Katana "Bitchu Kunitomo"
Blade length 71.1cm, thickness at the base7 mm, width 3.3cm weight 780g
This is a good and healthy katana blade made by Kunitomo in Bitchu province. The age is 16th century.
Steel is fine, and it has a wood grain layer pattern. Some darker steel appears as spots in some parts.
Hamon is bright. The particles of hamon is large (nie), but not rough (no ara-nie).
Polishing work is the modern style (hadori style). The work also is good. So the blade looks very beautiful. And of course, you can study real hamon using proper lighting.
Tang is original, but the machi has moved upward a little bit to extend the tang (machi-okuri). In other words, the blade is a little shortened.
Signature "Bitchu ju Kunitomo" (Kunitomo lives in Bitchu province)
This is very healthy and robust blade, even though it is a little bit shortened. Blade has a full meat. Hamon is wide enough and bright. And it is also interesting that you can find some spotted steel what looks darker than other part in the blade surface. It easily reminds us one of the typical appearances of Aoe blades, "sumi-hada". They say it also suggests the tradition of Aoe smiths.
Kunitomo is a smith in Bitchu province. They say he is one of the descendants of Aoe smiths, and also one of the founders of Mizuta school in 17th century. So, he is one of the smiths so-called "ko-Mizuta". In ko-Mizuta smiths, Kunitomo is very rare. But studying this blade, we can imagine that he must be a master smith. Our smith said this is only the blades of Kunitomo he has studied in his hand over 50 years sword studying. So, this is a good material to study ko-Mizuta smiths and Kunitomo himself.
Habaki is gold foiled. It also is in good condition.
Shirasaya and bag
The scabbard has a description done by Kanzan.
500,000.yen