Any reason to not re-blue my bolt and receiver on my .303

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Before you send off your Katana, get it checked out by someone who knows them.

Every so often you find a basic "issue" sword that can hide surprises.

Quite a few Japanese troops went to war carrying the "family" sword, with the traditional handle and guard (tsuka and tsuba) left at home for safe storage and replaced by "ordnance-grade" items.

I have even seen a few fitted with what look like oversized, cutlass-style baskets and guards; probably for IJN service.

The ONLY way to tell is to CAREFULLY remove the retaining peg (menuki) and slide off the handle.

A competent expert will be able to interpret the markings hidden there.

Engineering-wise, there is nothing wrong with "government issue" katanas.

Family blades can run to the truly exotic in character and value.

I have heard that there is a roving team of Japanese Katana gurus traveling around, buying up and "returning" (no doubt for a fee), any family blades for which they can find proper owners.

There are several good books in English in the subject, but with really old blades, apparently it helps if you can read "old", pre Kanji script.

[Whitey_Vic]

Thanks Bruce, I have been collecting samurai swords for about 10 years and am aware what this one is worth, You are exactly right what you say. There must still be some wonderful treasures to be found in some back yard sheds.

[browningautorifle]

You should be able to find a 1907 sword for reasonable money...with a good scabbard we have them around here for $100 more or less...maybe a frog on it too. Lithgow bayonets are easy to find hereabouts...

[Bruce_in_Oz]

A handy "starter" book on the subject is:

"The Samurai Sword, A Handbook", by a California native, John M. Yumato, first published in 1958. Last heard of as being available from Tuttle Publishing

After many detailed pages on the technology etc. of the blades, in the back of the book is a table of "relative points values, listed by maker".

Let's see, a nice Yukihira from 1200AD; 190 "points" as opposed to a Yukihira blade from 1688 at 5 points. However, if you have a 1455 vintage Masumune from the wonderfully named "Bingo" province, it only scores 15 points.

Relative and absolute values have probably changed a bit since first publication.

[Whitey_Vic]

Thanks Jim, the blade I would swap is worth about $350-400 So I would expect a very good condition swap if I do it.

Bruce the books I use are by W.M. Hawley 1966, one book alone has a collection of over 13,500 sword smith signatures used from 700AD to 1900AD plus I have a very good book on WW2 swords which helps me on Showa swords. The "Honjo Masamune", is the sword I would like to stumble onto like everybody else, It is believed to be the finest sword ever made. The Tokugawa family were the last to hold it and handed it over when Japan was occupied at the end of the war. Where it went is a mystery to this day, the sword is priceless and was made a Japanese National treasure in 1939. So it was either destroyed, dumped at sea, in someone's private collection, or someone's backyard shed. I like to think the latter.