Forum rules
There are a few things you should know before posting in these forums. If you are a new user, please click here and read carefully. Thanks a lot!
This pic shows a knive made to look very old. It took under a week to do this The hamon [temper line] was done with refractory cement instead of clay. It was also done very straight. The choice between straight or "wavey" is up to the smith and the only advantage to the wavey style is artistic expression ! The chipping on the edge shows it was VERY hard and the lack of chipping elsewhere shows the rest of the blade is much springier [softer]. A technically well done example of differential tempering [double quenched, double tempered] a bit of a shame to "antique" it like this but it shows what can be done with a little spare time The "waves" on the temper line in your sword are obviously artificially applied, NOT a result of skillful tempering. Notice how subtle the temper line is, you have to LOOK for it. When one stands out VERY plainly so it almost "screams" at you, it is usually not a real temper line [If you look carefully you can see the temper line continues to follow the arc of the point, where it appears to go straight is a scratch from removing the "antiquing solutions.]
Ok ok i can see your points, and yes i suppose you guys have some guesses toward the make of my sword, but in truth we all will never truly know everything about it, we didnt make it. Secondly, you all keep telling me how its made or what type it is, i dont really wish to know that. Third and finally, all i request is if theres any chance it may be slightly older than 16 thats it....im not say 100 yrs im not even suggesting a fourth of that.... im just curious as to how old this sword is. and yes you've mentioned theres no way to tell but a guess is a guess and i'd appreciate one, thank you, and sorry to be so harsh.
My point is I did make the "antique" in the pic Forged from O-1 tool steel. Differentially tempered, edge hardness about 60 Rockwell [c-scale], the rest of the blade closer to 50 Rockwell. Once you know HOW something is done you tend to look at something and figure out IT was done. The blade on the sword isn't very interesting BUT the handle and guard are much more interesting. They do not appear to be original to the sword OR each other and may be much older. IF the Tsuba is old it could be worth much more than the sword.
Yes you've mentioned all that before, and yes i know the pics dont do it any justice. But, now i may and probally am wrong, yet is it possible that had i been able to show more effectively the sword, and not to mention the fact that the hand guard and handle ,etc has been exposed to the air much longer than the blade has. Well seeing as though i dont have a picture of the sword 16 yrs ago, i think theres a chance the pieces may have once all looked the same and fit right in, but since im no expert, i have no clue whether or not the atmosphere or air and stuff could have aged the handle much more than the hardly unsheathed blade??? but then again im simply going out on a limb trying to verify any logical explanation. i suppose.
Well...
1.Even though it may be hard to see in the pics, the handle and the leather or whatever its wrapped in isnt really that old looking, simply a lil faded.
2.The bronze that is used on the handle and handguard, not to mention the mensuke(however its spelt) doesnt have that much oxidation to it, yet it has been out for 16 yrs ,which i believe one of you two have mentioned it would take several years in which to do that.
3.The handle's wooden and ivory parts arent that old either, so even though im prolly wrong about all this, these are simply my tools of argumentation to show my point.
Though the handle and stuff looks old, it could be because of its exposure rather than the blade's insufficient exposure? or whatever, more than likely im simply rambling back and forth.
The Traditional handle is silk cord over ray skin leather. This is NOT "Traditional" but I still am very curious about it The Tsuba is also interesting. Even very poor quality reproductions TRY to look traditional, these departures from tradition are unusual. My opinion of the blade is "not even a ittle interesting" but the Handle and Tsuba are quite interesting and unusual. I'm really perplexed about them
The hamon [temper line] was done with refractory cement instead of clay. It was also done very straight. The choice between straight or "wavey" is up to the smith and the only advantage to the wavey style is artistic expression ! The chipping on the edge shows it was VERY hard and the lack of chipping elsewhere shows the rest of the blade is much springier [softer]. A technically well done example of differential tempering [double quenched, double tempered] a bit of a shame to "antique" it like this but it shows what can be done with a little spare time 
The "waves" on the temper line in your sword are obviously artificially applied, NOT a result of skillful tempering. Notice how subtle the temper line is, you have to LOOK for it. When one stands out VERY plainly so it almost "screams" at you, it is usually not a real temper line 
[If you look carefully you can see the temper line continues to follow the arc of the point, where it appears to go straight is a scratch from removing the "antiquing solutions.]
The Tsuba is also interesting. Even very poor quality reproductions TRY to look traditional, these departures from tradition are unusual. My opinion of the blade is "not even a ittle interesting" but the Handle and Tsuba are quite interesting and unusual. I'm really perplexed about them