My Sword is screwed, please help!

[New]

Well, I don't care if the sword is valuable, it's been in the family so long that I'm not selling it. I'm going to continue the tradition and give it to my eldest grandson (if I ever have one) when he reaches 7.
It's a one-handed straight bladed sword, and it was used quite a few times by different ancestors. The blades about 2 1/2 feet long and a couple of inches wide and it used to have such a sharp blade it was kind of scary. My brother has a sabre, though. When we were young and having arguments/fights it would usually degrade into us trying to chop each other up with our respective swords.
Thanks Stolenbjorn, I'll give that site a try, it's definitely worth getting it done professionally.

Bricco, the thing was made for real use, and you can feel it. The whole thing is just sturdy. My brothers sabre is made for show, and you can really notice the difference in feel between the two.

[Rigel]

Can you post a pic??

[New]

I will do when I get my camera back from my sister, I love to show off my sword.

[Commodore Pipes]

"I love to show off my sword."

...no comment.

[konosan]

I would really try to polish the blade myself, you might end up damaging the integreety of the blade. You might need to find a place where they do that type of work, and it's useally very expensive.

This site might be helpfull.

http://japanese-swords.com/

[Rigel]

I will do when I get my camera back from my sister, I love to show off my sword.

Well, I hope she takes better care of your **** than your grandparents do.

[Don Gwinn]

He's not going to damage the blade slowly polishing the way Kat advised with emery cloth.

The finish . . . . well . . . . that depends.

I know you said you don't care about the value, but how bad is it, really? Are you afraid you didn't get all the rust? Patina isn't going to hurt it and actually provides a little protection against rust.

Pictures are definitely called for.

[Featherstone]

can you take the tsuka off? Is the blade signed, that could give you a lot of insight as to the who, what, when and where. The tsuka should be pined in with either one or two mekugi (wooden pins). Do not use emery cloth or any other over the counter stuff like that; especially if in fact the blade is from the 1400's. There are many sites out there to research from. Do a google Nihonto, you'll get several. I dont know any smiths in the UK but if you were state side I could recommend a few. The blade is called a tachi, one handed, along the mune (back edge of blade) does the kissaki (point) go all the way around from blade to mune or does it stop at the point? Here's some terminology that you find,

Tsuka - The Handle
Tsuka-Ito - The braid for wrapping the handle.
Mekugi - The pin which holds the handle to the sword.
Tsuba - The handguard.
Fuchi - The cap at the end of the tsuka where it meets the tsuba.
Kashira - The pommel at the end of the handle.
Sageo - The cord used to secure the sword to the obi (belt).
Saguri - the ornament which helps secure the scabbard when drawn.
Kurikata - The knob through which the sageo is passed.
Same - The ray skin which wraps handles under the tsuka-ito.
Mune - The back of the sword.
Kissaki - The point of the sword
Boshi - The shape of the temper in the point.
Yokote - Line separating the point from the sword.
Shinogi - The ridge line running the length of the blade.
Shinogi-Ji - the part of the blade between the Shinogi and the Mune (back) of the blade.
Yakiba - the tempered edge of the blade
Ha - The cutting edge of the sword
Ji - The area between the Shinogi-ji and the Yakiba
Nakago - The tang of the blade.
Nakago-Jiri - the end of the Nakago.
Mune-Machi - The notch on the back of the blade to stop the Habaki (Collar).
Ha-Machi - The notch on the cutting edge of the blade to stop the Habaki.
Mei - The makers signature.
Mekugi-Ana - The hole in the Nakago for the Mekugi.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessageboard/ Check this board out as well.

[Anna Kovacs]

Hey all you japanophile fags.

It's a one-handed straight bladed sword

Does that sound like a japanese style sword to you?

[Plasma]

Hey all you japanophile fags.



Does that sound like a japanese style sword to you?

I though he said it was saber.


He did say that after I suggested the Japanese sword cleaning kit, however, it still should help forged steel is forged steel.