Nihonto Club

sorry i dont no why they come up like that click on the ones you dont see for the writing i tried to write some of it but didnt turn out to good

click on the ones you dont see for better images of signatures and menki thanks

22 and quarter from tip straight to notch on blade, very sharp close to handle, but has it battle scars

look at attachments better pics, i dont no what happen

Hi,
Please post pictures of the actual tang, both sides.
No offense, but your attempt to copy the kanji by hand is not that great :-) .

If necessary to make the kanji show up in the pictures, try changing the position/angle of the light (such as a desk lamp).

Pete

the tang pics you have to click on they come up like that for some reason i no that copy of the writing is bad but would you please look at the other ones of the tang thanks

can you see the tang pics pete

look at main post to see all pictures together thanks

any info at all would be appreicated

The signature appears to be:
BIZEN KUNI JUu something TADAMITSU
The "TADA" is uncertain, and I can't see what the 'something' is.

The date appears to be in the "ENTOKU" era, year 1490, August.

TAD134 is a possibility.

Pete

thank you, what you think about that menuki

I don't have much expertise in menuki...

you think i should restore this sword

To decide properly, someone with enough expertise needs to study it, in person.
A real polish is very expensive - maybe $1500-$2000 these days, I think. Maybe more.
There are a bunch of things to learn about the pro's and con's of polishing.

In general, I don't recommend that a beginner get a blade polished, unless you have to money to burn, and you don't care. That's just my opinion.

DO NOT do any type of "amateur" restoration work. The damage could turn it into a giant steak knife...

Pete

sounds like good advice, im going to keep it oiled , what you think about a light sharpening, just the edge, its sharp but would like to have it a little better, by me

NO, do not use any type of abrasives on it!
You will almost certainly remove metal in the wrong places, which is serious damage for a Japanese sword. The value will be reduced...
There is no reason for it to be "sharper", because nobody should be trying to cut anything with it!
It is hundreds of years old - it just needs to be preserved.

Pete

ok, thanks for info, makes sense

hello pete or anybody what you think about the TSUKA ITO ,black rayskin cord wrap, have not seen it on any swords.

Looks like lacquered leather. I've seen it before.
As I recall, it was most common in the late 19th century.

Pete

its ray skin leather because a small piece of the black come off the top,the black is thin with nodules, and i can see the nodules underneath the black, this is the cord, its separated from the wrap, so i no im not getting mixed up, the feel of this grip is amazing, it looks better now i have conditioned it, soft, but tough, anyway i am pretty sure its ray skin, i dont no how to condition the wood because i cant take that beautiful cord off, any thoughts

if you really zoom in on the pic you can see some of the nodules just underneath the black thanks

I'm sure it's possible that it's rayskin or something similar - I don't have any more info for you.
Do NOT remove the wrap or the menuki (my advice). No need to do anything to the wood.

Pete

ok thanks for responding,and info