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I have come into possession of a Samurai sword. how much is it worth? |
This is a very good question and one that can be difficult to answer. There are several factors that contribute
to the value of a sword. The most important one is the condition of the blade. Rust, fingerprints, nicks to the
edge of the blade, imperfections. They all contribute to bringing down the worth of the Samurai sword.
We have over 30 Samurai items displayed in our sword collection .
Each sword has multiple detailed photographs and a price guide. There is a goo dchance you'll find something similar
to what you have there. Check back often. We add new swords to the collection regularly.
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My relative brought back a Samurai sword from the war. It is now mine. I would like to return it to
the original owner. Is that possible?
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The short answer is no. it is not possible to be able to return the sword to the original owner or his
family because it is highly unlikely that you will be able to figure out who that person is. The Japanese
armed forces did not keep a reliable record, or one at all, tracking which soldier got which sword.
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The blade of my sword is rusty and/or dirty. how can I clean it? |
We recomend that you do not clean the sword. The blade can be damaged further if it is cleaned improperly. It
takes a person with many years of experience to clean and polish a blade properly. You are better off leaving
it alone.
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I have heard that swords may be signed. Where can I find the signature? |
The signature of the blade is found on the tang. The handle has to be removed to see it. If you do not know
how to take the sword apart visit our
Understanding Samurai swords section.
Note that not
all the swords were signed. It is possible to find WWII era swords or older, without a signature on the
tang.
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How can I translate the signature of the sword? |
Translating the signature of the sword is not a simple task. There are hundreads
if not thousands of characters and combinations of possibilities.
Usually one side of the tang will have the date of the sword and the other side the signature of the master who
made it. However, this is not always the case.
Refer to our Samurai Sword signatures
section for information on how to read the characters.
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What are matyching numbers? |
There were times when the manufacturer of the sword would stamp a serial
number on each of the different parts of the sword during the manufacturing process. This number
would be exclusive to the particular sword. For example;
the number 123 may be found on the Tsuba, on the spacers and the scabbard. This is known as
matching numbers.
As time passes, parts go missing and are replaced. The matching aspect of the numbers is lost.
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How do I measure the length of the blade? |
The length of the blade of a Samurai sword is important because it helps determine
the type of sword you have. The length is measure by drawing a straight line between the tip of the blade and
the back blade notch. You can see a graphical illustration of
how to measure the blade by visiting our site
dedicated to that topic.
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How can I tell how old is my sword? |
The age of the sword can be determined in a variaty of ways. Swords from certain periods
are easier to date than ohers. Visit our section dedicated to
Reading Samurai sword dates .
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