Mei ID Desk · Policy
A reading, not an authentication or appraisal
What a Mei ID Desk case does and does not tell you.
A mei (銘) is the signature or mark on a Japanese blade. On the Mei ID Desk, The JKI Editors read the mei from photos sent by the owner, transcribe it, give its reading in romaji, explain what each part means, and say which maker, smith, workshop or brand most likely made the knife.
What a case is
- An opinion based on photos. We have not handled or examined the knife.
- Sourced and graded. Every case lists its evidence — makers' own sites, wholesaler catalogues, retailer listings, reference works and earlier cases — and a confidence level: high, medium or low.
- Open to correction. If new evidence appears, we change the case and log the change. See our corrections policy.
What a case is not
- Not an authentication. A matching mei does not prove that a knife is genuine. Mei can be copied, and the same mark may be used by several smiths, sharpeners, wholesalers or brands, or change over the years.
- Not an appraisal. We do not say what a knife is worth, and we do not buy, sell or broker knives.
- Not a certificate. A case page must not be used, quoted or linked as proof of authenticity, for example in a sales listing. If you see a case used that way, please tell us at [email protected].
- Not the maker's view. Unless a case says that the maker confirmed it, the maker has not checked our reading.
Confidence levels
| High | High confidence: the characters are clear and match an independent reference, such as the maker's own website, a trade catalogue or the maker's confirmation. |
|---|---|
| Medium | Medium confidence: the characters are clear, but the attribution rests on a single secondary source, on style, or on a mark that more than one maker uses. |
| Low | Low confidence: some characters are unclear, or several makers use this mei. Treat the attribution as a lead, not a conclusion. |
If you need certainty — before buying an expensive second-hand knife, for example — ask the maker or the shop that sold it new, where possible, and buy from sellers who accept returns.
To the extent the law allows, The JKI Editors is not responsible for decisions made on the basis of a reading. Nothing here limits your rights under the consumer laws of your country.
Version 2026-10-17. See also: Content & review policy · Submission terms & photo licence · Submission privacy notice · Not an authentication · Corrections · Affiliate disclosure.