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Everything posted by tokashikibob
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Take A Guess Kudasai
tokashikibob replied to tokashikibob's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Bazza, Yes they are in fossil fields of the N.C. coast in just a few small areas. The coordinates of good fields are kept secret and the numbers are sometimes sold for many thousands of dollars. The teeth are about 10 million years old. They lay anywhere from 95-110 feet in these areas and basically you look for large pieces of whale bone which are remnants of shark's supper. Most of the surface fossil teeth are gone, so you head down there with a 50 pound scooter with 2 lead acid batteries. You use that to blow the overburden down to bedrock stopping at times to see what you blew out or is laying in the hole. The deeper you go the bigger the teeth most of the time. Time to reach the area is 2 to 3 hours as it is way off shore and sea conditions are usually rough if you are not used to it. I'm probably good for 2017 but will hang it up soon. Best Regards, Bob -
Take A Guess Kudasai
tokashikibob replied to tokashikibob's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Greg, Hopefully she didn't grab any blades. When I got kicked out for a few weeks last year the old lady grabbed 8 or so nihonto I had in grabbing distance. One is still missing! Anyway, let me know if I can help! Best Regards, Bob -
Take A Guess Kudasai
tokashikibob replied to tokashikibob's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Thanks for the kind words on the photo's, maybe Moses, Darcy or Danny will hire me someday. -
Take A Guess Kudasai
tokashikibob replied to tokashikibob's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Thanks for the kind words fellas, I've had a good year buying antiques; handling many antique guns and swords, clocks & watches and toys. Also mined a few big teeth from the bottom of the ocean this year to boot and did not get the bends (3x dudes) or get killed 2x dudes). If I stop posting some day it probably means a big auction sale here of my gear (Don't miss it) as I did not come back from a dive. The only thing that may be better than finding a big tooth is finding and buying a great nihonto in the sticks. I'll have to save some $ for a Shinsa trip as I have been putting that off and really need to get some of these neck shavers looked at as books only can do so much on mumei pieces. Best regards, Bob P.S. PM if you are interested in purchasing a tooth for Christmas, you deserve it!! -
Take A Guess Kudasai
tokashikibob replied to tokashikibob's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Effort + Time + Lil bit o knowledge + Good Karma = Luck -
Take A Guess Kudasai
tokashikibob replied to tokashikibob's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
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Take A Guess Kudasai
tokashikibob replied to tokashikibob's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Fellas, Wow, this was my third stuck handle in my nihonto handling career and took a hour to get the peg out and handle off. Two hole shorten blade, no mei. In my unprofessional amateurish and usually wrong assumptions I would say this work is a muromachi era Soshu work moving towards sue soshu. The thing that really is nice is the holographic quality you get with the hamon. Where with a subtle movement of the wrist you can go to full hitasura to gunome and back again. Really incredible stuff. I am a big fan of these old (Edo?) polishes that have passed the test of time. Auction Story: So I'm sitting in this little auction barn in the small town in nowhere North Carolina. There were a few other military guys who also showed up from around the state as a small collection of military swords where on hand among other decent antiques. The Japanese blade was first on the sword side to go and the left bid on this was $300 bucks so we go from there. I look confident and after a minute or so I win the bid. Sooo, a sword or two later is this really old U.S. sword that nobody really knows much about. The auction says Medical service but I know it is not that. Since I bid up the Japanese sword the competition shuts down quick after I join in the fun and I get the second sword I came there for... cheap. This morning with the help of another forum; it's a rare early West Point Cadet sword pre Civil War. One of 400 ever made and one of 100 sent to West Point in 1856. You know how civil war collectors are, so this is a incredible find as it is cleaner than the one at the West Point Museum from what I can tell. http://www.oldswords.com/articles/THE%20U%20S%20%20MODEL%201839%20CADET%20SWORD%201.pdf So this is a lucky Nihonto, not like the other one with the ghost. Best Regards. Bob -
Anything with Colby Bilmore on the mailing tag on the saya would be nice under the tree!
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Gents, Headed out after work for a night auction a few hours away last night. I brought this home and it cleaned up pretty nice. Anyone want to take a stab at the bladesmith before I work the handle off? Best Regards, Bob P.S. With my luck it is mumei or gimei.
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For some of us this situation is one way on how we acquire our collections. It is of great interest when a collection comes on the market as there are too many pieces usually for the collecting community to absorb in the matter of a few minutes time in the auction crowd or when someone responds to a advertisement.. Guys like me (The newbies) cannot shop at Aoi art often. Best Regards, Bob
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Getting ready to carve up the Turkey in a couple days. Stephen says I should cut the bird with this old chow hall Ginsu, I prefer a electric carving knife. I guess I could use this old relic if the bird is juicy. Best Regards, Bob
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Hammy, I have many great examples of fine military outfitted blades, I look for the different nowadays. Anyway I liked the look and it's still sharp. I won't have a problem using it next month when the riots start if I'm out of bullets. I'd have reservations on using one of the nice polished blades on out of control liberturds or Trumpers for that matter. Best Regards, Bob
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Thanks guys, Especially Bruce, saved me time looking those kanji up. I keep it together even if the parts are worth more than what I have in it. I'm sure we all have repaired & refitted project blades and soon find how hard it is to get a good fit on just about anything on a nihonto. Whomever did this one was pretty savvy.
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Steven & Hammy, Here's the Endo Mei. The last inch of the nakago is gone, another mystery. Anyway you may be right but I'm thinking some sort of Navy civilian government worker. Tsuka is good work, Endo Nagamitsu not so much even with the star stamp. I'll get a kurikata for it and put it away for another day.
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Gents, You may have seen this before as I spotted it on a few old boards. I was intrigued by the tsuka, as i seem to get excited by unusual in Nihonto and also because I've tried my hand at a few wraps with the help of Thomas Bucks book. Anyway, I bought it. The Tsukaito is gold and the backing is a fine cloth. However, all the fittings are standard Navy. The scabbard is unusual and maybe not original due to theme to the piece but it fits together well and maybe is correct? Has anybody else seen or own odd Navy koshirae blades? Other points of interest are what i believe to be a zodiac date and the Star stamp Endo Nagamitsu mei and a family symbol beneath the tassels on the scabbard. Best Regards, Bob
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Ww2 Mounted Older Wakizashi Signed Kanemichi
tokashikibob replied to carlitobrigante's topic in Military Swords of Japan
Koshirae may be a late war civilian base worker put together. Lucky the government employee kept the shirasaya! Nice blade! -
Swords Back From Polish
tokashikibob replied to SwordGuyJoe's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Way to go Joe! -
I also spent time in Bangkok on multiple occasions 10 years or so ago and would seek out the antique shops. The swords I saw were always rusty, usually used as field equipment beforehand and priced incredibility high. If they actually sell the swords for those prices you would be a rich man soon, shipping gunto there to sell. Maybe Burma would be a place to poke around, whose ready to go?
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Shin Gunto. The Signature On The Nakago.
tokashikibob replied to Fumei's topic in Military Swords of Japan
Vlad, How many Russian bring back swords from the July 45 Blitz are usually at the Kiev antique markets? Stephen and I will fly in by next Friday using reward points, Ray probably will too, but on a private jet in 48 hours. Can you pick us up? Best Regards, Bob -
Shin Gunto. The Signature On The Nakago.
tokashikibob replied to Fumei's topic in Military Swords of Japan
Vlad, Superb pictures & awesome sword! Congrats! Best Regards. Bob -
Restored Ww2 Blade,any Opinions Please?
tokashikibob replied to The_ozzy_samurai's topic in Military Swords of Japan
Julian, I know I'm swimming against the tide, but you took a WW2 blade nobody in a 100 years was going to spend 2K on to polish and made it a looker. I'm never impressed with a mint WW2 era polish anyway, I'm sure the girls at the arsenal didn't spend many hours on even the better blades we seek and do we consider them togishi? I'm of the opinion these 20th century blades have many polishes left in them and the geometry is for the most part standard on them. A light freshen by caring hands is no big deal. Best Regards, Bob -
Mei Help, Yoshimitsu Mashup :)
tokashikibob replied to Salvatori Moretto's topic in Translation Assistance
Sal, Glad to see I'm not the only rusty project collector! Good luck! Best Regards, Bob -
Thanks guys! I left before I got to read this board, and I just got back from looking at it in person. Passed on it. I also thought Chinese fake after handling it. Lack of patina, rough grinding. Missing arsenal marks on fuchi. When I unscrewed the handle the nakago was unfinished ground down and a uneven mess. Pretty good blade copy however. The scabbard was way light too. Too bad but it was only a short drive and maybe he'll find a good one next time!
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Gents, Looking at this wooden handled job tonight. Any impressions to share before I go see it. I am not spun up on last ditch anything. Best Regards, Bob
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Thanks Dave, Will do!