Sporkkaji

No help? Surely someone here must have a daisho??

OK sounds fun, I'll get the ball rolling. This one http://www.ebay.com/itm/151063841462 has two days to go and I just bid $91 for it. I need some accomplices to outbid me so we can get it up to 50K or so. You all have my word I'll be the final high bidder so I'll be the one actually dealing with them and you won't have to worry about negative marks on your accounts. When I win I'll say that Paypal restricts importation of products made from endangered tortoise shell or something like that and will try to get some info that will be useful to the authorities. On a related note, several years ago I had a blast messing with one of those Nigerian email scammers. Eventually went so far as to make up a fake check and send it to him. It was great watching them get more and more frustrated as the weeks went on. The whole thing is chronicled here http://www.wcnews.com/chatzone/threads/ ... mer.21029/

At least they aren't smart enough to just do a couple better written listings at a time, they might have more takers that way. I have a secondary Ebay account, if anyone cares to get in a bidding war with me over one of them I'm game.

Interesting choice for parade rifles. I wonder how many of those Garands actually saw combat against the Japanese military and are now being used by them.

I picked up this tsuba on Ebay to complete a mounting project with an ocean theme. Wondering if anyone can give me any information about it as to the age, approx. value etc. It's thick heavy copper with what looks like a silver outer ring and maybe shakudo seashells? Thanks!

Unlike the first video showing them blatantly defiling the battle site on the eastern front, this guy on Saipan simply picks up the belt buckle and puts it right back where it was. One is abhorrant, the other not necessarily.

I also strongly doubt if it really went for 10K. The single bid could easily have been the seller himself or an accomplice trying to generate interest.

Just saw this on Ebay, anybody know what the marking is? It's on what looks like a stainless Kai Gunto with a very stubby kissaki.

Just wanted to do a follow up and say that Mr. McDonald did an outstanding job for a very reasonable price.

Wondering if the seller's information is likely correct, or if they mean something else entirely? I'm kind of on the same page as the seller, not something I would want to have around. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... 0761669897

The only insurance policy I have is a 600+ pound insulated Liberty fire safe bolted to the floor from the inside, but I feel pretty secure. http://www.libertysafe.com/

Thanks, just sent you an email about this blade. That was my gendaito you forwarded to Mr. Tschernega a little while back for the habaki/shirasaya work.

I'm in California, so anywhere in the U.S. would work. Thanks

I considered leather but I'm concerned that it might react with the metal of the tsuba or nakago over time. I had read about the dental floss fix but it sounds about the same as the cotton patches I'm using right now. The sword itself isn't the best, and the fittings aren't the best, but I would still like to solve this issue using at least a nicely shaped and fitted metal shim that will blend in between the tsuba and one of the seppa. Not being much of a do-it-yourselfer, it would be great to find someone with the talent who I could pay to do the job right. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

On this subject, can anyone here recommend someone who can do some minor fitting work on a sword which has already had the tsuba replaced but didn't come together quite right? A thinner tsuba was replaced with a thicker one and one of the seppa was shaved just a touch to accommodate it. Unfortunately it was shaved down just a hair too much and there is some annoying movement in the tsuba which I have temporarily fixed by adding two thin cotton patches to make it fit perfect. I'm not handy doing such things myself and would love to have someone with skill make it right by either replacing one of the seppa or adding a nicely made thin shim. I tried myself using some brass shim stock, but wasn't happy with the result.

Another link showing a side by side comparison of the same sword in both polishes. http://www.nihontoantiques.com/sashikomi-Kesho.htm

There was a must have item once and I couldn't be home at the end of the auction to do a manual snipe. I tried Gixen, it was free and it worked perfectly. Of course it's necessary to give them your Ebay password, so once the auction is complete you will want to change it. Also make sure your Paypal password is different entirely just in case.

Back in action Cutting demonstration Used to dig a pillbox? Guy on the right needs to unwind a little

Thanks for the tip! However I entered the text into Google's translation system and it came up with "sterling silver" while Yahoo's service said it means "pure silver". Now I'm confused, is the silver content 92.5% or 99.9+% ?? Any guess as to the meaning of the main design?

I'm wondering if anyone here can shed some light on a silver sake cup that I picked up. I tried looking online and it's got what looks to be a hybrid of the standard Kiri mon and the Minimoto family mon but I haven't been able to find an exact match. The only other marks on it are two small Kanji characters and a little butterfly on the bottom which I assume are hallmarks and/or maker's marks. I Don't know the age or any other details about it. Thanks in advance.

Is it really being recommended that he pick out what is probably $10 or less in gold leaf? The sword may not measure up to the standards of Nihonto collectors, but it meant a great deal to the officer who carried it to war and was proud enough of it to add this little touch.

Thanks, I thought it was a little fishy that the seller didn't offer a translation.

I know I should have learned my lesson about auction sites by now, but old habits die hard. Hoping to get some opinions about a blade I've been watching - Since both sides of the nakago are signed, I'm guessing it's dated? wondering if that pitting would be appropriate for its age? Thanks!

This seller has a warehouse full of them and lists one every single week. I keep waiting for everyone else to get their copy and go away, but the bidding competition never seems to diminish.

My exact wording was "Some people on the NMB forum were wondering if you are still taking on more work, is there public contact information that I can give them?". Pretty close. I don't want to pester him too much as he seems to be easily annoyed and not partial to communication, but next time we talk I'll ask again and update here. I'm assuming his email john@sayashi.com has been tried?