An old Iaito

Joined
Nov 27, 1998
Messages
2,602
Hi sword aficionados, I thought I'd share a few pics of my iaito.

I bought this sword from sensei "Harry" Takamura when I began studying Musojikidan Eishinryu iaido around twenty years ago. Takamura san - who's also an avid Nihonto collector - found the bare blade, covered with rust, at a gun show and sent it off to Japan for an iai-grade polish and a full set of fittings, including a nice cat-scratched silver habaki and three saya, but not before filing off what he took to be an old fake signature. I kinda wish he'd left the nakago alone, as the mei, whether gimei or no, was part of the sword's history. He and several other collectors agree that it was made somewhere around 350 years ago.

It's 27-1/2" long from the mune-machi and still has a lot of meat on its bones, so it's fairly heavy, but surprisingly well-balanced. The bo hi (fuller/groove) is great for adding a dramatic sound to your cuts and provides a valuable auditory reference; if you're not cutting straight along the blade's axis, you won't be rewarded with nice, loud whoosh. The tsuka ito almost looks like leather after twenty years of sweaty use, but it's silk. I've replaced the original nondescript tsuba with a nice iron Kinai sukashi (signed "Takahashi of Echizen" c. 1675). I've been tempted to send it off for a higher grade polish, but it's been in regular use since I bought it.

The school practices tameshigiri as well, but we use 4" to 6" diameter banana tree logs - which have a consistancy similar to an unripe melon - rather than the usual tatami omote. This sword is a fine cutter with a keen edge that will cleanly slice paper; just the thing to keep an iaidoka well-focused! I can't count the number of times I've inadvertently "fed" the blade.

Katana02.jpg


Hada01.jpg


Hamon01.jpg


Tsuba01.jpg


Katana01.jpg


Tsuka01a.jpg




Thanks for looking!
 
Last edited:
Sounds like a fine sword. I agree the signature should not have been removed. I also use
to practice iaido (back when I had knees that worked). I used a civilian mounted Ishido
Teruhide blade - hand forged gendaito.

Rich
 
Very nice sword, shame about the Signature though, I agree it should have been left on.
 
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