SAS

Nice to be able to do one's own; a love of woodworking and a love of nihonto come together.

Thank you very much for your reply, Thierry. The working on the iron plate on #1 and #2 are very similar, #3 not so much. I am leaning more toward Nara then on mine.

Yay, I'm in

Still waiting for my approval to join, hint hint

And its done, hope you are happy with the result, Stephen....as for me I am still reeling from my insurance company expecting a whole years premium to be paid at renewal???!!! Regards my fellow vet.

That is beautiful, very interesting habaki as well.

It is very difficult to say anything with certainty, particularly from photos, but if acid had been used (say to remove rust) then was followed by a stone which had the characteristics that polish the ha and matte the ji, it might look like this. Is the mune of your sword flat? I have a wakizashi that has a similar shape that also shows the ha dark and light depending on the angle, could be the steel and the level of polish. (reminds me when Kawachi sensei was asked about why the steel forms hamon, he said something like "Please ask steel."

The process you refer to was for the purpose of demonstrating how ji-to of varying hardnesses would affect the appearance of the jihada.

I am surprised no one has said "acid" yet.....can't really say so myself, though the very clean condition of the pitting and the bold differentiation of the coloration of the steel is suggestive.

Thanks for the exercise, very interesting. I sometimes wonder if the shinsa experts sometimes pigeonhole smiths into work types that the smiths themselves might have resented.....just my random thought of the morning.

Nobuiye? Myochin?

It looks like a great deal that i would buy myself were it not for being broke

Thank you John, such as? Don't be so circumspect

1 early Kamakura 2 late Kamakura 3 Nambokucho 4 late Heian/ early Kamakura

After doing some reading and comparison, I am agreeing with an Aizu Shoami possible attribution, although this seems to also mean that it could be Nara. Thierry Bernard, are you in the house?

That's ok Stephen....by the time I made a horn or wood core and mounted it i would be happy already.

Awesome, thanks Mauro!

I think it is an oxen at rest near some blossoms, with a butterfly hovering above; not sure what is showing on the reverse side. I don't know if there is any deep meaning to this theme, or if it is just a bucolic pastoral scene. The tsuba seems to have some age to it. The sword it came on is alleged to be koto.

You are amazing! Love your work.

Doesn't look like it needs a polish to me, it looks to be a nice sword.

Just got this along with a sword, don't know anything about it and tosogu is not my main area of study. Any help?

edit: never mind.

yes indeed.

Nice blade, poorly cared for, needs a polish. Can't say anything about shoshin mei, but nice package needing TLC. Why do people insist on touching the blade and leaving fingerprints?

page 136, The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing, Setsuo Takaiwa, Yoshindo Yoshihara, leon and Hiroko Kapp. Also, regarding the appearance of the jigane, it will be affected by the grade of jizuya stone used.