring the balance of the blade further back towards the hilt. It certainly feels very light and manoeuvrable in the hand.

Ian Bottomley

[JCook]

Eric,

 

I only have vague recollection of the conversation when I purchased it (way too long ago). The seller did give me a sheet of paper with some preliminary research regarding the hamon (including detailed drawings of it), province it was made, dimensions, blade shape, etc. Unfortunately, after many moves/reorganizations, I sadly cannot locate that sheet (could be anywhere in my house ).

 

Keith,

 

That is an interesting distinction between shortened (through cutting the tang), and moving the blade up. In all likelihood that is what the seller told me when I purchased it, and I must have simply misinterpreted what he said. I appreciate you pointing out the distinction!

 

Ian,

 

Now that you mention it, the blade does move with more finesse/balance than other katana I have held. Thank you for the observation.

 

Jed

 

*edit* In my first post I noted that I neglected to ask many questions regarding the sword, and the one that I have always regretted not asking is whether the tsuba is an antique/authentic, or a replica. Any thoughts? Thanks again for the comments!

[estcrh]

Jed, you might want to post pictures of the tsuba in the Tosogu section, it would be interesting to see what comments it gets.

[Marius]

Jed, you might want to post pictures of the tsuba in the Tosogu section, it would be interesting to see what comments it gets.

 

Well, here is the first comment - this tsuba looks cast. I am not even sure if it is cast iron - it could be some alloy.

[kusunokimasahige]

The grain looks weird.

 

By that i mean that i am not sure this is a Japanese sword...

 

KM

[JCook]

Mariuszk,

 

Hmmm. Cast or not, I don't believe it is an alloy as it has heft to it, and my understanding is that alloys would be lighter. I will have to check it tonight to see if there are any lines on it that would suggest casting. Aside from an obvious seam, any other methods to determine that?

 

I will probably post this in the Tsuba section with additional photos. Feel free to comment there - and thank you for the reply!

 

Jed

[JCook]

The grain looks weird.

 

By that i mean that i am not sure this is a Japanese sword...

 

KM

 

Could you be more specific than that? Weird in what sense? I would be interested to hear an explanation as to why you don't believe it is an authentic Japanese sword.

 

Jed

[kusunokimasahige]

Well, to be honest, the grain looks too coarse to me and the hamon looks like it was somehow overlayed on it. It is not etched i think, but it does not look like a hamon which should be on the blade.

 

I could be totally wrong, because the sword might have been polished a lot, but still, the grain/folding lines i can see in picture 2,3 and 4 do look way too coarse to me. The Hamon does not seem to follow the lines, as it would do on a Japanese polished sword. with that i mean that in my eye it should follow the hardened part more closely than it does at this moment.

 

The nakago also does look off to me, not the general shape, but the second higer up mekugi-ana looks not hand drilled. It is a later addition and it is smaller than the original mekugi-ana. The rust looks off too. The polish imho should end at the point where the nakago begins, and with your sword part of the nakago is polished also, which in my eyes points to either a bad polish or a non-Japanese sword. The fold lines i see point more towards a Chinese sword.

 

It might still be a Nihonto which was polished wrongly or too many times, i just do not know. But it would not be a sword i would buy.

 

KM

[fritaly]

Well, here is the first comment - this tsuba looks cast. I am not even sure if it is cast iron - it could be some alloy.

 

Shouldn't testing the tsuba with a magnet tell whether it contains iron ?

[Brian]

Jed,

When I first saw the pics, I too was a bit hesitant to make the call on it. Very odd looking hada. The tsuba I think is real. Check if magnetic, and if it is iron, I think it is ok in my opinion.

As for the sword, I have my doubts it is a fake (I know you are sure it is real) and in fact I think this one had the ferric chloride treatment at some stage, followed by fingerstones. That creates this artificially enhanced hada which in this case is made even more strange by the fingerstone work. I have a feeling that's what we are seeing, and it would take a real polishto bring back the subtleness of all the blade features.

But I think it's real, and what it claims to be. Hope so.

 

Brian