tokashikibob

Man, you guys are really good! Bravo! 5 Stars! taihen jozu! Wunderbar! This blade Danny had is right on the money as far as characteristics. http://www.nihontocraft.com/Kanemoto_Koto_Wakizashi_K.htm

Fellas, Thank you for the info on this sword, I thought sanbon sugi was regular pattern in threes but I should have looked it up, I was using Markus's hamon reference book & Nakayama and didn't find much of a match. The hamon does not have any major points to talk about except that it has that holographic quality as you turn it to light. Maybe it is hadori over suguha? I agree it seems to be mostly itame but there is a at least two spots you can see that have the small ko mokume circles, it needs a finish polish to get a good read on what's there. I'll look for some menuki's in Chicago and probably put it in the available section. Best regards, Bob

Gents, Acquired this mumei wak recently with the initial impression it was a probable shinto kabun era sword due to it's straightness and all it needed was some tsukamaki repair. After having some time to study it the last few days, I think it may be quite older suriage koto piece. It sports a gunome choji hamon that gets pretty loopy the nearer it gets to the yokote then is pretty even in the boshi. The gunome temper can be seen back into the nakago somewhat where a smith reworked the blade putting in a different yasurime on the bottom forth. Fittings are pretty nice with a bronze over silver dual habaki, 3 metal signed tsuba and tiger fuchi. Too bad someone cut out the menuki, they must have been pretty nice. Hada looks to be ko mokume and is very tight with a few very small openings around the blade. Osafune school? What do you think? Best Regards, Bob

(This makes my heart rate speed up...) Yep, Mine too! That is a rare USMC camo poncho!

Gents, I would have liked to have submitted this to Shinsa before a polish but there was nothing to see in the metal as found. It merited a good polish just as much if not more than others in my collection of resto blades. If Chicago had a Shinsa it would be there. My reasoning to send it off were that the signature does match very closely to published references in Sesko's books, also the koshirae was ceremonial which usually means a special blade, the engraving is Nobukuni-like skill and hell it is a tanto so the polish was affordable and David does great work in conserving the blade. It is now something a nihonto collector would look at and appreciate vice a back of the drawer piece. Best Regards, Bob

Jean, Here you go, big time Osuriage but the old girl still has some nice looks for 700 years. I was on the list for 5 years and actually gave up when the call came a couple months ago so I had to decide from a selection of rusty gold.and went with this. The togishi was worried that the bohi was so deep that it might show daylight if the resto went poorly. Fortunately it made it through Ok. Best Regards, Bob

Presto Changeo!

I think it's the other one with the loop in the kanji, but after looking at the blade today it has too big a chip off the kissaki to mess with.

I'd have to grab some books, but that is a very sweet looking complex hada!

Thanks Marine!

Gentlemen, Having a little trouble with this, from my poor reference material here on the road, I'm going with Kaneaki from Noshu? I'm also guessing this is a poor cherry blossom stamp. Thank you in advance for any corrections. Best regards, Bob

Great job on the restoration Sal! Did you use coffee grounds on the samegawa?

Ed, is it going into the collection or for sale table? Best Regards, Bob

Jean, That is a nice tsuba! Here is the link to the best one on the RIA auction. What period were fittings like this produced? http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/67/lid/305

Fellas, After looking at a few blades in Cloisonne in the RIC catalog, can anyone enlighten me to their use in koshirae. I'm guessing early 20th century export of limited interest and value but not sure if I should give these type of blades a closer look when I see them on the table. Best Regards, Bob

Wow, I seem to remember a thread that was taken down about Kaigun's Tsuba's, I'm guessing these were them? After Stephen's experience a while back and this I may swear off tsubas for good.

What a great collection! I for one would not mind hearing the back story on the collection assembly. Congrats on the buy!

Gents, I'm interested in bidding on this tsuba but would like your opinions on it's authenticity and quality before gambling on a bid. Best Regards, Bob

Thanks Marine!

Gents, A friend of mine offered this nihonto in trade for some USMC. Having a bit of trouble with the 4 characters with my referance books/sheets. ? Kane Yasu Saku is what I came up with. How far did I miss the target? Best Regards, Bob

Ray, I'd regret selling that one too! Great looking blade!

Thanks Steve! That clears up my question!

Wow! That Kyugunto is really something! What school / smith do you think it is from? Best regards. Bpb

Love to see some more pictures Ofek!

Gents, Tonight while it's too cold to do anything else, what better way to spend some idle winter hours than a hot fire, cold beer and the NMB! So I was doing some research on the gunto pictured below and believe it's a Kotani KaneYoshi due to the odd Kane kanji. It is in very good condition. It has the odd celluloid samegawa. Question: The date on the blade is Feb 45. How unusual is that it was not outfitted in Type 44 fittings? Best Regards, Bob