Shinto wakizashi

**Tank Destroyer** · 09-04-2015, 07:10 PM

I may buy it without knowing the true age and try to get a translation later.

**Larboard** · 09-04-2015, 07:23 PM

by MAP

Your kid breaks his nose and you are blaming him. You sound like my wife LoL!!!!

Aw man... hear hear.

**Tank Destroyer** · 09-05-2015, 03:06 AM

I wish I knew how to read the tang!! Is there anyone out there...anyone....anyone...it is such a lonely world... Anyone...cricket..I hear crickets...

**MAP** · 09-05-2015, 03:30 AM

by tank destroyer

I wish I knew how to read the tang!! Is there anyone out there...anyone....anyone...it is such a lonely world... Anyone...cricket..I hear crickets...

Send a PM to Guy (ghp95134). Maybe he can help.

**BOB COLEMAN** · 09-05-2015, 04:10 AM

The mei reads Echizen ? ? Shige. The third and fourth kanji are cut in an odd manner. I will give it another shot in the morning when my eyes are not so tired.

**Tank Destroyer** · 09-05-2015, 04:29 AM

This is the paper that was shown to me as possible sword smith.
Thank you Bob for the help

**AZPhil** · 09-05-2015, 04:54 AM

Mr Coleman is the MAN!!! Like mentioned I am a student of learning of many years and have to go to my only current handbook " "The Samurai Sword, A handbook" by John Yumoto and other web sources. It is an awesome book but it is lacking in some points. The translations are a very difficult art and the unique chisel marks of that smith require an expert .I have only been doing this for the last 20 years and have had no Japanese linguist arts to help Which is why I look to the experts for the advance stuff. But like Mr. Coleman has translated. I know that the last kanji on that tang I was able to identify as shige. But I could not translate the Rest.
Tank maybe a little baby powered on it would bring out the finer details.
I humbly bow to the experts!
Semper Fi
Phil

**Tank Destroyer** · 09-05-2015, 05:13 AM

I thought of chalk or powder but I do not own it yet. If needed after I buy it next week I will chalk it. The guy i would be buying the sword from I have known for a while he is not jerking me around or anything of the sort and I know the guy he bought it from years ago. That is why I also am at the mercy of anyone that can read Japanese writing and the different styles of said written. I just want to be sure the sword is of said time frame. I like the sword as it is but would like to have as much information as possible.
I think I will pay my club dues for 2016 tonight all this expert advice is well worth it.

**Tank Destroyer** · 09-05-2015, 05:22 AM

Paid for 2016!!!! I get to stay PINK!!!!

**AZPhil** · 09-05-2015, 05:55 AM

Marty,
The sword does look fine from the pic's provided. BUT Since you have the ability to handle this sword make sure there are no hair line flaws(black lines) that might run along the grain (hada) of the metal of the blade. These are forging flaws. These should not be present on a quality blade . Also make sure the chips/nicks I see on the edge are not entering or effecting the hamon, but look to see if there are cracks that extended further into the blade.

These are just things that I look at to see if I am interested in the sword. The inscriptions are commonly faked to make it something from a famous smith.That is why I refer to the experts if I can not positively identify it. Or search for an Origami( I know there is another name and can't think of it) to verify. But if you do the hands on and find no flaws. The blade itself would be what you will want to present to your son.

Just wanted to add,
The other term I was looking for other than Origami is Oshigata. Which are rubbings of swords smith signatures by polishers to Ident the correct smith with their school and style.

Semper Fi
Phil