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Welcome to NMB Zack! A relatively common Kinai school tsuba. Some are cast but as yours has tagane-ato [punch marks aroumd the tang hole] I would think it is carved. If you look on-line and find another with the same punch marks in the identical spots - then you can worry. These dragons appear as Kawari-gata [irregular outline] or within a maru [round ] rim. Check this thread: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/46711-a-tsuba-with-ryu-design-kinai-school-signed-edo-period-for-your-comment-and-appreciation/ Also check the free download on Kinai tsuba:

Thank you very much! I'll be doing a ton of research and I fear that I may have found another expensive hobby.

Hi @Bendy, Unfortunately this sword is a fake, and not made in Japan. Thanks to @Bugyotsuji's translation in the other thread before it was split, he stated: "Ishii Tarō 石井太郎 A random name added for decoration I would guess." When I split the thread, many of the comments did not carry over unfortunately, but this basically sums it up. Apologies for the bad news, -Sam In an attempt to clean things up for now, i've hidden the posts on the Mantetsu thread. Apologies @Hector @Bruce Pennington . Maybe Brian can merge them here in time.

Welcome Kevin, and thank you very much for the support. It helps a lot, as we are about to consider upgrading to the new software (A major upgrade) and the quote for that alone is over $500. Do you mean finding where to look at the Gold membership options? Yeah, currently by default it is under the STORE tab at the top. If you are saying that is too hidden, I'll look tomorrow if I can make it more obvious and findable. The link is here for anyone who wants to see the benefits: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/subscriptions/ I'll see if I can make it more intuitive. Thanks, Brian

https://www.etsy.com/jp/listing/1811177643/tsuba-samurai-sword-sword-guard-wave Just an image from a dodgy site. From Grev Cooke https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/26622-tsuba-theme/#comment-268542 Could this be a variant?: Jinsoo was yours from Yahoo or Jauce?

I received this mounted to a cheap sword and it has sparked an interest in tsubas. I'd very much appreciate any information about it that can be gleaned from the attached photos.

Yes, I think I can read the same, but I am not sure it is a traditionally handmade TSUBA.

Kevin, to be blunt: I don't see it as pretty, and the SHIRASAYA (not Shirosaya) looks clumsy and amateurish, at least on these phptos. If you compare this sword to authentic others in good condition, you will probably come to the same conclusion. Still, this discussion should not be posted here but under NIHONTO.

Look for "Echizen ju Kinai" tsuba. Paul

Hi @Nazar, very shiny! Yes, unfortunately this is a fake. The biggest tell aside from the brass tsuka; is the bohi terminating early. Also the stamps are oversized and incorrect. Among other incorrect fetures. I have personally never seen a genuine Type 95 with anything carved on the habaki. If one does exist, it would have been done after manufacture. All the best, -Sam

if your in the midwest you could wait for the Chicago show and see hundreds of swords in hand. see before you buy.

Thanks Hector (and wife) and members...I have done some more thinking and have decided that the name NOBUSHIRO is the most likely. After all the feedback from you all and some more studying by me I am sure this must be correct....so, NOBUSHIRO it is. Please make a comment if any of you find some written facts in the future...all the best, and thanks! Happy new year to all, George.

That is very interesting. I don't know that much about details of Hokke and don't know the kantei features of the school so well. But it was nice I got close with Ko-Mihara guess. I actually have blade that has old papers to Hokke Ichijō and it has portions that have nice fine looking hada. Unfortunately my photography is awful...

Thank you, Bruce. The museum (run by non-professionals more interested in Australian memorabilia) is not going to sell the 2 swords, so in a sense the oiling of the blades and rust limitation will not diminish the value. I will try to talk them into leaving the blades out of the saya as it can't help with their preservation to have them enclosed. Again, thank you, from countryside Victoria in Australia. PS this is the sword that would have been used everyday.

Poor forum manners are to be expected from time to time, and situations like that are usually best handled collectively, either by choosing not to engage or by reminding the poster that a little courtesy goes a long way. I also try to give new members some grace, since navigating these forums can take a bit of getting used to. What concerns me more are the repeat offenders who continue the same behavior despite guidance.

I am always hesitant to make changes that affect others that aren't so..."oblivious" But seems something may need to be done in this case. Hmmm. A membership would at least have been appropriate a while ago. Especially considering the hosts just advised me now we are almost up to our 125 GIG allocation, and I'm going to have to buy more server space. Sigh. Still....125 Gigs of images here is quite something. Try publish THAT as a book

The flags are an immediate give-away. The flags are a red flag?

Overpolish? Blade looks like being sharpen by kitchen blades sharpener. Don’t put more into it.