gudis

I still have those butterflies in my stomach when I look at the blade. Thanks, I'm going to take a picture of the nakago, and no its mumei looks to be a very shortened blade.

At last, with all the nervous thoughts and lot of wait it arrived. This wakizashi is my first buy into this beautiful world of Japanese handcrafted swords. I found it on E(vil)bay, but after many hours on the internet and in books I thought it was time for me to SEE it in real, holding it my hands and so on... bla bla bla... I picked up the parcel and payed the correct tax at the postal office and went home. ripped the parcel and took out a shira saya that was in a swordbag. My heart was pumping when I pulled out about 5cm, and looked... MMMmmmm nice was my first thought. I pulled out it all about 53cm of pure steel... :D Here is some pictures (damn its hard to take a desent picture) NOW its time to go back to the books and look and compare activities in Ji and just to take the time to study this piece of hardened steel.

I'm just wondering.... Is there anyone here that wants to explain how they are taking pictures of blades ?? I'm a advanced photographer so just shoot at me. I think I can manage my self but if I can spare a couple of shots I would like that. Are you guys using any post processing ??

Ok, I'm a little angry because the postal office haven't replied to me on my second question I wrote them. Hmm, I'll just have to wait and see.

That is so weird. Here in Sweden you cannot own a full auto rifle or gun. We are having trouble now to just get e permit to have a hunting rifle. The government are so suspicious about what's happening here in this little land. I'm not voting for free guns or like that, but it's a little TOO hard. I'm having a little story about this. My father, died in a tragic accident at work and he owned a BSA meteor air gun 4,5mm. It's a licensed gun here in Sweden due to it's high outgoing velocity of the bullet. The day after my fathers death the police office called and said that we had a gun that was illegal. So we had to go to the police with the gun that same day to leave it for destruction !!

Thanks, I think I did a nice buy too. I just got a nice email back from the postal office. They just related it too the VERY hard weapon law that we have here in Sweden. I have been assured that if it's a antique sword it should not be a problem to import the wakizashi. BUT it's up to the officer working that day to decide if it ok to let the sword into Sweden or not. I did write in my mail that it's an art object I'm buying from Japan. Then it's another thing they wrote, but I can still not be sure to get my 2 swords I have bought. You also have a little strange seeing on the laws. "it's easy to get e permit to have a firearm but it's hard to get a permit for a blade ?" It takes approximate 2-3 months to get my blades to Sweden from Japan and that is because what happened September the 11:th. So that is also so damn strange. You can import swords on your flights in to USA without any problems. And I can't import swords because airlines don't want to take swords in their luggage to Sweden.

Hmm, that's not good I have tried many things to get rid of my bug, beer absolut vodka and alot of wine. But I can't get rid of it. I'm just waiting for the truckload of money to arrive. The emperor ? Don't you know him ? :D Just send a nice letter explaining that want some of his swords. Maybe he has many of them so he can give you some. :D

Phuiii, is there a cure for the bug ?? I just bought some books and did see another sword that I want !! I think this bug will ruin me

Bought them on Ebay for some days ago ?? :D I looked at them too, but I considered that I dont have any use of them. Wasnt there 5 of them?

A little off topic.. Clean the blade !! you got some nice fingerprints on the second picture.

Hahaha, "gun shy" :D I just wanted this blade, but as mentioned earlier I put my max bid on $708, so it was close. If someone had put a higher bid I would not bid again.

It is your money after all. reinhard I know

Ehumm, looks that you know your things I think I will PM you some questions later And now I will have a LOOONG wait for it to arrive, But Im also very nervous about the post here in sweden that have sent back swords because they dont want to transport swords. I have written a nice letter to them. Thanks, I did see the blister. Its a little flaw but I can live with it FOREVER !! :D Thanks, I will be VERY happy if I get. The price was nice, even at the current exchange rate. I thought that It would be more expensive actually. I had my max bid at $708

Thanks, I the first sight of this blade gave me a "WANT TO HAVE" urge. So I put my max bid and it went to me. Shinto it may be, how do you see that ? the sori ?

When I did see this lovely sword I just melted.. The kissaki that are so uniform in shape and the hamon with the utsuri.. I just had to have this beauty.. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... AQ:US:1123 I will love this sword for its look, I dont give a damn if its a bad sword What do you think guys, isnt it lovely ??

Tack John, As I said before, I will post more pictures when I get my hands on it. Where in Sweden do you live John, I live outside halmstad and after the 1st of September I will be in trollhättan.

Thanks, I think it will activate my head for a great time.

Ok, ehumm that I didn't even notice until you said it. But what do u think of the "bubble" just beside the mekugi hole ?? It looks strange but for me it isn't a problem. It just makes the history of the blade even more interesting. What is the kiri-yasurime ?? Is it the repair of the old mekugi hole ??

That seems like a good thought, do you think so because the small notch below the mekugi ? I havent the blade here at my side, it havent shown up from Japan yet. But as soon as I get the blade to me I will post some better pictures.

My thinkings or hagire and a nice blade. There are many hagires on this blade, BUT they are thin... I dont mind buying a blade with fine hagire, just as long as there are no real chips in the edge. I buy blades mostly for the VERY nice steel work that the Japanese smiths where doing. I cant call myself a collector yet, but I will in the future come there. And if I in my future collection have blades with hagire wouldnt bother me very much. The blades are still a nice katan, wakizashi or a tanto. If the polish of the blades are nice and the hada and hamon are there, then I will be very happy to just sit and look at it. For a hardcore collector I think he would look for another blade somewhere. Thats my opinion on it.

Hmmm, I just ordered it from Amazon.com. There where back orders for a couple of weeks

thanks, I'll post them a note. Thanks again

Hmm, does anyone know if there is a nihonto club in sweden ?? I have looked, but i cant faind any. But I wouldnt be surprised if its a "hidden" club or something like that.

I know it looks strange on the nakago. But there is nothing on the other side of the nakago. But I will see when I get it in my hands.

I dont know where to post, but I did buy it on Ebay. Im very new to this about Japanese swords, but I have always had a little weakness for steelblades. Anything from kitchen knifes to Japanese swords. So after I had bought a "Chinese Katana" for some time ago, I told my self that Its time to buy something better to start off with. So After I liquidated some other stuff from home I thought that I hade some money to buy a real sword. All the katanas where TOO expensive, so I looked at the smaller wakizashi on Ebay. I have read quite a lot on internet and in books about Japanese swords, so I knew almost what to look for. So I stumbled up on a long wakizashi for almost a month ago on Ebay. I put a bid on it and after a short while someone outbid me. I think I bid 2 times then I thought that its enough from my side. But when it was a few seconds left I put my max bid for $450 and tadaaa I won my own blade in a shirasaya. I can say directly that the seller was very fast in answering my questions and I liked the way he handled it. I havent got the blade to me yet, because its almmost impossible to fly a blade to sweden. So it had to be a sea shipping to sweden. It takes about 1-3 months before I get my wakizashi in my hands. But I got the pictures from Ebay, and I would like to share them with all NMB readers and writers. I liked the blade much because there was a damage on the nakago, it looks like a bubble. (I know Im crazy ) And now in the wrong order, I will get 3 books about Japanese swords in a few days. Horray for Amazon.com, fast shipping and low price on used items.