truelotus

@ all thank you very much Donny

Hi All this waki was offered to my friend and I think I read it kuni yuki (CMIIW), but it comes with papers unlike NBTHK / NTHK papers could someone confirm my reading and enlighten me on the papers ? is it permit paper for sharp art objects ? thank you

woah, thanks a lot for the abundance of help really appreciate it Donny

this one is cursive, I have difficulty counting the strokes ... after some time looking at http://www.jssus.org/nkp/kanji_for_mei.html with no definitive result, I came here for help ... thank you very much in advance Donny

on the contrary, I love this type of teacher ... straight to the point, no fuzz ... just plain fact !!

Yup got him !! Kojima Konana and if I'm not mistaken the kanji is Ko Jima Yoshi Michi ?? got it from here, easier (already translated) : http://www.jp-sword.com/files/seki/gendaito.html Thank you very much, Jean

Hi Jean seems like Yoshimichi ... Am I correct ?? and about the first 2 kanji ?? cannot read it thanks Donny

Hi All this is yet another gunto, I believe with Seki stamp could someone help me read it ?? thanks Donny

the sword in question is not mine, but I will try to ask for more pic don't be surprised if the blade is in poor condition for 50 - 60 years of neglect Donny

thanks, Chris ... really appreciate it so this is Shitahara's sword

Hi All just got this piece to me, could someone help me read the mei ?? bigger pic available upon request thank you regards Donny

Hi I am a newbie in this field and would like some "expert opinion" My friend offered me this waki - price asked below USD 1,000 just want to know if it was worth it, from what I know, this looked like a mumei koto blade with shobu zukuri shape could someone enlighten me up on this sword ? (whether my prediction is correct, possible school and quality or other information) pic I believe is from ebay, but I have handled the blade myself and I guarantee it is not something on sale on ebay nagasa is 38,3 cm ... I plan to use it to practice iai (not tameshigiri) any comments are welcome thanks Donny

Hi Knowlton I am Indonesian native, and also a lover of Japanese sword - though a complete newbie in this field As previously stated, most Indonesians did not know about REAL Japanese sword - most of them believed that junk belt sword is actually a gunto left by IJA during its occupation that did not say that you couldn't find real deal in Indonesia, as I have found several. But mostly are in poor condition because the owner did not know how to maintain a Japanese sword your sword is definitely a copy - general rule, read and read more - simple rule is : a gunto is a military tool, therefore it is standardised (well, most of it) from heaps of junks offered daily here, you may just be lucky to find a gem in cheap price ... or a rusty junk with amazing price, like NCO gunto I was offered couple weeks ago

thank you very much, Matt really appreciate your help

Hi all just need quick help on this one. Sorry if the pic is not too good, but for now it's the best I have thanks in advance

thank you very much on the translation ... now I am confused as Yoshimune is listed as late edo smith. However, I cannot find any reference to Yoshisada with kanji sada 定 could you help ? thanks

Thanks, Lee I recheck the kanji based on your comment and I believe it was Yoshimune

and if I'm not mistaken, the mekugi ana are punched, not drilled ... or my eyes deceiving me ?? Donny

Hi all I got an offer for this one, but cannot read the kanji can anyone help ?? thanks in advance

woah ! thanks a bunch !! never knew this was takayama to ... an interesting sword once more, thank you Donny

Hi All a friend of mine asked to read the mei on his showato could anyone help ?? thanks in advance file is in the attachment

well, this is according to me, and I may be wrong, but here it is 1st clue the previous owner - the grandson of the person who took it recollects his grandfather's story that the sword was taken in an execution field after killing the previous owner in a fight 2nd clue the blade is bent in lower part of monouchi and small chip on the bent position, showing at least the story above is correct - the blade has seen combat 3rd clue shape of the rust in cutting edge persistent with something flowing in it and not cleaned in quite a long time (blood) ? 4th clue the original ito has many dark spots - kinda like spots you encountered in tsuka of sword used in training (sweat spots), but much darker in several parts of the ito, it even seems like that the liquid (whatever it is) soaking in very deep 5th clue I dismantled the tsuka for restoration and found that the nakago is heavily rusted in several areas, consistent with pool of dried liquid collected inside the wooden tsuka, it is reddish black, and I assume it was blood 6th clue I cut small piece of the ito and look it on the microscope, and unless I am mistaken, I see red blood cells need luminol here ... regards Donny

hmmm ... I recently restored a koa isshin mantetsu blade ... found in bent condition, and chipped nakago ... which due to over corrosion from blood (I replace the tsuka, and found the wood in old ones drenched in dried blood) overall condition is nice, but will have to wait some time before I can post the pic

I think the condition is not great, but SUPERB !! very rarely I see gunto in such mint condition ... good buy, Brian ... Donny

Hi all just got an offer for kaigunto, with this mei (plan to use it as training sword) ... unfortunately, the kanji is too obscure for me to read, I assume this one is just semi-traditionally made showato ... or perhaps due to the condition of the blade, sabinaito ?? (stainless steel blade) could someone help ?? thanks regards Donny