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Hi Ford, ...speechless - ! - One thing I can say; as the novice I am: This video and your project have certainly shifted my opinion about Tsubas and other koshirae parts....I truthfully can say that I will never look at any koshirae part in the same way as in the past as you have opened my eyes to the work/detail/craftsmenship etc. Thanks heaps also thanks for giving us the insight - both work and video are nothing short of being brilliant! Jock

Hi, ....thanks for the feedback....will look for the post with the rice glue.....and yeap..my timing was not the best....I guess I wasted about 15 hours....should have asked first = I guess that can be called a "learning experience" Thanks heaps! Jock

Hi, Just came across this unusually shaped tsuba and wondered about it: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT Jock

Hi, If I'm not mistaken than there is a genuine tsuba and its copy on ebay at the same time. Please compare: 3rd picture http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT 1st picture http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Samurai-sw ... 41556b0418 I can see the same kanji trace on the 2nd one as on the first.... Opinions appreciated.. Jock

...point taken....that's why I asked... Jock

....forgot almost: I also used this common white/milky coloured wood glue to attach the 2 honoki saya halfs of which I carved out the blade shape....again it would be interesting to find out what a save waiting time would be to ensure that there is no moisture left....I used only a very thin film of glue and put the saya in a press to let the glue dry... Jock

Hi Lee, My apology I wrote hardwood but it is actually old honoki that I got a while ago....yet I'm very interested in what you stated concerning the oil in oak etc - I'm in Australia and we have lots of hardwoods here... is there anything comparable with honoki? And the oils/substances in certain woods do these disappear with age? Concerning the glue - I used the average white wood glue to glue the same to the tsuka...now the tsuka wood is approx 2-3 mm thick at the thinnest place....a) would some moisture find its way through the wood to the nakago? How long would be an appropriate time to wait to "guarantee" that there is no moisture residue left of the glue? Jock

....and there is the question I wanted to add: Is that in line with the philosophy on this board? Genuine parts haven't been altered/abused/damaged and can be taken at any time to fit into another koshirae - yet not all has been made in a traditional way...same glued to tsuka handle - nakago carved out of tsuka wood - genuine ray skin used - dried old hardwood for saya & tsuka these were fairly in line with traditional methods....the spraying of the same & layer and spraying on top of the saya wood these weren't exactly traditional....yet none of the antique parts have been altered such as filed/cut/painted etc...... sooo is this an accepted way to protect/preserve genuine nihonto parts or is there any ethical/methodical/philosophical argument against doing it this way? Appreciate comments - negative as well as positive... Jock

...some more...

Hi, I received a lovely tanto without kosirae and decided to make a shirasaya....half way through the project I thought it might be worth it to try to built your own koshirae as I had some spare bits such as tsuba, menuki, fuchi. Didn't damage any of these just included them in my construction.... Jock PS: didn't attempt the hande-binding but will have it done by somebody in white silk ito...hope that fits colour-wise

Hi Peter, I guess you like this one too...: http://cgi.ebay.com/real-Japanese-Nihon ... 415539338d Jock

Hi, Maybe somebody can enlighten me concerning this unusual nakago shape - ebay Item number: 280602555182 http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Nihonto-Sa ... 415537332e Jock

Hi Keith (and others), My sincere apology if I read your comment in the wrong way / misinterpreted it. I do appreciate any critical comment on this board not only on my blades but on any blade....3 years ago I would have gladly bought any cheap chinese repro sword and hung it proudly over my desk....fact is that this board (actually the members here) have, without a miss, always given good advise etc. No way I would miss out on constructive criticism - this would be equal to a decision to stick with very limited knowledge. I have on many occasions read (with appreciations) your comments and admired the well of knowledge you and other members on this site have. And also appreciated the fact that members here are more than just helpful and very willing to educate others. I started collecting knives from the age of 7 - moved on to 'old knives' by the time I was 12 - at 19 I started to collect custom made knives - did this for 21 years and then approx 3 years ago I came across a nihonto and shortly after that found this site.....in my opinion I went through 4-5 stages on my journey....everyone of these leading to were I'm now.....maybe my money limits and interest in cheap crap is just another stage - at the end of the tunnel I can see myself in my nihonto dehumitified room with 70 perfect blades....and still believe that rubbish blades educated me (based on members comments) be it only to get a rubbish blade and being told why it is rubbish and storing this knowledge....I think that there might be a time for everything - for some of us it was better to obtain a tired blades and mess around with it (based on a lack of knowledge) than getting a treasure and making a real mess of it... It certainly has its place to "frighten People concerning messing up nihontos" but there is also a time when one has to see that being a novice doesn't mean that they "know" more like "willing to learn" Well....just my 2 pence - and again: Thanks for all the education, advise, help and last not least criticism that I obtained from all you members....it certainly change me from a person who would have made a mess of any nihonto to somebody who is very careful about it. I just recently sold a koto katana to somebody on this site only because I couldn't afford a polish - in the past I would have taken this poor little thing in my workshop and tried whatever my brain would have come up with....result would have been = destruction. Regards, Jock

I might as well start ...I actually was stupid enough to trying to use lots of glue to "fix" a tsuka and managed to put the nakago into it when still not dried - to find out that when it was dry - the glue didn't only keep the tsuka together but also secured the nakago in the tsuka in a not desirable way.....still bothered about this one eventhough it was a tired showa blade.... And then there was the time when I got a thick/beefy kanemichi katana - long nasaga and good fittings for $600 and returned it to the seller as it was blunt as I thought it as a almost "fatal" flaw - I didn't think it was worth to have it polished..... Mind you I learned a lot since then - but still only scratching the surface (surface scratching doesn't refer to handling a nihonto btw) Jock (intention of this posting is to remind some people that they might have done things wrong in times past too and to educate everyone in what shouldn't be done.....just to explain my intentions and to avoid misunderstandings!)

Hi Folks, ..thought it might be interested to start a new post - giving people the chance to let their pants down! I think as with nihonto there is the same danger as with any other knowledge based thing in life.....after a few years one forgets his humble starts - I would be interested how many of the people who "are out for the kill of anybody who touches a nihonto in a less traditional way" actually have put their hands on swords (as novices) in exactly this way when they became interested in the subject. In other words: What did you mess up when you started collecting. (And I know this will take some courage .......) Jock

To grant you a little insight in my humble mind - may I point out to you that a stamp-collector might classify any nihonto collector as an idiot as he can't see any value in doing so - same the other way.... For you (if your mind is focused on a perfect nakago and traditional polishing / koshirae) this blade might be (quote:) "worth virtually nothing by virtue of a very messed with nakago" -yet you will be unable to argue that the stupidly filed nakago does not mean this sword can't fulfill its original purpose = cut off enemies heads - surely beauty is best when perfect - yet may I offer you: I'd gladly buy any koto/shinto/koa isshin blade of you that has a "messed with nakago" as long as my taste indicates that the price that is asked is in line what the object's value is for me (as an individual). And may I use this opportunity to argue that some pockets aren't big enough to spent $10,000 on a blade....more like $1-200 and yet one might want to use the humble means to enjoy whatever one can afford without the arrogant judgement of some of the people here who don't know what "limited money" means...In short: I spent 20 years in charity work - whilst some of my friends made millions....well I might be an idiot with an IQ of 138 but these are the reasons why I didn't buy a minty sword from one of the guys on this forum... Humbly hope that this answers your question in more than 1 way! Jock

Hi Louis, Thanks heaps - hope keeps us going....maybe I bring it to Sydney next year... Have a great one. Jock

Hi Alan, Thanks for the input...I'll google it now.... Jock

Hi Moss, Would love to....thanks for the input...I hope that I will win the lottery before that and can purchase some really good ones to make it really worth it.... Jock

...thanks James... I wonder if one could say that the production process to make a Koa Isshin is the same as producing a sanmai blade and then heat temper and water quench it? Am I mistaken here? This brings me to the next question: Seeing the ever growing number of martial arts enthusiasts one wonders why nobody produces a modern "koa isshin" line...with reference to the past and its proven qualities that should be a brand / product that the market readily should take up.... Would be interested to see your thoughts on the points above guys... Jock

Hi, Just wondered if all Koa Isshins were all made with the same blade length or were there variations such as custom made ones? Regards, Jock

Hi, I usually wouldn't buy without seeing the tsuka removed, but giving benefit to the seller it wasn't possible without damaging the handle wrapping....well the handle wrapping as well as the rest of the koshirae was done by the same guy that filed the nakago...not worth keeping and I didn't hesitate to remove the wrapping...I certainly don't think that the blade is tired at approx 7.2mm thickness...still looking into the acid thing... I read somewhere, and I'm not saying it in relation to this blade, that some chemical contents of the stones used for polishing cause a certain chemical reaction with the blade surface as well as the small percentage of the human sweat ... well I leave this to the ones who have mastered the knowledge to go into this.... I think that is is really sad that one doesn't have an opportunity to consult people with knowledge at shows here in Aussie as these are quite rare....got a lot better chances to find communities who desperately wait for being picked up by aliens....or others who are in a 1960's time wrap... Jock

...the thing that got me thinking was that a website differentiated between the 2 as follows: ------------------------------------------ 3. Koa-isshin Mantetsu-to. Made from Manchurian steel by a special process. Partly forged, partly engineered, and differentially hardened in the traditional manner using water as a quenching agent. Possesses an active hamon and hada. 6. Mantetsu-to. Rolled from Manchurian railway tracks. Differential hardening using oil, may have a fairly inactive hamon, but no hada. ------------------------------------------ I always thought that both were the same - from the same production - same company - just an add-on to the name (koa isshin) because of political reasons....yet the information above indicates that the Mantetsu isn't equal to the koa isshin? Thanks for clarifying this.... Jock

Hi, I wonder if somebody can help me here....is there a difference in quality between the koa isshin and mantetsu blades?? As far as I know both came out of the same production line....is this correct? Thanks.. Jock

...what are the effects of acid? And what makes you conclude that acid was used? Thanks for the feedback.. Jock