Help with Identification

[Pastor B]

Hello Everyone,

I have a Japanese sword that I would like to know about. Assistance in identification, age, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Pastor B

[SwordGuyJoe]

The sugata indicates that this would be a koto sword if genuine. I add if just because the bohi is done either very poorly or the corrosion has given it the look that it was done very poorly. This make me nervous that it was an artificially aged reproduction. Beyond the basic era as given, there is nothing to base more of an opinion on as the blade is in a state of disrepair that doesn't allow for an identification based on characteristics of the steel.

[Thekirsh]

Looks like its been in a fire to me.

Can you see the hamon?

Simon K

[Pastor B]

Looks like its been in a fire to me.

Can you see the hamon?

Simon K

 

I can see a hamon.

Looks like its been in a fire to me.

Can you see the hamon?

Simon K

 

Yes, I do see a hamon.

[chrstphr]

Hi, i would expect the sori to be a lot less with a shortened Koto blade. This one has 3 mekugi-ana and nothing has been taken away from the curve.

 

I would suspect this is not Koto and is much later.

 

also Koto period blades or earlier tachi would have the bend of the blade much lower towards the nakago. This one is dead center.

 

Perhaps this is a student blade. It doesnt look well made to me ( no Yashiri- me evident, and the entire shape isnt graceful, the sori makes the blade seem to sag and it looks more like a saber in shape, not a katana or tachi.

 

My humble uneducated two cents.

 

 

Chris

[Pastor B]

Hi, i would expect the sori to be a lot less with a shortened Koto blade. This one has 3 mekugi-ana and nothing has been taken away from the curve.

 

I would suspect this is not Koto and is much later.

 

also Koto period blades or earlier tachi would have the bend of the blade much lower towards the nakago. This one is dead center.

 

Perhaps this is a student blade. It doesnt look well made to me ( no Yashiri- me evident, and the entire shape isnt graceful, the sori makes the blade seem to sag and it looks more like a saber in shape, not a katana or tachi.

 

My humber uneducated two cents.

 

Thanks Chris.

 

 

Chris

[Grey Doffin]

I can't be sure, of course, but when the sori is so deep and there are kizu, I suspect retemper. Nakago looks crisped, also. And the hamon appears weak and uneven. All signs of possible retemper.

Grey

[Pastor B]

I can't be sure, of course, but when the sori is so deep and there are kizu, I suspect retemper. Nakago looks crisped, also. And the hamon appears weak and uneven. All signs of possible retemper.

Grey

 

 

Thanks.

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Measurements please: nagasa, sori, etc...

[Pastor B]

Hi,

 

Measurements please: nagasa, sori, etc...

 

Hello...here are the measurements...the Nagasa is 33.5 inches, the measurement from the Kissaki to the Mune-Machi is 26.875 inches and the Torii Sori is 1.75 inches.

Thank you for your help!

Pastor B

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Sori 1.75 inch ? sori must be measured from kissaki to mune machi.

[Pastor B]

Hi,

 

Sori 1.75 inch ? sori must be measured from kissaki to mune machi.

 

The measurement from the Kissaki to the Mune-Machi is 26.875 inches...THANKS.

[Bruno]

The ha machi looks small, a sign of tired blade I think.

[cabowen]

Hi,

 

Sori 1.75 inch ? sori must be measured from kissaki to mune machi.

 

You are confusing nagasa, length, with sori, curvature.....

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

You are confusing nagasa, length, with sori, curvature.....

 

Huhh... Why ?

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/measure.htm

[leo]

I admire the setup in the 1st picture.

The combination of the almost antique measuring tape with this blade which does not come from a very good home either, intrigues me.

Adding the red background this makes a perfect piece of art to be exhibited in a good art gallery.

 

We just have to find a good name for it!

Martin

[Brian]

What Jacques meant is that sori needs to be measured when taking a straight line from kissaki to mune machi. When seeing what seems to be a huge sori, you need to check that the person isn't using the straight line from kissaki to nakago jiri to measure sori.

Correct?

 

Brian

[Pastor B]

What Jacques meant is that sori needs to be measured when taking a straight line from kissaki to mune machi. When seeing what seems to be a huge sori, you need to check that the person isn't using the straight line from kissaki to nakago jiri to measure sori.

Correct?

 

Brian

 

OK...I measured the distance in a straight line from the Mune-machi (back blade notch) to the tip of the kissaki (point) and it measures exactly 26.25 inches.

Thank you.

[Brian]

That is the nagasa..don't worry, you did everything right. My explanation was for Chris and Jacques. Sori is the depth of the curve. Will measure differently if you use a line from kissaki to mune machi...or kissaki to tip of tang. Sori isn't measured using the latter method ever.

This all makes perfect sense in my head :lol:

 

Brian

[Pastor B]

That is the nagasa..don't worry, you did everything right. My explanation was for Chris and Jacques. Sori is the depth of the curve. Will measure differently if you use a line from kissaki to mune machi...or kissaki to tip of tang. Sori isn't measured using the latter method ever.

This all makes perfect sense in my head :lol:

 

Brian

 

Thank you Brian.

[runagmc]

mabey a picture will help...

[Pastor B]

mabey a picture will help... [attachment=0]blade parts.gif[/attachment]

 

 

Thank you for the help!