The first question to be answered - is it a real sword or a modern replica or an
iaito (iai practice sword)? Many modern replicas and iaito have aluminum blades. When in doubt, check the blade with a magnet. Steel is magnetic - aluminum is not. If the blade is aluminum, the sword is not
a "real" sword and certainly not an antique. However, just because the blade is steel does not mean it is a genuine Japanese sword as many modern replicas are made with steel blades. There are also numerous reproduction and fake Japanese swords on
the market. Also many Chinese military swords are confused with Japanese swords. Be sure to read Reproductions and Fakes.
"Ninja swords" are a Hollywood fiction. There is no historical documentation that ninja used swords which were of a special design or differed from those used by other Japanese of the period. Any so called "ninja sword" is pure fantasy.
Is there visible grain (hada) in the steel of the blade? Most handmade
Japanese swords will have a visible grain in the steel of the blade. This is due to the method
of forging the blade using multiple folds,etc. Grain (hada) is sometimes difficult for beginners to recognize.
There are old sword blades which have no visible grain (muji hada); however, the presence of grain does
most certainly mean the blade is handmade. Grain does not determine age. Many of the better
WW II era swords will show prominent grain (hada).
Does the blade show a true temper line (hamon)? Replica swords and many
WW II era machine made swords have an etched temper line, not a true temper line (hamon) made
by differential tempering of the blade. Examine the hamon with a magnifying glass. A real hamon
will show tiny dots/specks (nioi and/or nie) along and between the border of the hamon and the rest of the blade. An etched temper line will be seen as a smooth cloud lacking any internal features.
If there are serial numbers stamped in the blade, it is a machine made
blade - most likely a WW II NCO sword. These are all machine made and are not classified as "Nihonto".
Check the military sword page for examples of WW II era
swords.
Is the blade sharpened all the way to the base where it joins the hilt?
Most WW II era blades are not sharpened all the down to the habaki (collar). Some older (Shinshinto)
swords may likewise not be sharpened down to the habaki; however, most WW II swords were not.
If the blade is not sharp all the way to the habaki does not assure it is a WW II era blade, but is
a good first indicator.
If the peg (mekugi) or screw holding the handle (tsuka) onto the blade can be removed and the handle safely removed (use care not to damage the handle or blade - the complete handle should slide off the end of the tang), examination of the tang (nakago) can tell much about the age of the blade. (NOTE: Some swords may have two mekugi - one near the guard and the other near the end of the hilt. Always check. Never use force to remove the handle.) Newer swords will have a grey, metallic tang perhaps with a little red rust. (Do not remove the rust). Older swords will have more rusted tangs, ranging from brown to smooth deep black rust for the oldest swords. On newer swords the file marks on the tang will be sharp and crisp. As the tang rusts and ages, these become progressively smoother and less distinct.
NEVER CLEAN THE TANG OF A JAPANESE SWORD OR TAMPER WITH IT IN ANY WAY!!! - it will reduce its value by at least 50 percent!! The type and color of the rust is used to help date and to authenticate the blade.
Is the tang (nakago) signed? Many people tend to believe that if a sword
is signed, that it must be hand made. That is not true. During the WW II era, many machine made blades
were signed simply as a way of giving more prestige to the sword even though it was machine made.
The reverse is also not true - if a sword is not signed does not mean it is machine made. Many, many
antique blades were left unsigned or have had their signatures (mei) lost over time. Whether a blade is
signed or not has little to do with determining if it is handmade or the age of the blade.
If there is a tang stamp (see the military sword page for examples) on the nakago, up close to the blade collar (habaki), it is a WW II era sword - these are arsenal stamps. Arsenal stamps do not appear on pre-1930's blades.
There are stories that the small papers between the handle wrap (ito) and
the rayskin (same') are prayer papers to protect the soldier in battle. This is pure fiction. These are simply paper spacers to aid in positioning the wrapping properly on the handle. DO NOT UNWRAP THE HANDLE! The process of tsuka-maki (handle wrapping) is quite complicated. You cannot re-wrap the hilt with the silk cord that was removed. It will have shrunk and is likely frayed and worn. Consult someone who is trained in tsuka-maki if you need to have a handle re-built.
Sword canes (Shikomi-zue) mostly have very low grade blades. Most sword canes were produced in the late 19th Century - early 20th Century. The blades are very straight and thin and often have significant flaws. The scabbards and hilts are usually designed to resemble bamboo
or old wood sticks. Rarely is a high quality blade found in sword cane mounts; however, some of
the mounts can be interesting with hidden, spring loaded, pop out guards.
How the sword is mounted has nothing to do with its age or authenticity.
Modern replicas may look like antique swords; be it a tachi, katana, wakizashi or tanto. WW II
military type swords are also being reproduced today. WW II era swords have been put into shirasaya or
remounted in samurai type mounts by collectors. Vice versa, antique blades are occassionally found
in WW II military mounts.
There are numerous varieties of items made in the 20th Century as
tourist momentos that are commonly thought to be some special type of Japanese sword.
These take that shape of various dragon figures, Japanese peasants, fish etc. - all carved and
painted wood figures. The blades in these items are all "soft steel" and have etched temperlines
(hamon). Many will have some type of engraving, usually floral, on the blade. These items are of
no interest to Japanese sword collectors. Bone tanto and swords (see below) fall into this group.
Carved bone and carved ivory sword mountings almost always have untempered, soft steel blades. These were made as tourist items from the 1870's through the 1930's. These items are purchased for the quality of the carving only. The great majority of these swords are made of carved bone, not ivory. Ivory has a distinctive grain. If you cannot see this grain or do not know what to look for, assume it is carved bone, not ivory.
Swords with carved bone handles and scabbards are
of no interest to Nihonto collectors other than perhaps as an example of how poorly made a blade
can be. They are referred to as "hocho tetsu" (kitchen steel) - a most derogatory term in sword circles. Swords of this type were made in all sizes, from tanto to katana or tachi. Some of these bone swords will have very low grade metal mountings, commonly with the Tokugawa mon incised into or embossed on the mountings.
The above items are only a general guide. When ANY doubt exists as to the authenticity or
age of a Japanese sword, seek advice from a reputable collector. There are numerous
sword clubs in many cities. Contact one of them for assistance.
