WWII Wakizashi

[Harvey R Lipp]

Would someone please help with the translation.

[Harvey R Lipp]

WWII Wakizashi

Photo 2

[Harvey R Lipp]

WWII Wakizashi

Photo 3

[GHP]

It's a Showa-era sword as indicated by the showa stamp.

The third kanji is killing me! I can't make it out. But the others are:

関兼 -- 作

Seki Kane -- Saku

I think in this instance, Seki is the family name and not the "residence" as we normally see. I've googled the kanji I can make out, and I see lots of swordsmiths named Seki KaneSo-and-So. E.g.:

関兼則 Seki Kanenori
関兼信 Seki Kanenobu
関兼国 Seki Kanekuni

Cheers!
--Guy

[RodneyO]

Could the third kanji be "mune"
Kane Mune

[RodneyO]

Kane Mune 兼宗

[GHP]

Kane Mune 兼宗

YES!!!!! His "roof" is small and very close to the "ichi", so it looked like a "Kuchi" with a pumpkin stem sticking out of the top.

Good eyes!!!! Seki Kanemune Saku

関兼宗作

Seki Kanemune Saku

Here's another

Same signature


--Guy

[Harvey R Lipp]

Wakazashi

Thanks again. You are amazing and very much appreciated.

[RodneyO]

The book "The Samurai Sword" by John m. Yumoto has a great chapter "Inscriptions and Their Reading" on kanji and the different ways it can be written.
Can you post your sword?