Ancestral Koto Tachi in Shin-gunto Mounts

Signature: Mumei (O-suriage).
Year Made: Unknown, probably Koto (Nambokuchu sugata) 
Forging Pattern: Running masame and mokume and O-mokume
Tempering Pattern: Very active midare in nie
Dimensions:  Blade Length:  26.5 inchesNakago: 9 inches 7 mm thick and 31 mm wide at Hamachi
Mountings:  1934 shin-gunto mounts of average quality in fair condition. Samé is cracked and missing in places. Saya is in very good condition. Seppa and tsuba appear to have been cleaned. There is a silver washed copper habaki that does not fit the mune machi well. It is unclear as to whether the mounts are original to the blade. Most likely the majority are. 
Overall Condition:  Fair, sword appears to be older Koto with a very thin kasane O-kissaki and has been cut down probably 10 inches since before the war, making it originally of tachi length, the O-kissaki and thin kasane together with a shallow sori would point to a Nambokuchu style tachi. Sword has some tired spots and exposed core steel, has been sharpened with a grinder as well. Has many tate ware, likely from many years of polishes. Hamon appears to be intact although the boshi is too badly scratched and faded to see any detail there at all. There is a very visible hada in places that varies from a running masame to O-mokume. The hamon has ashi and yo and much activity in nie as well as ji nie. Much of it is obscured by scratching, grinder marks and age but there is a wealth of activity under there. I'm not sure this sword would take a full polish and the nakago would need to be reshaped and repatinated But it would certainly make for an interesting study sword, especially if one could have some of the more gross damage removed and the activities in the hada and hamon brought to light. Many amateur polishers would enjoy this sword, if it were determined that it did not warrant an attempt to restore it.