Swordsmith

[GHP]

Gregory,
These numbers are usually painted on. From the picture it actually looks like glue! If you say it’s something permanently imprinted in the metal, it’s unusual and I️ really haven’t seen anything like that.

I thought it looked like a thicker viscosity lacquer; I've seen that once in a while.

--Guy

[BruceP]

Maybe this will help.

https://imgur.com/RFMXPGJ

Ha! Yes that helped! I have seen numerous nakago stamped like this, now that I see what you mean. I honestly don’t know if it is assembly markings, which would be confirmed if the same number was on the seppa and tsuba. But I’m wondering if the swordsmith himself is marking his count. They had quotas to fill and maybe it was a way to keep track. Just speculation though.

[Gregory1]

Ha! Yes that helped! I have seen numerous nakago stamped like this, now that I see what you mean. I honestly don’t know if it is assembly markings, which would be confirmed if the same number was on the seppa and tsuba. But I’m wondering if the swordsmith himself is marking his count. They had quotas to fill and maybe it was a way to keep track. Just speculation though.

Again, thank you all so much. Greatly appreciate it. I will file the mystery "80" in the category. If I see it again in the future, at least I can say I have seen it before. -Greg