rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I bought this WWII Japanese Officers Katana in an antique shop in Garnett Kansas about 25-30 years ago.
My wife & I walked in the door, and it was sticking out of a big Red Wing pickle crock full of dusty old umbrellas, canes, and a petrified dead mouse.
As I found it, the blade was rusted red, the handle was missing the cord wrap (Tsuka), ray skin under the wrap (Sami’), bamboo handle peg (mekugi), and both decorative handle ornaments (Menuki).
But other than that, it was still all there!
And six kids hadn’t been sword fighting the cast-iron well pump, or tried to cut a concrete porch step in two with it!
So the blade edge, though rusty, was still nearly shaving sharp with no nicks or chips after all those years.
It was priced at $25.00, I offered her $20.00, and the nice lady took it!
(Yes, even a blind pig finds an ear of corn in the mud every once in a while!)
The blade is 26 ½” long, and the complete sword is 36 ½” OAL.
The style of the sword scabbard hanger & pommel is WWII military officer.
When I got home, I cleaned and polished the blade by block sanding it with progressively finer grades of black Wet or Dry paper & oil.
And I made new fittings, as best I could.
Using oak dowel for the peg, I hand sculpted the brass and copper Menuki, used nylon belt for the Sami’, and black silk cord for the Tsuka.
Tang marking transitions were done by the Asian language department at K.U..
They are “Showa Period” = 1926 – 1945.
And “Fuji Wara Yoshi Omi Make This”.
Or more simply “Made by Fujiwara Yoshiomi sometime between 1926 and the end of WWII”.
The quality of the blade indicates this wasn’t Fujiwara’s first rodeo as a blade smith.
Still, I’m not 100% sure they knew what they were talking about, as they didn’t seem real enthused about doing it in the first place??
If anyone can read it, I sure would appreciate knowing what it actually does say, for sure.
I know I should have it professionally polished, and the handle re-fitted & correctly wrapped.
I also know it would add great value and authenticity to the sword.
But that would turn my $20 katana sword into a $2,020 investment, just to have it expertly polished & the handle rebuilt by a sword expert.
But this WWII officers sword isn’t worth that much to me, or probably anyone else, I think.
rc
My wife & I walked in the door, and it was sticking out of a big Red Wing pickle crock full of dusty old umbrellas, canes, and a petrified dead mouse.
As I found it, the blade was rusted red, the handle was missing the cord wrap (Tsuka), ray skin under the wrap (Sami’), bamboo handle peg (mekugi), and both decorative handle ornaments (Menuki).
But other than that, it was still all there!
And six kids hadn’t been sword fighting the cast-iron well pump, or tried to cut a concrete porch step in two with it!
So the blade edge, though rusty, was still nearly shaving sharp with no nicks or chips after all those years.
It was priced at $25.00, I offered her $20.00, and the nice lady took it!
(Yes, even a blind pig finds an ear of corn in the mud every once in a while!)
The blade is 26 ½” long, and the complete sword is 36 ½” OAL.
The style of the sword scabbard hanger & pommel is WWII military officer.
When I got home, I cleaned and polished the blade by block sanding it with progressively finer grades of black Wet or Dry paper & oil.
And I made new fittings, as best I could.
Using oak dowel for the peg, I hand sculpted the brass and copper Menuki, used nylon belt for the Sami’, and black silk cord for the Tsuka.
Tang marking transitions were done by the Asian language department at K.U..
They are “Showa Period” = 1926 – 1945.
And “Fuji Wara Yoshi Omi Make This”.
Or more simply “Made by Fujiwara Yoshiomi sometime between 1926 and the end of WWII”.
The quality of the blade indicates this wasn’t Fujiwara’s first rodeo as a blade smith.
Still, I’m not 100% sure they knew what they were talking about, as they didn’t seem real enthused about doing it in the first place??
If anyone can read it, I sure would appreciate knowing what it actually does say, for sure.
I know I should have it professionally polished, and the handle re-fitted & correctly wrapped.
I also know it would add great value and authenticity to the sword.
But that would turn my $20 katana sword into a $2,020 investment, just to have it expertly polished & the handle rebuilt by a sword expert.
But this WWII officers sword isn’t worth that much to me, or probably anyone else, I think.
rc