blade shape

[Mark C]

Hi All,

 

Have just picked up this blade in wakizashi mounts (tsuba posted earlier).

 

can i ask for help on shape identification.

 

is it a, Naginata naoshi, Nagamaki or Nagamaki naoshi

 

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

regards

 

mark

[Stephen]

Nagamaki naoshi (remodeled nagamaki) is the term used for a blade that has been reshaped into a katana or wakizashi, thus altering its original length and curvature ...from the Connoisseur's book of Japanese swords. by Kokan Nagayama

[Mark C]

I was thinking along those lines and edging towards the Nagamaki for the following, probably way off reasons :?

 

the boshi has a turn back of about an inch

 

Would you get this on a naginata naoshi or a nagamaki naoshi after all the reshaping:?:

 

Like i say, probably way off.

 

mark

[pcfarrar]

It's a naginata, nagamaki are much longer blades. Looks very nice btw

 

See here:

 

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/naginata.html

[Stephen]

ill let you decide which it was cut down from.

[John A Stuart]

I agree with Pete in this case that it is a naginata naoshi, due to its length. John

[nagamaki - Franco]

Nagayama sensei writes in his book that the difference between nagamaki and naginata is the presence of a naginata hi.

[Mike]

Hi, I agree with Pete and John, looks like nginata due to the sugata. Mike

[Mark C]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for all your help.

 

I will still have to get my head around that after possible reshaping from a naginata there is an 1" Kaeri

 

Was there shape changes in naginata over the various era's

 

Again, many thanks

 

mark

[Darcy]

The Naginata/Nagamaki one is not one of these cut and dried ones.

 

I believe (80% certain) that the NBTHK will only write them up as Naginata Naoshi. Kanzan sensei wrote that there is no real difference between nagamaki as we conventionally referred to them and naginata. He said that nagamaki was a term that arouse out of reference to a type of koshirae and that it is not accurate to try to distinguish between styles of naginata with this term.

 

That has to be confirmed, I don't have the time lately to break out the books and refresh myself. It was written up in Kanzan's sword school, which is a dialog between himself and his students (one of whom was Ogawa san who is now the curator at the Met).

 

Different teachers will say different things, as Nagayama sensei is quoted above for his opinion.

 

So on this us plebians have to be prepared to be a bit flexible when encountering the term I think...