Unryusai Unused Old Stock 70mm Kanna

I like this plane a lot. Honestly I'm a bit bummed to sell it, I have a sneaking suspicion it's going to be really, really good. It arrived razor sharp despite being stored for 40 or 50 years based on the seller's estimate. There was a bit of pitting. I cleaned up nearly all of it impacting the cutting edge so can confirm the steel is very hard. There are a bunch of indications of quality. The hagane (hard steel) is thin, which is an indication of skill of the smith. The jigane (soft steel) has some very delicate strata, which suggests both skill and use of precious soft iron. It also comes with a plane bag and a note from the maker, Mr. Nakagawa Unryusai.

This will need more ura work on an ongoing basis than a typical kanna, and has been discounted appropriately. As you approach pitted areas, the ura will need to be ground down, but there's no indication this will interfere with long term use.

The included note (machine translation):

Dear everyone,

I am the third generation swordsmith, Kaneuji, and have been devoted to this profession since childhood for over 30 years. I have now completed the production of a one-of-a-kind blade. These blades are charcoal forged, and the quenching and tempering processes have been developed through years of research into blade making. To date, hundreds of blades have been used by carpenters and joiners, and not a single defective product has been produced, making them extremely popular. Needless to say, the true value of the blade can only be seen after the blade, base and sharpening are all perfect, so you can be sure to get the best finish right from the start. Please use a high-quality whetstone and use with confidence. 

-Mr. Nakagawa Unryusai