Sporkkaji

Oh well, someone wanted it more than me. Was an old signed wakizashi in gunto mounts. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0541161589

Here's a few more, but I posted the worst looking ones first.

Hello, there's a sword listed online that is currently reasonably priced with little interest which is probably due to some very ugly spots on the blade. Just wondering if flaws such as the ones pictured here would be considered "fatal" and should be avoided at all costs, or if they are merely cosmetic and don't affect the integrity of the blade? Thanks in advance for any input.

Exactly, I would MUCH rather have an unmolested blade with a faint hamon than one where it has been artificially enhanced. Is there anything that can be done to neutralize this effect without causing damage itself? Something along the lines of soaking the blade in a baking soda solution maybe?

Wow, thanks for the lead on Morita golf. I dug a little deeper in their website and came up with this page http://www.moritagolf.co.jp/choice0211.html And a rough Google translation revealed this.... "The club began production in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture domestic founder Morita, Morita Kiyotarou is that of 1928. The third-generation president, says Taro Kiyoshi Morita Yasushi's grandsons. Before production of the club, but I was not sure what, during the war, so it was making a sword, I think you think was the Blacksmith." Can the name on the sword possibly be Morita Kiyotarou?? If not, it's a heck of a coincidence.

Hello, some time ago I purchased a naval sword and the seller translated the signature as Ban-Shu-Hime-Ji-Ju-Mori-Taka-Kio-Naga-Saku. It's my understanding that Moritaka would be his family name and Kionaga his given name? Later, a different translator told me it was Mori-Da-Kio-Kage, so I don't know which one is correct, or if it might be some combination of the two. Any help clearing this up would be greatly appreciated, as well as any possible information on this particular smith if it exists. Thanks!

Swordlike objects of course

It may be 'forged' from potmetal instead of tamahagane, but it would be the highlight of most collections . http://www.propstore.com/product-Connor-Macleod-Russell-Edwin-Nash-s--Chirstopher-Lambert--Katana-Sword.htm Or perhaps a rubber gunto. http://www.propstore.com/product-Rubber ... -Sword.htm

Thanks again to everyone for their input. I have since contacted the seller making him aware of the issues and this thread. His brief reply saying that the condition of the blade is very common for a 400 year old piece, but he did not have any explanation whatsoever concerning his description clearly stating that there were no forging flaws or openings at all. He did offer to "sell it again" for me (I'm assuming on consignment), but made no offer of a refund either partial, or in full with a return. I guess the moral of this story is buyer beware - especially regarding this seller. Unfortunately I had already jumped the gun and left positive feedback before learning the whole story.

Cory by the way. Well, the written description I guess since I didn't know what I was looking at in the picture - thought it might have been a smudge or something. Once I had it in my hand, the flaws were pretty obvious even to me. Another bummer in a recent string of them. I guess the question really comes down to whether I paid an exorbitant price for this particular piece considering the flaws and possible acid treatment. Assuming I don't demand a refund on general principle because of the misrepresentation, did I at least get an ok deal?

What would I look for to spot this? Is that something that will continue to adversely affect the blade? I've given it a good coating of quality gun oil for corrosion protection, but is there anything else I need to do to protect it further? All things considered I'm happy with the purchase, but that doesn't seem to jive with his claim of "There is no forging flaws, no opening, no crack temper". As well as the line circled in this picture, whatever it is. It definitely can be felt with a thumbnail, and there seems to be a hairline extending from it further toward the point, but it is too small to show in the picture.

Hello, I'm new to this forum though I've been reading through various threads for a while trying to learn what I can. I'm a complete novice, and on a whim I went ahead and made my first Nihonto purchase (not counting a naval gunto I've had for some time) on Ebay - a tanto from a seller who seems to have a positive reputation on this board. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0623002613 I would be very interested to get honest opinions from the knowledgeable folks here about it, and will consider any mistakes I made as a learning experience. Did I pay too much? My bid was a dollar more than the next highest, as I have found that bidding one dollar above a round number will often get it. The seller's description states that there are no forging flaws whatsoever, but my untrained naked eye sees what looks to be very small hairlines along the hamon only on the left side of the blade. Sorry, the only pictures available are the ones in the listing as I don't own a quality camera. Is the ca. 1550 time period accurate and is the mei likely genuine? I'm assuming the koshirae is most likely from a later period? Is the blade an item which would benefit from papers at the upcoming bay area shinsa? Finally, the very detailed little dragon on the tsuba is reaching for a small round object (egg?), is there any symbolic significance to it? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!