Opinions on sword

[Koopyetz]

Hello:

 

I was sent these images and ask the forum members for their help in determining age, any information on the fittings and a possible value for sword .

 

Thank you

Rick

[Koopyetz]

More photos

Thanks

 

Rick

[Koopyetz]

And more

 

Thanks

 

Rick

[Koopyetz]

Some more

 

Thanks again

 

Rick

[b.hennick]

Nice tsuba!

[cabowen]

Looks shinto to me....need more and better photos to say much more....but at first glance looks to be of good quality....

[Peter Bleed]

I think those are Sendai Kuchi-kashira. The sort of thing made by underpaid samurai who cranked out metal work to augment their small stipends.

Peter

[Koopyetz]

Thank you for your replies.

 

Please specify which areas you need photos of. I will pass them on to my friend.

 

Any photo techinques to pass on may be of use in the endeavor.

 

Regards

 

Rick

[Koopyetz]

I'm adding these photos in hopes that they may help add more replies.

 

Your opinions and guidance would be appreciated.

 

Thank you

 

Rick

[Koopyetz]

More

 

Thanks

 

Rick

[Koopyetz]

More

 

Thanks for you help

 

 

Rick

[Koopyetz]

Last one for now.

 

Rick

[Jean]

Rick,

 

Picture 024: are they scratches or wrinkles on the shinogiji?

[Koopyetz]

Hello Jean:

 

I will email my friend and ask him to take photo and give his opinion as to whether they are scratches or wrinkles.

 

Regards

 

Rick

[Koopyetz]

Jean:

 

I took one of the photos sent me and cropped the area in question.

 

I also sent your comment on to my friend. I will post what he provides.

 

Thanks

 

Rick

[Derek]

Shinae?

 

Derek

[runagmc]

Shinae? Kinda weird looking... looks like there's a little corrosion in the cracks making them look deep.

[ehk]

Like Grey I to really like the Tsuba! Sorry I can't be to much of a help on the sword.

[Koopyetz]

rick-kun:

 

I do like the Tsuba also.There are many aspects to this sword and its fitting to look at and learn.

 

Rick

[DirkO]

Could these cracks be the result of a straightening of the blade ? :?

[leo]

Basically, yes.

Usually this happens when the blade straightens itself due to(unwanted) stress relief.

 

I am not a swordsmith, so the metalurgists and professionals among you may correct me. I try to say it the way I understand the process:

 

When a blade is tempered (yaki-ire), the blade bends upward and a lot of structural stress is built up. This is usually relieved afterwards by a low- temperature heat treatment(yaki-modoshi).

If this is not done accurately or not at all, there will remain unhealthy tension. Depending whether this is towards yakiba or towards mune, there will be hagire or shinae.

 

Unfortunately these not always appear immediately, because then the blade would be scrapped. To the shock of us poor collectors these cracks usually show after centuries of use and repeated polishings, when the thickness is reduced and the structure thus weakened.

[bluboxer]

Hey Martin,

you are good on the theory but missed the terminology.

Yaki-ire is the water(oil,etc.) quench or hardening process and yaki-modoshi is the tempering or stress relieving process.

Cheers

[leo]

Hey Alan,

If I am not mistaken, this is what I said.

 

Cheers,

[Koopyetz]

Dear Forum members:

 

Is it possible to determine monetary value of this sword from what you have seen.

 

Based on your experience with swords you have looked at is there a $ +/- I could pass on to my friend or

would you please make suggestions as to where he might inquire.

 

Thank you.

 

Rick

[Curran]

Rick,

 

Tsuba is Edo Higo, ie a flashy Edo work in the style of Higo workmanship. Flashy, but not particularly valuable.

[Koopyetz]

Rick,

 

Tsuba is Edo Higo, ie a flashy Edo work in the style of Higo workmanship. Flashy, but not particularly valuable.

 

Curran:

 

Thank you for your unput.

 

Regards

 

Rick

[runagmc]

Hey Alan,

If I am not mistaken, this is what I said.

 

Cheers,

Martin, I think Alan was pointing out that yaki-ire would be considered hardening rather than tempering and yaki-modoshi would be considered tempering.

 

It's very easy to get the terms mixed up. Even knowledgable people do it all the time.

[jasongarabedian]

Sorry to be off topic, do all or some modern contemporary swordsmiths do yaki-modoshi to make the swords less brittle today? Or was this something that only ancient swordsmiths did to make swords more battle ready by making it less brittle?

 

Cheers,

 

Jason

[cabowen]

Sorry to be off topic, do all or some modern contemporary swordsmiths do yaki-modoshi to make the swords less brittle today? Or was this something that only ancient swordsmiths did to make swords more battle ready by making it less brittle?

 

Cheers,

 

Jason

 

 

All the ones I have watched do it. It is a safe assumption that they all do it as it greatly improves the performance of the blade.

[jasongarabedian]

Thanks Chris, I thought I read somewhere that some swordsmiths didn't always temper their blades, and left them at about 60-65HRC which is why blades get chipped. Does anyone know if there has been any research done into what HRC hardness modern nihonto are compared to antiques?

 

Cheers,

 

Jason