WW2 Toshimasa gunto

[Didier]

That is most interesting, Nick, as it might prove that Toshimasa signed some of his own swords, although it would be hard to say which one is shoshin mei and which one is nakirishi mei, I suppose. Maybe the reason why swordsmiths resorted to nakirishi mei was that they were not good enough at cutting their own mei?

From what you have just written, I would tend to think that there are only two possible explanations: either Toshimasa (who is said to have made low to medium grade showato) was not good at writing or he hired a more competent name-cutter at some time.

[Nick Komiya]

The poorly done one in this case may even be fake, as stroke order is not even correct for something done by a Japanese. The other one shows perfect stroke order and wields the chisel as deftly as a calligraphy brush.

[Didier]

By fake, do you mean a recent one? Because I can't see a reason why somebody would go to the trouble of faking the mei of a very minor swordsmith who is not likely to have produced any work of art.

I would like to thank you for sharing your expertise with me, Nick

[Nick Komiya]

Fake, as done by a non-Japanese.
Anyway, it is that bad in execution. If Toshimasa himself could not write his name properly he did have good reason to use a ghost writer.

[Didier]

So, after all, John Slough was right : nakirishi mei, and that's that! (although, on second thoughts, I would be surprised to learn that Toshimasa was not even able to write properly the two kanji of the name he had chosen)