WW2 Japanese Officer Sword Blade

[FightenIrish35]

Hey guys, I am offered this sword. Could you fellows help me with the smith of the blade. I'd greatly appreciate it.

[reeder3]

Blade looks like it has some nice characteristics, but in what I would consider bad shape. Too many buds to try and translate right now.

[GHP]

Well, the first two kanji could read Tsuguyasu; I'm fairly confident of kanji #3; I'm completely LOST on Kanji #4, but the radical is 金.

次安来O大沢

--Guy

[FightenIrish35]

Here is a better shot of the tang.


Thanks so much Guy San. And thanks for the feedback guys.

[GHP]

Well THAT's a big help right there -- Ozawa Kanehiza.

次安来O大沢兼久作
Tsuguyasu Rai ? Ozawa Kanehiza saku

I'm still having trouble finding this smith.

--Guy

[GHP]

With a little help from my wife. I missed the first kanji [so close, yet so FAR]! And the missing kanji means "evaluated" [kan, as in kantei]

以安来鑑大沢兼久作

Motte Yasuki/Yasugi Kan Osawa Kanehisa saku
By Yasuki Evaluated Ozawa Kanehisa made

I can find lots of hits for Kanehisa .... but not Osawa Kanehisa

Here's another where the signature uses the older form of "Sawa" 澤.

source


--Guy

[Brian Robinson]

Guy,
Although I cannot read it myself, that confusing kanji should be 鋼 (hagane) meaning made from Yasuki steel going by other swords signed similarly.
There is a bit of info on Yasuki steel on the NMB.
I think it should read "Made by Osawa Kanehisa of Yasuki Steel"

Brian

[GHP]

Guy,
Although I cannot read it myself, that confusing kanji should be 鋼 (hagane) meaning made from Yasuki steel going by other swords signed similarly.
There is a bit of info on Yasuki steel on the NMB.
I think it should read "Made by Osawa Kanehisa of Yasuki Steel"

Brian

Brian,

Many thanks!! I searched the first half of the signature and found another sword, as you said; this one by Kanemichi:
以安来鋼兼道作

So, the original poster's sword reads:

以安来鋼大沢兼久作
Motte Yasuki-hagane Osawa Kanehisa saku
Made by Osawa Kanehisa of Yasuki Steel


--Guy

[FightenIrish35]

Thank you so much guys. I appreciate the time you took to help me. I google yasuki steel. What I could find is that in 1939 they first used ordered steel to forge blades. I am curious as to what kind of steel. I believe I have heard before that they used railroad scrap steel etc to create sword blades before. In this case would this be accurate for the steel used by this smith.QUOTE=GHP;6632965]Brian,

Many thanks!! I searched the first half of the signature and found another sword, as you said; this one by Kanemichi:
以安来鋼兼道作

So, the original poster's sword reads:

以安来鋼大沢兼久作
Motte Yasuki-hagane Osawa Kanehisa saku
Made by Osawa Kanehisa of Yasuki Steel


--Guy



[/QUOTE]

[nickn]

It's a showato