Worth the price?

[Death-Ace]

Hi guys!

 

No pics of this one, but I can describe it the best to my abilities. While vacationing, I saw a nice early, mid Shinto wakizashi owned by an acquaintance for $600. It had been remounted at least two times (three mekugi-ana) and is signed, but has been shortened, cutting off a few characters. He said it was remounted in the '50s and the scabbard has been over-lacquered as well as the tsuka showing signs of wear (same has most likely shrunk). Now for the blade. It is in decent shape, no rust (but has some speckling of sort? Not rust or pitting, but not sure how to put it). No nicks, but has three hairline ware (less than a 3/4 inch long each) and a small blister. The other side is perfect but I can't see any hada. Doesn't look tired nor can I see any signs of core steel starting to be exposed. The hamon was a nice midare/choji type. Does this seem like a good price? I'll ask him again the name of the smith and if he can send some pics. Was going to buy it, but wondered if I should save up for a Ichihara Nagamitsu in Type 3 mounts! :D

 

Thanks!

Lev

[Ken-Hawaii]

Lev, you're asking us to give you buying advice based on very little information, & some guesses on your part, even at that. Get some good photos & ask again.

 

Ken

[Jamie]

I am pretty new to the field, so take this advice as such. I would probably buy something with no blisters. To me they detract visually(important blade might be made exception for). I have one blade with a blister, and while the rest of it is gorgeous it still has that blister and everyone mentions it upon inspection. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't repurchase this blade. I have however learned from it because it's in very good polish and all activity is visible.

On the other hand if you can learn something from it, you'll likely get your money back when you sell it as $600 isn't too much. Probably depends on a few things, id make sure though you can learn something from it, or save the cash and buy something you can increase your knowledge with. I'm an advocate of buying blades in good polish though, myself.

Good luck.

[Grey Doffin]

buy something you can increase your knowledge with

 

You'll learn a lot more from $600 worth of good books than you will from $600 worth of a wakizashi with problems. And with diligent study you'll be able to answer your own questions about whether or not to buy a particular sword.

Grey

[Peter Bleed]

Don't buy this sword. How's that for clarity?

Peter

[sanjuro]

Cheap stuff aint good and good stuff aint cheap. What can you possibly learn or what lasting joy of ownership can you gain from a faulty blade that has an ugly flaw? You will always see only the faults and flaws that you have described, not the sword that it may once have been. In the rush to buy something because you wish to own a nihonto (any nihonto), coloured by the desire to get your hands on a bargain, you will only burn good money that can be better used on books or ultimately put toward a better sword.

 

Now you have both clarity and logic that conspire to say "DONT BUY IT".

[Death-Ace]

Hey everyone!

 

Sorry for the late reply. I have been checking responses, but the only thing I was really able to use was my Android and even then I kind of rushed the message. Years of reading and I still sound like a first grade novice!

 

Anyways, I thank y'all for your kind (and to the point) advice! He doesn't really like to deal with the internet much but he probably wouldn't mind sending a few pics via e-mail. However, I understand and my knowledge vs. "regret" seemed to play against each other again at this. Luckily, I won't be buying this piece. I was already saving up for a nice gendaito and well, things happened and I guess I still have a thing for "abused" arms.

 

However, I have gone through flawed blades and it's time for me to move on to a field I wish to study: 20th Century arms with Gendaito one of the main categories. I am interested in the blades of Nagamitsu and Kanemitsu as they produced quality blades wartime as things were going to hell (to their European counterparts, quality firearms were still abound but was going to crap). I will probably head back to nihonto (Koto wakizashi a must!) as I better understand and have more spare time (whatever I'll have in the service) to study those blades.

 

See y'all around!

Lev