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I inherited a sword

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UC_Guy 1971

Master Class
For reasons I don't need to discuss, I am now the owner of a WWII wakizashi blade, brought back by my dad from the land of the rising sun in '45 or '46? In any event this sword has no handle (tsuka?) or any of the other related hardware, just the blade. I also have no scabbard (saya?).

I would like to make it whole. It is not in the best of shape either and would like to make it sharp enough to be dangerous. Where do I start?
 
Start by getting it identified / appraised by someone who knows what they're doing. Japanese swords from WWII may be contemporary made and issues OR they could be old family swords, sometimes made up with plain handles, tsubas and sheaths. The older family swords can be worth a lot of money and there are those in Japan that consider them national Treasures to be brought home if possible. The handle part may be marked.
 
Scevaph said:
Start by getting it identified / appraised by someone who knows what they're doing. Japanese swords from WWII may be contemporary made and issues OR they could be old family swords, sometimes made up with plain handles, tsubas and sheaths. The older family swords can be worth a lot of money and there are those in Japan that consider them national Treasures to be brought home if possible. The handle part may be marked.
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This if possible, they can be very old. Who knows maybe the most famous missing sword of all, the Honjo Masamune

en.m.wikipedia.org

Masamune - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org
 
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UC_Guy 1971 said:
For reasons I don't need to discuss, I am now the owner of a WWII wakizashi blade, brought back by my dad from the land of the rising sun in '45 or '46? In any event this sword has no handle (tsuka?) or any of the other related hardware, just the blade. I also have no scabbard (saya?).

I would like to make it whole. It is not in the best of shape either and would like to make it sharp enough to be dangerous. Where do I start?
Click to expand...
try bonafide (legal) pawn shops.

some have people that restore things, and they too call them in for appraisals.
 
Post a pic, I think others here would like to see.
A friend's dad brought back a Japanese flag from the war. Another friend's dad brought back a Japanese rifle and a mortar shell (inert I hope). Army surplus stores were fun places to explore as a kid since they were chock full of WWII and Korea stuff. My wife's dad brought a Nazi dagger back he took off an officer.
 
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