Interpreting kanji on samurai sword

[ewiethorn]

Hello! I am a goldsmith and am designing a piece of jewelry for a client of mine. He has a Samurai sword that has been passed down in his family, and wants to incorporate the Kanji that are stamped into the tang of the blade into a chain I am making him. Because they are stamped, the writing of the kanji isn't super clear, So I am hoping someone can read them and give me the correct characters to search in order to find a clearer version of their proper writing structure, rather than me trying to trace over the stamped version.
Thank you for your help!
-Everett

 

[Toritoribe]

源任功
Minamoto no Tadakatsu/Yoshinori (or other readings are possible)

Probably it's the name of the swordsmith.

 

[ewiethorn]

I just need to know how to write it properly, and am worried if I trace the stamping it wont look correct

 

[Toritoribe]

I just need to know how to write it properly

It totally differs depending on what style/script you want to use (regular, semi-cursive, cursive, seal, clerical, etc.) . Furthermore, there also are many fonts for each script.

 

[ewiethorn]

Thank you! the top font looks like it would work great.

 

[ewiethorn]

If i wanted to search these Kanji on google to pull up different font/scrypt stiles, is there a name for them in english that I can search?

 

[Toritoribe]

Here's a pdf file of the font you like (regular script). You'll be able to get the most appropriate size of the kanji to trace.

 

[ewiethorn]

The top scrypt one you sent in the first example had a bit more line weight and calligraphy style which will work better for this project, but its to blurry to scale up. Is it possible for you to send another example like this? or is there something i can search in google to pull up more examples?

thank you so much for your help

 

[Toritoribe]

If i wanted to search these Kanji on google to pull up different font/scrypt stiles, is there a name for them in english that I can search?

The font I used was HG正楷書体－PRO HG Seikaishotai-PRO (HG True Regular Script-PRO).

 

[ewiethorn]

thank you, But I am still not sure how to search those specific characters

 

[Toritoribe]

Here's the pdf file of all the script I posted and a calligraphy version of regular script.

 

[ewiethorn]

perfect! thank you so much for all your help