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Opinions on my new acquisition

Submitted by nyc448 on Sat, 2016-06-11 16:11

Hello everyone,
I just received a Wakizashi sword that I purchased from a Japanese vendor over a month ago. It seems to me to be a good one, but, I'd appreciate any opinions about it. Photos are attached.

Lou

Here are the specs written by the seller:
Mei signature: 信濃守國廣 (Shinano-no-kami Kunihiro)
Sheath Writing:
front) 信濃守國廣　壹尺七寸六分有之 (Shinano-no-kami Kunihiro, 1-Shaku 7-sun 6-bu (* old Japanese measurement which is converted to 53.2 cm) )
(back) 昭和丁未猛暑日　十介誌 (extremely hot day of Showa Era Year 42 (1967)

Background: Kunihiro was a founder of Korikawa school and represents Shinto period.

Jidai date: around Tensho Era (天正, 1573-1593)
Sugata structure: Shinogi-zukuri
Mune: Iori-mune
Boshi head: Chu-maru
Kitae hada: Mokume hada
Hamon temper line: Choji irregular temper lines
Nakago tang: Ha-agari kuri-jiri
Yasuri-me: Suji-chigai
Mekugi hole: One
Habaki collar: Single piece copper

SIZE (approximations):
Blade Length: 53.2 cm (21")
Moto-haba: 32.5 mm
Saki-haba: 25.7 mm
Moto-gasane: 6.2 mm
Saki-gasane: 4.7 mm
Sori curve: 10 mm
Kissaki point: 57 mm
Nakago tang length: 15.8 cm (6 1/4”)
Shirasaya fitting: 79.5 cm (31 1/4")

AttachmentSize
kunihiro_1.jpg36.48 KB
kunihiro_2.jpg69.27 KB
kunihiro_3.jpg170.25 KB
kunihiro_4.jpg239.41 KB
kunihiro_5.jpg221.83 KB
kunihiro_6.jpg101.83 KB
kunihiro_7.jpg109.1 KB
kunihiro_8.jpg122.49 KB
kunihiro_9.jpg122.22 KB
kunihiro_10.jpg151.17 KB
kunihiro_11.jpg147.22 KB
kunihiro_12.jpg148.52 KB
kunihiro_13.jpg140.53 KB
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#1Submitted by saipan59 on Mon, 2016-06-13 18:48.

looks nice

Looks nice, from what I can see.
Perhaps a bit "tired" (polished multiple times)? What is the width at the ha-machi, compared to the width 3 or 4 inches up the blade? The exposure of the hada may be strong because of the extra polishing.

I don't have any particular knowledge about Kunihiro, but I see that the mei is a very clear kaisho style.

Pete
#2Submitted by nyc448 on Mon, 2016-06-13 23:41.

Ha-machi width

Hello Pete,

Thanks for your comments.
The width of the Ha-machi is 6.21mm. Four inches forward on the blade, the width is 5.82mm The blade feels heavy. It weighs 1 lb, 7.2 ounces.

Lou
#3Submitted by saipan59 on Tue, 2016-06-14 00:41.

width

Hi,
I meant the width from the edge to the mune (back), maybe 30mm or so.
I expect you will find a bigger difference.
Note that the polisher in the past has tapered the blade a little, to avoid making the ha-machi so small that it can't hold the habaki in place.
What is the depth of the ha-machi?
I would say that the weight doesn't matter, since we don't know what it weighed when it was new.

Pete
#4Submitted by nyc448 on Tue, 2016-06-14 23:25.

Pete, The width from the edge

Pete,

The width from the edge 30mm back is 6.54mm. The depth of the ha-machi is 1.22mm.

Lou
#5Submitted by saipan59 on Wed, 2016-06-15 00:25.

width, not thickness

Hi Lou,
You're still missing my point. The measurement I'm describing goes from the cutting edge (at the hamachi) to the back of the blade (the "mune").
I'm saying that this measurement will be around 30-35mm on a typical blade.
You want to compare this measurement at the hamachi (for example, 33mm), to the same measurement a few inches up the blade (it may be a mm or so less on your blade, i.e. 32mm).

The measurements you're giving are thickness, not width. Of course, you've already seen that the thickness decreases...

Pete
#6Submitted by nyc448 on Wed, 2016-06-15 02:30.

Width

You are right, Pete, I totally missed it.
Here are the width measurements:
At the hamachi: 32.70mm
Four inches up the blade: 30.72mm

Lou