#64024
01/21/2008 09:32 PM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
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#64025
01/21/2008 09:42 PM
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,480
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,480 |
WoW! that is a beauty! Unfortunately I cannot answer your query but that is a piece to really make you smile. I had one very similar some while back but didn`t appreciate it. More into daggers so I sold it. Regretted it ever since! Congrats
War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself.
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#64026
01/21/2008 10:39 PM
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,304
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,304 |
Beautiful sword Walter. I really like those marking on the tang.
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#64027
01/21/2008 10:53 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 214
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 214 |
Hey Walter! Congrats! I see your patience has paid off! That's a nice looking sword buddy. I also am at a loss in regards to offering up any information. Looks nice though! Cheers!
Rob
Welcome to the Addiction!!!!
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#64028
01/21/2008 11:52 PM
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 594
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 594 |
Great stuff Walter, congrats!
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#64029
01/22/2008 12:25 AM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
Thanks for the comments! Just got some additional info: The inscription on the tang says: “TANIGUCHI” “YOSHIKANE SAKU” “SEKI” ... whatever it means. Have just found that SEKI is the city in central Japan famous from swordmakers since XIII century up today. Seki is called Solingen of East and there's annual Motoshige Sword and Cutlery Festival every October.
Also, received the kind comment from Andy "Militarynut":
"from the pictures its a excellant hand made blade especially when the pictures capture the two different harmon paterns one side shows the harmon all most reaching the shoge line which is very unusual the outher side is lower this is kind of unusual and rare for a showa type blade c 1925=1945"
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#64031
01/22/2008 01:43 AM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
Thank you Pat! That's great info!
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#64032
01/22/2008 11:49 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992 |
is that a seki stamp above the signature?
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#64033
01/23/2008 01:10 AM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
quote: Originally posted by nickn2: is that a seki stamp above the signature?
What's the "seki" stamp and what does it mean?
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#64035
01/23/2008 04:23 AM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
Thanks Pat! Oh well ... I wrote above about the Seki, the Sword Festival ... etc. and I've asked again what Seki means .... Guess I need some coffee.
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#64036
01/23/2008 04:57 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,155 Likes: 5
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,155 Likes: 5 |
I think the Seki stamp that is being referred to is the post 1942 army acceptance stamp from Seki Forges. I can see a stamp on the tang but I cannot make it out.
"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson
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#64037
01/23/2008 05:54 AM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 475
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 475 |
By definition this blade has a showato stamp as has been noted and is showato. It could be the stamp for Seki, the city. Do not confuse Seki in past history and 1930's to 1940's Seki. A vast number of showato swords were produced in that area and in fact it is stated that the majority of mass produced swords produced in Japan in 1930's as a build up to the war were produced in Seki. A showato is a sword that is NOT made with traditional steel(tamahagane) even though it may be folded. To distinguish these blades they were required to have a stamp to show this fact. That rule was established in 1937 but was not fully implemented until 1940. Thus this sword is showato if the small stamp is indeed a showato stamp. I can just see it in the photos. Some of the smiths were good and some not so good. If you look at my post below this one you see what I think is a seki stamp, and I think the blade I show in oil tempered and not a folded blade. From the looks of your blade it does seem to be folded and that is the key here ie tradtional forging process even if done with non traditional steel. David
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#64038
01/23/2008 05:58 AM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 475
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 475 |
PS your sword has what I showed on the sword in my post which is a manufacture number according to Bob Coleman ie the paintd part of the tang. David The thing to look for in your sword is the area of the hamon and see the folded pattern of the steel if there is one. David
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#64039
01/23/2008 05:17 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992 |
from the hard spots in the peaks of the hamon it is an oil quenched blade
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#64040
01/24/2008 05:08 AM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
quote: Originally posted by violin: ...The thing to look for in your sword is the area of the hamon and see the folded pattern of the steel if there is one. David
quote: Originally posted by nickn2: from the hard spots in the peaks of the hamon it is an oil quenched blade
Thank you Gentlemen for your comments. Now please allow me to ask a dumb question - What's the hamon? I understand it's the part of the blade, but which one? I found some picture with description of blade areas but it still it's unclear to me - is it the upper part of the sharpening pattern? Sorry for ignorant question but I think that could happen to any newbie in any collecting fields (and the Japanese sword is not the easiest one, for sure ).
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#64041
01/24/2008 04:36 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992 |
the hamon is the whole temper patern ie wavy line
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#64042
01/25/2008 05:25 AM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 475
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 475 |
In fact for the beginner it is best to look at the area between the ridge line running along the sword and the hamon, or flowing wave pattern. There should be evidence of a pattern of folded steel that can look like many streight lines, Wood grain, Burl wood grain etc. This is evidence that the sword is a traditional made blade. If it looks to have no pattern and is just a flat but bright steel surface then the hamon is oil quinched and was put there for "show" and had no value in strenghening the cutting edge. David
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#64043
01/25/2008 06:34 AM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
Thank you for clear explanation. I did look closer - in fact there's a lot of tiny "wood grains" all over the blade. I'm not sure if it's the sign of traditional forging or not. Tomorrow will try to take some MUCH closer pics with better macro lens and maybe even with magnifying glass.
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#64044
01/25/2008 01:27 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992 |
oil quenching does harden the edge resulting in a hamon but this hamon lacks any features you get in a water quenched blade .you do get grain in mill steel especially when it has been worked into a sword shape its like a fine muji
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#64045
01/25/2008 07:15 PM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
OK - Needed to borrow the camera with better macro lens. Here some close-up photos of the blade. The last one with magnifying glass. What do you think?
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#64046
01/25/2008 07:40 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 992 |
looks like typical showato ,grain, to me
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#64047
01/28/2008 09:53 PM
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419
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OP
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,419 |
quote: Originally posted by nickn2: is that a seki stamp above the signature?
quote: Originally posted by ORPO: ...I can see a stamp on the tang but I cannot make it out.
I believe it's the SEKI stamp indeed - please correct me if I'm wrong:
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#64048
01/29/2008 01:44 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,155 Likes: 5
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,155 Likes: 5 |
Yes, this is the Seki Forges stamp. Thank you for showing it.
"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson
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