old japanese short sword for id please

chiefheadknocker · 14th January 2018, 07:31 PM

This is a Japanese sword dagger which I recently acquired , the blade is 13 inches long , I'm looking for any info possible age etc , I'm no expert in this area but I can see it has some age ,
thanks

Rich · 14th January 2018, 08:23 PM

This is a ko-wakizashi (small wakizashi) or o-tanto (large tanto) - your choice. Normally tanto are under 12 inches and waks are 12-24 inches but many are borderline (like yours). It is mumei (unsigned) and has been remounted at least once (has two mekugi-ana) tang holes. The fuchi/kashira (collar and end cap) are in a kabuto motif (Japanese helmet). Condition is not good, so can't tell anything about the hada (steel grain) or hamon (temperline). It would take a good Japanese sword polisher to restore the blade. For the time being I'd suggest just apply a very thin coat of oil to be the blade (not enough to make droplets - don't want oil running into the saya (scabbard). Wish I could tell you more, but that's all I can see in it's current state.

Rich

Japanese Sword Guide
http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm

mariusgmioc · 14th January 2018, 09:14 PM

Can you please post better photos of the both sides of the tang? Can you discern any Chinese characters on the tang? Also photos of the tip of the blade would be useful.

You may also want to address this question on the Nihonto Message Board forum.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/index.php

chiefheadknocker · 15th January 2018, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Can you please post better photos of the both sides of the tang? Can you discern any Chinese characters on the tang? Also photos of the tip of the blade would be useful.

You may also want to address this question on the Nihonto Message Board forum.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/index.php

hi there , I have just uploaded a couple of pics , there is no sign of any Chinese characters and the tang looks like it has lots of age ,
thanks

chiefheadknocker · 15th January 2018, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

This is a ko-wakizashi (small wakizashi) or o-tanto (large tanto) - your choice. Normally tanto are under 12 inches and waks are 12-24 inches but many are borderline (like yours). It is mumei (unsigned) and has been remounted at least once (has two mekugi-ana) tang holes. The fuchi/kashira (collar and end cap) are in a kabuto motif (Japanese helmet). Condition is not good, so can't tell anything about the hada (steel grain) or hamon (temperline). It would take a good Japanese sword polisher to restore the blade. For the time being I'd suggest just apply a very thin coat of oil to be the blade (not enough to make droplets - don't want oil running into the saya (scabbard). Wish I could tell you more, but that's all I can see in it's current state.

Rich

Japanese Sword Guide
http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm

hi rich thanks for your reply and advice , I don't expect its worth the expense of having it polished , but when looked in the right light you can see a tight wavy hamon line , I expect it would look very nice polished ,
regards,matthew

fireiceviper · 7th February 2018, 12:33 AM

Also please don't polish it yourself or bring it to a non professional (it will destroy it and make it all but worthless)

And if you are thinking about having it polished... make very very very sure the blade is worth the cost of a polish $1000-5000 and after this your sword could still be worth 500... beware

Pieje · 13th February 2018, 04:03 PM

Seems old, might well be a Koto sword (1600 or older).
Koshirae are of decent quality as far I can see.

14th January 2018, 07:31 PM	#1
chiefheadknocker Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 143	old japanese short sword for id please This is a Japanese sword dagger which I recently acquired , the blade is 13 inches long , I'm looking for any info possible age etc , I'm no expert in this area but I can see it has some age , thanks Attached Images Last edited by chiefheadknocker; 14th January 2018 at 09:41 PM.

14th January 2018, 08:23 PM	#2
Rich Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: comfortably at home, USA Posts: 432	This is a ko-wakizashi (small wakizashi) or o-tanto (large tanto) - your choice. Normally tanto are under 12 inches and waks are 12-24 inches but many are borderline (like yours). It is mumei (unsigned) and has been remounted at least once (has two mekugi-ana) tang holes. The fuchi/kashira (collar and end cap) are in a kabuto motif (Japanese helmet). Condition is not good, so can't tell anything about the hada (steel grain) or hamon (temperline). It would take a good Japanese sword polisher to restore the blade. For the time being I'd suggest just apply a very thin coat of oil to be the blade (not enough to make droplets - don't want oil running into the saya (scabbard). Wish I could tell you more, but that's all I can see in it's current state. Rich Japanese Sword Guide http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm

14th January 2018, 09:14 PM	#3
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	Can you please post better photos of the both sides of the tang? Can you discern any Chinese characters on the tang? Also photos of the tip of the blade would be useful. You may also want to address this question on the Nihonto Message Board forum. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/index.php

7th February 2018, 12:33 AM	#6
fireiceviper Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 87	Also please don't polish it yourself or bring it to a non professional (it will destroy it and make it all but worthless) And if you are thinking about having it polished... make very very very sure the blade is worth the cost of a polish $1000-5000 and after this your sword could still be worth 500... beware

13th February 2018, 04:03 PM	#7
Pieje Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Belgium Posts: 132	Seems old, might well be a Koto sword (1600 or older). Koshirae are of decent quality as far I can see.