Brian

Should be able to, there is no feature stopping it. http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa29 ... gers_2007/ Here is your codes. Direct links to the images etc. I'm assuming this sword is the one marked NMB1, 2 and 3. Brian

Brian, Were there pics that were supposed to be attached? I gather that it is the tsuba that is signed Masatoshi, and the sword is mumei? If so, I'm not sure what info we can provide on the sword without pics, and even then it is difficult. If you are looking for info on the tsuba, then I think the tosogu section might have more info on the maker. Regards, Brian

Can't be too certain, but the fuchi does seem to have the lip on it that would indicate there was a matching aikuchi koiguchi once. Then there would be no tsuba fitted, so looks like you are correct that the tsuba was assembled later, but a good match was found. Probably an early re-wrap in this style led to the menuki being left off, and the same tsuka core was used for the job. I'll leave the other opinions to the experts here Btw, your pic resizing and file sizes are comming along very nicely, glad you made the pc work as it should Brian

All, We have another nice prize to add to the raffe, kindly donated by Henry Wilson in Japan. It is a beautiful sake flask and 2 cups, along with postage to the winner. Details can be found on the raffle page. Thanks Henry, that brings us up to 16 prizes in total Regards, Brian

Thanks Jacques and Stephen. I will pass the info on to the owner. Much appreciated. Brian

Hi folks. For those of you who may have missed the giant intrusive notices above every page, the raffle is up and running and thank you for the great response so far. Just thought I would update you all on the numbers that are taken so far, as many of you seem to want the same numbers Numbers definitely taken already include 1-35, most of the 60's, and most of the 140's. Numbers still available (not all of them, there are still plenty of numbers available) include: 36-39, 42-49, 51-56, 58, 59, 61, 63, 72-74, 76-78, 80, 81, 83-87, 91-95, 97, 98, 104-110 and quite a few others. Just to give you some idea of what is gone. The link to the raffle page is here: http://www.militaria.co.za/raffle/raffle.html Regards, Brian

Hi all, A friend asked me to have a go at these 2 mei. Without a handy camera, he chalked the signatures and photocopied them. Hopefully they are clear enough to work on. The first I think reads Bizen (no) kuni Osafune ju Sukesada? The other I haven't had enough time to go over. I think it ends in Taka, but don't have the rest. Anyone able to assist? Thanks, Brian

Pierre, I am pretty certain they are not using regular floor wax, and if they are, I think they should be strung up. Likely they are using "renaissance wax" which is commonly used in museums, although I am also not too confident about using it long term on Nihonto. But it is used worldwide by museums, so can't be too bad I hope. The traditional methods mentioned already have stood the test of hundreds of years though, and I see no reason to change them now. Google renaissance wax, and you will come up with lots of info on it. Hopefully that is what it is, and not floor wax Brian

Very cute and funny guys... But in the interests of keeping this a serious and dedicated study forum, I have to cut it short now. Let's keep on track please. I know it is getting to the end of the year and the mood is getting lighter, but we have some serious sword experts and visitors on board, and I don't want the tone going downhill. Thanks, Brian

IMHO, this blade (from what we can see) is not nearly in any state of polish where you can start to appreciate any visible boshi. It looks like it was rusted over, and has had a rough amateur polish job done to bring it to this state. Just my opinion from what I see, but there is way too much pitting and roughness to be in a state where the boshi will be nice and visible. The boshi is probably the hardest to polish, and doesn't show nicely unless the polish is done well. I can't make a determination if it is there from the pics. Brian

Congrats Alf! Brian

I split this from the original post, because it is a topic in itself. I found the following file in my Nihonto folder, and unfortunately do not remember where I got it. So hopefully the original poster will forgive me posting it, and has my thanks. If there are any copyright issues, please let me know and I'll pull it. But judging by the dates, it should be ok to share. Brian Urushi Lacquering .doc

Hi Guido, I would appreciate a summary if possible, as you know most of us here are still novices with little to no knowledge of Japanese language I thought Dr T's link I posted summed it up quite nicely, so hope everyone at least gave it a read. Will be glad to hear if there is anything to add to that in the above extract. There, I also found this great article by Guido simpy explaining how to convert those pesky shaku, sun, bu and rin to easy mm and cm. I had no idea it was so easy, and thanks for that. http://www2.una.edu/takeuchi/DrT_Jpn_Cu ... _chart.htm It's all about the number 303. Makes life a lot easier for me. Brian

Mark, I may be wrong here, but I think those definitions are more about the feel and look of the blade than based on actual strict physical dimensions. I have seen blades that have a nagasa of 35cm called o-tanto based on the appearance and mounts. I think it is probably an o-tanto, but post a pic and you will get more opinions. The terms are loose, and some will call it one thing, and some another. Is it hira-zukuri and what does the nakago look like? What koshirae? There is an article somewhere that goes more into this, but not sure where I read it. No easy answer, I think it has to go down to gut feel. Brian Edit to add: Here you go: http://www2.una.edu/takeuchi/DrT_Jpn_Cu ... of_wak.htm Excellent article by Dr T, who is a member here on the NMB and has a great website. Some very good reading there clarifying the confusion while pointing out how difficult it is to classify them

How long have I been collecting? Not nearly long enough :D If I had another 20 years of study behind me, I would be a bit more confident in this field. As it is, I am only into this for the past 7 years or so. So I am still a complete beginner. I was always a serious firearm and edged weapon collector with a reference library of a few 1000 books. Oneday I found myself with a newly acquired NCO shin gunto, and as always, went to my books to see what I had on Japanese swords and learn a bit more about it. Well..once I started reading, I was hooked. Everything else took a back seat, and I soon found myself looking for a forged blade. I skipped the "buy a fake on eBay" stage, and bought my first wakizashi from a very nice dealer overseas. The rest is history Brian

Wow...that is a brilliant article. I had missed that one before, and clears up a lot of the confusion regarding the use of "den" Can see how the attitudes towards this word differ in Japan compared to how we often see it. Thanks, Brian

Closest possible I was able to come to: Linstock They vary in shape. Could those side ends hold a fuse? http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhib ... stock.html http://images.google.co.za/images?hl=en ... a=N&tab=wi Brian (Edit to add: Just means signing your post at the end with an inital and surname, or first name and initial. )

Hi LS (Please sign posts with a name and initial as per the rules, thanks) Definitely not Japanese in origin. It may be Chinese, but I can't find anything similar in Chinese weaponry. The Chinese tiger fork is a trident, but not as ornate as this. I will take a look through Stones Glossary and see if I can find anything similar, but it may be Burmese, Nepalese etc etc. Your best bet would be to post on one of the ethnographic edged weapons forums such as http://forums.swordforum.com as they should have people who specialise in similar items. Interesting item, looks a bit ceremonial to me. Regards, Brian

Well..since we do have this one off topic thread running already, and it is a slow Sunday afternoon here... I know you mentioned a bit about the AF decision comming up on the yahoo group. How about filling us in here about what is going on? I know most here don't know, and sounds like quite a decision to make... Brian

I thought I was the despot? :? Did you demote me already?

Well...since there isn't a smiley for "gracious in victory" or "well done to the runners up" or "well played, opponents"... I think I'll just use this one: Or maybe this one.... Brian PS - Thanks to the French for being such great hosts. I hope our supporters were less trouble than the Brits.... (It's my forum, I can go off topic if i like)

Rich, Is there a different, larger book than "Japanese Sword Fittings from the Alexander Mosle Collection?" I thought that was the one, but it only has 170 fittings, and doesn't have a Nobuie in it. Must be a different larger catalog I guess. Brian

Darcy compiled this idea into a fantastic article for the last JSSUS newsletter for anyone who has access to it. Glad we sparked the idea Very nicely done. Brian

John, If I look closely, I can see guide lines that indicate there was an intention to carve another hi to match the other 2. Look to me like a work in progress, done afterwards. Maybe a project that remained unfinished for some reason. It is indeed quite odd Brian

Robert, I would suspect that most people who are displaying swords in koshirae either just have them on a sword stand on a table or shelf, or have a wall mounted stand that works the same way. Not too many options open to you I think? Brian