Please help me identify this Katana I aquired

Musicmanstngry

Musicmanstngry

Joined
Oct 11, 2012
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Long story short I traded a friend something and he gave me his Katana a friend gave him years ago. I thought it was gonna be some Chinese knockoff like most of the ones you see but I really think I got something here..
The first thing I noticed was how heavy it was and the weight of it. It was super sharp to my suprise. The blade collar and "Seppa" I think it is called is all solid steel. I tried to tap the pegs out of the Tsuka but I only found 1 peg to tap out so I wasn't able to take it off to look at the tang. The sheath holds it very tightly and from the scratch and ding marks in it you can tell its a solid piece of wood.

The only information I can give to help Identify this is how "solid" it feels. There is no play in it and it is super sharp and heavy. It don't feel like a cheap sword. I mainly collect knives so i really don't know a lot about swords. I appreciate any help!







 
Not sure what you mean by "Think I have something here". If you are thinking it is a genuine antique Japanese sword, then you are most likely bound for disappointment. Hard to say for sure from your photos, but it looks like a Paul Chen (Hanwei) blade, maybe the Practical Plus Katana or something similar. The upside is that they are definitely a class above the alloy wall hangers sold in the malls and such. If it is in fact one, they are made from high carbon steel and are differentially heat treated and functional.

It probably only has one mekugi pin. I wouldn't bother, but if you want to remove the tsuka, first remove the pin, wrap a towel around the blade and gently coax the handle off with a rubber mallet.
 
It is a basic Hanwei Practical and the tsuka is permanently attached. There is no need or purpose in trying to remove it unless you want to just use the blade for a project. The ito is cotton, ray skin and menuki plastic. The saya is your typical baseball bat and made in halves.
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FWIW, please do not suggest removing a tsuka by driving on a tsuba with a rubber mallet. The force needs to be directed at the seppa right next to the habaki. Use a block of wood or proper nuki along with a hard mallet or even steel hammer.
One is more apt to crack a tsuka or damage the habaki from the leverage of the tsuba being smacked with a rubber mallet.

Cheers

GC
 
If it has a mekugi pin that is easily removed, I suspect it is a Practical Plus. The only difference is that on the P Plus the tsuka can be removed, whereas on the standard Practical katana the handle is glued on and not made for removal. I am not sure if the standard Practical katana even has a pin. But, I can not remember for sure.

FWIW, with the tsuba in place, a standard tsuka nuki (nakago-nuki) won't work. The standard tsuka nuki only work on shirasaya, the tsuba does not allow it to rest against the tsuka the way it is designed to work. See drawing below and note there is no Tsuba, this is a shirasaya.

Please note: I made no mention of "driving on" or "smacking" anything. I think my advise was to gently coax it off.
To be clear, to gently coax it off would indicate the use of light taps. As well alternate said taps from side to side, as near the blade or habaki as possible.
Ok yes, technically the light blows may be against the seppa, but what lies directly below that thin brass seppa, the Tsuba.

I can not comprehend discouraging the use of a rubber mallet and advocate the use of a steel hammer ???? I would avoid a steel hammer all together, but that is only my opinion. A missed blow with a steel hammer could result in a nasty ding/scratch on your blade, tsuba or habaki opposed to a brush with a rubber mallet. But hey, what do I know, I have only owned a few hundred Japanese swords over the last 25 years. Do what ever you like, my advise and $5 will get you a coffee most places.

Do keep in mind that this advise is for a cheap reproduction sword, not for high end antiques.

Tsuka-nuki3.jpg
 
It's an older Hanwei practical katana. I have one it's a good sword. I picked mine up second hand from a guy who used it as his primary cutter for years and it has a lot of life left in it.
 
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FWIW, with the tsuba in place, a standard tsuka nuki (nakago-nuki) won't work. The standard tsuka nuki only work on shirasaya, the tsuba does not allow it to rest against the tsuka the way it is designed to work. See drawing below and note there is no Tsuba, this is a shirasaya.
Click to expand...

I said proper nuki, not a nakago nuki but one that straddles the blade. The point is driving near the center line and when you mention coaxing with a rubber mallet you are not imparting the energy efficiently. As to a steel hammer scratching the blade, well, you wrapped the blade right? :) A 2x4 can be grooved or not but even not grooved, you can get closer to the habaki than levering with a rubber mallet that has a barrel shape.

But hey, what do I know, I have only owned a few hundred Japanese swords over the last 25 years.
Click to expand...
Cool, I am not denying anyone tenure in collecting, I am just pointing out some simple physics. A sharp rap with a solid in a direct line is less apt to damage the fuchi, habaki or warp/crack a tsuba, or crack the tsuka.



http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/tools.html
http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/tools.jpg

At any rate, coaxing a tuska off a PK is futile. I have few Japanese style blades but my PK is more than a dozen years old, hence familiar with the sword. It is glued and the tsuba a blank of steel. Yes, you could probably bounce a rubber mallet off it without damage ;) but the fuchi and habaki will suffer from the rocking (however close to the seppa you can get with just a mallet, rubber or otherwise). There was a feller that boiled the assembly a long time and did get a PK tsuka off once the glue softened nut more often folk have simply cracked them off to use the blade.

Cheers

GC
 
Well, to be fair, or better yet blame it on my "sometimers", I had forgotten they make the one that goes around the blade, and though I have never used one it I'm sure it would probably work better than the mallet.

My advise was from my own experience only, I have used a small rubber mallet and done this many times over the years and never damaged a thing. Careful execution being the key.

We do agree that if it is the PK it is more trouble than it is worth to remove the tsuka.
 
^^^ agreed. It isn't an historical piece... Too bad. However, it seems to be a handsome cutter! Enjoy. Looks like a keeper!

P.s. Nice to have people with the know how, on here.... Ain't it?:):thumbup:
 
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