md02geist

Hello all, When commissioning a new tsuka, having a new tsuba etc fitted to a blade and the like, or having a new saya or shirasaya made, generally who have you all found to have good service and be reliable? Say if in the future I find a themed set I like for a blade I possess that either doesn't have fittings or has sub-par fittings, where are some honest places I could go to have the set fitted etc? It's not something I'm doing now, but I want to know where to look in the future if I do wish it done.

Thanks Greg! I was like "I don't think anyone said anything inappropriate?" lol.

This had more comments on it that seem to have been deleted...?

Yes I'm aware of be steps but didn't know if two Smiths would ever work on the same blade like that at once. It did seem far fetched but just mulling over ideas. Thank you for your input!

Wonderful information, thank you Ray! I find the pattern to be very interesting!

Decided to go ahead and pick up another Yari while I was at it with the new Katana. Sue Seki Yari (Hozon), almost a 16" blade. Nice sturdy sankaku yari in good polish with a cool hamon. Interesting how the hamon is unevenly done; stylistic thing or sign of it being worked on by two people at once to rush production, or what? Any idea? Just shooting in the dark here, perhaps I'm wondering at the importance of something that really has no importance.

Yep already mentioned this. Thanks for pointing it out again though I'm sure not everyone saw my post but there are a lot of people who could use this book!

Certainly nothing wrong with appreciating all different varieties. I have a soft spot for tobiyaki!

It's funny you mention seeing papered swords swapped from Mihara to Aoe or back and forth; I've actually seen several examples of that just in my shopping. For instance a sayagaki will say Aoe but the NBTHK will call it Mihara etc. Seen at least one knowledgeable vendor openly question the attribution as well stating they felt it was the other etc. By the way you are right about the Mihara sugata; I too have never seen a Mihara with a poor sugata (of course my experience in looking and searching I'm sure is not as extensive as yours). I have my eye on one or two other Mihara blades as well, they seem to draw me in each time I see them. Like I said they have a lot of that functional elegance to them generally without super flashy hamons, etc. I don't mind the flashy stuff but to me true beauty lies in simple elegance. At least at this point in my journey! lol.

Thank you very much. Interesting choice of decoration; I looked up the symbolism on it and it seems to refer to fertility, child birth, etc. They seem popular enough that several of you were able to reference it without any issue; any idea why these might be used on a sword? What would they represent to a warrior? Praying for many sons etc fertile lineage or something? Just mulling over it. Maybe someone just really likes pomegranates lol.

Good for them! I hope it works out for them. I really like Aoi, they have had fantastic customer service in my limited experience with them.

That seems to be a really good direction to go.

Anyone have a guess as to what the heck the menuki are? https://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2016/16683koshirae.jpg

As I understand it the two were neighboring schools too, and share some similarities.

I noticed that as well. There seems to be some back and forth as to *exactly* what the years are where something would be considered Ko or Chu, and I found at least one reference that simply notes only "old" and "new" rather than any Chu or mid type Mihara.

I did as well. Was interesting to know there was such a discerning mark and different name for such a relatively short period.

Thanks all I appreciate the compliments! Can't ask for a whole lot more at that price range that's for sure.

Beautiful sword Ray. I haven't seen the one I've purchased in person but I imagine yours is in better shape. Nice hada on that one, it really pops. The same sort of purposeful elegance about it that swords like Naminohira etc exhibit; made for use! I find absolute beauty in functional elegance.

Picking up a nice Chu-Mihara blade from Aoi. I realize it has a large fukure in the nakago and some rough hada etc etc and the various wear but it seems to be a great sword (with marginal koshirae, and a nice shirasaya) for the price. Chu-Mihara are supposedly relatively rare to find and this one seems like a nice, if well loved, blade. I'm always fascinated imagining the history of a piece. I think this one has a lot of study potential and with the current Yen:USD rate wasn't a bad deal. I understand it will never be a high dollar juyo type blade so please keep the "oh wow bottom feeder blah blah" comments to yourselves. I love the simplistic, functional elegance of it (one of the reasons I like things like Naminohira) and Chu-Mihara supposedly are VERY close in quality generally to Ko-Mihara. The hamon reminds me of clouds creating a second, opposing horizon across the sky on an open winter morning. Sidenote: I always love Aoi pictures. I feel like they do a great job of showing you different things about the blade.

I'm certainly no pro on fighting from horseback by *any* means but I imagine against the more than likely lightly armored footsoldiers (or no armor, at the time a lot of the conscripts didn't really wear armor other than whatever junk they could salvage this was really before the time of regimented ashigaru) the warrior didn't need to do much more than hold it out and ride by aiming the edge at your soft target (and holding on tight lol). The horse momentum probably would have done all the work for you. Now fighting on foot with that bad boy would have been different altogether! Of course this is just idle speculation.

Beautiful blade.

Often the case (not being so clear cut).

Depends on who you ask lol. But i'd say generally yeah most people here think they are the good guys. I'd hope!

I saw that today too and was a little taken aback. It's fairly non-malicious I think but like...what in the world. Of all the people to target you target a Japan-based Nihonto dealer? lol.

Yeah he's got it down for right now b/c they're redoing it or something. He made a brief post about it on Facebook if I recall.