japanese sword ( genuine or fake ??? )

ferrylaki · 5th March 2007, 06:36 AM

dear all....
I have this ( katana ) since 5 months ago, but I have no idea whether it is a real katana or a fake one. I only have the blade with out any its fittings.
I really like to know any thing about this sword...26 inch edge and 8 inch handle.
thank you before,
best regards,
ferry

ferrylaki · 7th March 2007, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrylaki

dear all....
I have this ( katana ) since 5 months ago, but I have no idea whether it is a real katana or a fake one. I only have the blade with out any its fittings.
I really like to know any thing about this sword...26 inch edge and 8 inch handle.
thank you before,
best regards,
ferry

any body...?
please inform me if this is not etnograpic ...

ariel · 7th March 2007, 03:29 AM

It depends on your definition of " ethnographic"

the Japanese would not define it as such...
I think it is real and old. The patina is heavy, brown and uniform, not artificially-induced. Several holes indicate that the handle was changed at the very least once.
Nihonto afficionados would insist on full polish. That would put you back several hundred bucks. Last time I heard, it's ~ $60 per inch. If you are a Nihonto freak, you have no choice but to sell your firstborn and send the sword to Japan for an authentic polish. Also, as it is not signed, you would have to request the NHBTK ( or whatever it is called) examination and certificate: another $1,000 or so.... Then you will learn that there are some defects that prevent this sword to be regarded as a masterpiece. I made a firm decision not to collect Nihonto: too expensive, too high-brow, time consuming and... they just do not speak to me

The several I have, are ready to be swapped for Shashkas: that is what I call a beautiful sword!
To each his own

ferrylaki · 7th March 2007, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

It depends on your definition of " ethnographic"

the Japanese would not define it as such...
I think it is real and old. The patina is heavy, brown and uniform, not artificially-induced. Several holes indicate that the handle was changed at the very least once.
Nihonto afficionados would insist on full polish. That would put you back several hundred bucks. Last time I heard, it's ~ $60 per inch. If you are a Nihonto freak, you have no choice but to sell your firstborn and send the sword to Japan for an authentic polish. Also, as it is not signed, you would have to request the NHBTK ( or whatever it is called) examination and certificate: another $1,000 or so.... Then you will learn that there are some defects that prevent this sword to be regarded as a masterpiece. I made a firm decision not to collect Nihonto: too expensive, too high-brow, time consuming and... they just do not speak to me

The several I have, are ready to be swapped for Shashkas: that is what I call a beautiful sword!
To each his own

thank you very much ariel.
I send an email to Mr.Kenji Mishina in japan who is a sword polisher.
I also send him some photos of my sword. but he said that he cant find any jihada either hamon in my sword. he said this sword may be not good enough to be polish. he said this in a very polite language...I really thankfull for his comment.
I know its quite expensive to have asword polished, I might not have enouhg money to do so...

regards, ferry

ariel · 7th March 2007, 01:38 PM

Yup, that's what I meant....
Japanese swords demand perfection. All others can be patinated or cleaned, have battle scars, nicks on the edge, missing parts, scuffed leather, cracked handles etc and still look good.
A Japanese sword looks awful if it does not look perfect.

Andrew · 7th March 2007, 02:17 PM

To my inexpert eye, the ridge line and kissaki (tip) look soft and ill-defined. Not generally what one expects to find in "real" nihonto.

I hope someone with more experience than I with Japanese swords will come along and comment.

Rich? Carlo?

5th March 2007, 06:36 AM	#1
ferrylaki Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 285	japanese sword ( genuine or fake ??? ) dear all.... I have this ( katana ) since 5 months ago, but I have no idea whether it is a real katana or a fake one. I only have the blade with out any its fittings. I really like to know any thing about this sword...26 inch edge and 8 inch handle. thank you before, best regards, ferry Attached Images

7th March 2007, 03:29 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	It depends on your definition of " ethnographic" the Japanese would not define it as such... I think it is real and old. The patina is heavy, brown and uniform, not artificially-induced. Several holes indicate that the handle was changed at the very least once. Nihonto afficionados would insist on full polish. That would put you back several hundred bucks. Last time I heard, it's ~ $60 per inch. If you are a Nihonto freak, you have no choice but to sell your firstborn and send the sword to Japan for an authentic polish. Also, as it is not signed, you would have to request the NHBTK ( or whatever it is called) examination and certificate: another $1,000 or so.... Then you will learn that there are some defects that prevent this sword to be regarded as a masterpiece. I made a firm decision not to collect Nihonto: too expensive, too high-brow, time consuming and... they just do not speak to me The several I have, are ready to be swapped for Shashkas: that is what I call a beautiful sword! To each his own

7th March 2007, 01:38 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Yup, that's what I meant.... Japanese swords demand perfection. All others can be patinated or cleaned, have battle scars, nicks on the edge, missing parts, scuffed leather, cracked handles etc and still look good. A Japanese sword looks awful if it does not look perfect.

7th March 2007, 02:17 PM	#6
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	To my inexpert eye, the ridge line and kissaki (tip) look soft and ill-defined. Not generally what one expects to find in "real" nihonto. I hope someone with more experience than I with Japanese swords will come along and comment. Rich? Carlo?