Mei Translation

[Blue Wolf]

To all that can help,

I aquired this blade about 25 years ago, and know it was brought back from Japan by my Father in law 1n 1965.

It is Katana, approxamatly 31 cm., Shinogi zukuri style blade in a simple shirasaya with no Habaki. Ihori mune with a Hako (box) Harmon. The blade has some surface rust, and finger prints, but no visable pitting,ie: I believe it can be polished out.There are 5 Kenji on the blade, the top (from the tip down) is an obvious 3, the other 4 are very faint. Im thinking this possiably a Nengo.

The Nakago is 6 cm futsu shaped with a Kurijiri tip. It has 2 Kenji, I am presuming this is a Mei. Ironicaly, there is a blade in the 5k t0 7.5K for sale link in this site that has a similar kenji, Naoshige of Kii, if it helps.

I have included the Nakago Kenji, how ever the blade Kenji are very faint, I tried my best to photograph them but they are invisable as a collective photograph. If you E-mail me, I can send closeup pics of the blade Kenji if needed.

My main intent is to asertain if this blade is worth restoration and regiserting.

After looking at Dr. Stein's page, I can honestly tell the 80% of what your NOT supposed to do to a blade HAS been done, (not by me).

 

John A BluStlWolf@aol.com

[cabowen]

Mei is Shigetsugu.....Can't tell you more without photos.....

[edzo]

Dear John, I'm new and working on learning to read the characters. The first I believe is Shige and the second i think is naga. Perhaps u can find some info on the net to verify that. I turned up one smith (Ugo Province, Shimosaka School)' who produced around 1789-1809?, (don't know if they are same, if i am correct), I need a reliable sig ref. Perhaps another member will help or correct me.

 

Others may want to see the blade and whole tang.

 

Ed F. F.

 

I would take Chris Boens help to be correct. Sorry for the confusion Ed F

[Blue Wolf]

Thanks for the help, I will try to add all the pics of the blade Kenji, but for now I have an over all pic and a pic of the Nakago (tang)

 

John A

[Blue Wolf]

These are the Best Blade pics I can get,

 

Thank you all again, John A

[Grey Doffin]

Hi John,

This is neither katana nor 31 cm. The nagasa is about 22.5" or 57 cm; it's a wakizashi. The Kanji, not Kenji, on the blade start out with San and from there on I have no idea. They don't look to be cut very well; put me in mind of the spurious signatures often seen on the blades of low end WWII era short tanto, which are often signed on the blade "Sanjo Munechika", who was a great smith from a very long time ago.

Show this to someone more knowledgeable before you send it off for polish; may not be worth the expense.

Grey

[Nobody]

John,

 

Didn't you mix up the order of the 2nd kanji and the 3rd kanji?

Grey's guess may be correct.

[Blue Wolf]

I checked the blade and I did mix up the 2nd and third ummmm KANJI, (thanks for the corrections), and the cutting edge is 54 cm.(I have no idea where I came up with 31cm LOL)

 

John A

[Grey Doffin]

That being the case; I'm sure it is "Sanjo Munechika Saku". The "Shigetsugu" mei looks older than 20th century but I bet the Sanjo... was added then. No idea why this was done; a pity it was.

Still needs in hand examination before polish but the added inscription makes it less likely the blade is worth the price.

Grey

[Blue Wolf]

Thank you all for the help. Ive tried to find a reputiable person in the Phoenix AZ area to bring it to, but there is no one I would trust. I breaks my heart to think some one would deface in such a way , and still it deserves better that to sit in a closet.

 

John A

[Jamie]

John,

 

I agree that it may deserve better than to just sit in a closet, but the expense of a Polish has to be justified by the blade.

I recently acquired a blade that although probably not worth a polish is certainly worth preserving. If you get a good Quality Sword Maintenance kit, some of the surface rust and fingerprints may in time be cleaned up. You might want to get some mineral oil, and coat the blade very lightly with it. This will at the least preserve it.

 

http://www.yamakawadojo.com/swordcare.pdf

[Blue Wolf]

Thanks foir the link Jamie, since Ive had it it has been properly stored and cared for, and has not degraded, (even the Choji oil I bought in 1985 is still clear in the vile LOL). I have just come to a point of determining if the balde is worth restoration and placeing in the hands of some one able to properly share its place in history, (at this point I am pretty sure it is still a historical blade).

 

Thanks to ALL that responded, I have a better knowledge of what I should be doing. I will be periodically checking this post if any one else chimes in.

 

John A