- Joined
- Mar 28, 2014
- Messages
- 6
Howdy. I'm a new member with an old sword...I just don't know how old, or who forged it.
I bought this wakizashi in shira-saya mountings a couple of years ago from the local pawn shop. For $450 I got my first historical samurai sword, not just a gunto from world war 2. I adapted a set of chinese mountings I had (discarding the chinese blade in the process) to fit the old sword, repainted the scabbard and tied the handle up myself with parachute cord. Here is a picture of the newly-mounted sword alongside the now empty shira-saya.
Here is the signature on the tang I can't read. It should be the name of the swordsmith and the date it was forged:
A larger view of the tang and some of the blade...which is in very poor condition. I have cleaned it up the best I can with uichiko powder; it appears to be choji midare-ba in the hamon.
Here is a close-up of the parachute cord ito-maki I mentioned. It does work, although one has to keep it very tight while tying as it cannot be made to shrink the way traditional cotton ito does. I also admit to being a lazy geijin by securing the kashira with a cord and then tying two square knots over the top to finish the handle...
So, does anyone know how to read kanji? I have no idea where to go to get this translated. I do have closer photos of the signature if it would help. Thanks.
I bought this wakizashi in shira-saya mountings a couple of years ago from the local pawn shop. For $450 I got my first historical samurai sword, not just a gunto from world war 2. I adapted a set of chinese mountings I had (discarding the chinese blade in the process) to fit the old sword, repainted the scabbard and tied the handle up myself with parachute cord. Here is a picture of the newly-mounted sword alongside the now empty shira-saya.
Here is the signature on the tang I can't read. It should be the name of the swordsmith and the date it was forged:
A larger view of the tang and some of the blade...which is in very poor condition. I have cleaned it up the best I can with uichiko powder; it appears to be choji midare-ba in the hamon.
Here is a close-up of the parachute cord ito-maki I mentioned. It does work, although one has to keep it very tight while tying as it cannot be made to shrink the way traditional cotton ito does. I also admit to being a lazy geijin by securing the kashira with a cord and then tying two square knots over the top to finish the handle...
So, does anyone know how to read kanji? I have no idea where to go to get this translated. I do have closer photos of the signature if it would help. Thanks.
I will buy you the beverage of your choice to make up for it.