Mark with Japanese mark: 熊谷義之 "Kumatani | #433509

熊谷義之 "Kumatani Yoshiyuki". This mark comes from a "kozuka", the hilt of a secondary knife that is often paired with a Japanese sword, and was designed by Yoshiyuki. Yoshiyuki worked as a "soukenkinkou" in the Nara line of the Kumatani house. Soukenkinkou is the Japanese name for metalworkers who design accessories for bladed weapons.