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Thank you Jean. Regards, Hoanh

Hi, Does anyone have the English index for the blue Shinto volume (1977)? I would appreciate getting a copy from you . Excel format would be great, but I'll take anything. It would save me the work. Your help is much appreciated. Please PM me. Regards, Hoanh

Mariusz, I would roll the dice and guess Owari. The iron finish does not have the Kyo look. Regards, Hoanh

I also wonder why the nakago ana is placed so asymmetrically relative to the two small holes. Looking at the tsuba gives no obvious clue. Hoanh

Dear Mariusz, I see what you mean. Total agreement! Hoanh

Sorry Mariusz! I got carried away with the details. Regarding Henry's tsuba, I don't think it was ever a mirror. It was probably made to be a tsuba. Given the shape of both surfaces, front and back, I don't see (punt not intended) how it could have been used as a mirror. Just my 2-cents, though. Regards, Hoanh

Mariusz, Mr. Burawoy's tsuba is very beautiful. Whoever made this tsuba paid a lot of attention to fine details in the carving. Then, I wonder why the placements of the dots seem to be so ... random. There doesn't seem to be a pattern. It may be the camera angle, though I don't think so. Also, there are 17 of the symbols Christian pointed out (they seem to be identical to my eyes). That number must mean something, though I don't know the answer. Regards, Hoanh

Dave, Um.... I don't know what to say. May be these guys can help me auction off a piece of property I own in Paris called the Eiffel Tower. Hoanh

Ken, I'm sorry for posting this on your thread, but it fits in with your theme. What in heaven's name is this shape? http://www.ebay.com/itm/NB-Signed-Japan ... 3a7eaff46b Hoanh

Hi, Kanayama tsuba are usually quite a bit smaller. I usually see them at smaller sizes than 7cm. Nice tsuba! Regards, Hoanh

Grev, As far as age goes, I would hazard a guess. The patina on the nakago places the sword in the koto period. The shape and size don't look Kamakura or Nanbokucho. So, by elimination, we have Muromachi as Uwe already wrote. Regards, Hoanh

Dear Greg, I think Uwe is tactfully telling you that your sword is not signed by THE Nagamitsu, and it's not worth the cost of polish (from a monetary point of view, of course). Uwe: Please correct me if I am misinterpreting your post. Regards, Hoanh

I'm a late comer to this thread, but here is my take on things. As most people on this board know, prerequisites for shinsa are a polished sword and shirasaya. For a standard length daito, if one were to purchase a "project" bare blade, one is looking at $3000 for a polish+shirasaya, and an extra $400-$500 if one needs a new habaki. In comparison, the cost of the "project" blade is more or less inconsequential. So anytime one contemplates submitting a project blade to shinsa, don't get bogged down in the actual cost paid for the blade. Rather, think of the $3000-$3500. Even of one were lucky enough to get Hozon, the monetary market value of the sword will then depend of the attribution. A daito in shirasaya with so-so attribution will probably fetch $2000-$2500 (in today's market), far below the cost of polishing & shirasaya & shinsa submission & agent handling fee. I wouldn't have anything polished & sent to shinsa unless my polisher (and you'd better use the best of the best) gives me the nod. Even then, it's a gamble, but one stacked in your favor. Having a good polisher who knows how to kantei swords on your side is like knowing how to count cards in a card game. No guaranty, but it sure helps. Regards, Hoanh

Hoanh

Brian, I have always bought into the ethics of using Japanese-trained polishers with good reputations in the Nihonto collectors' circle, but even then, I will think twice & thrice about having a sword polished. This is definitely something to chew on. Regards, Hoanh

I was perusing Aoi-Art and came across a wakizashi with the following description (excerpt from Aoi-Art): Special feature : According to Honami Koson’s sayagaki, the blade was judged as Enjyu school. But NBTHK issued the paper as Kouda school. The founder of the Kouda was Nyudo kunimitsu and many students like Kunifusa, Kunimune and Kunitsaugu. Generally old Kouda make suguha hamon with sosyu den school. This sword is suguha but sosyu den added with kinsuji work and a lot of Chikei. The blade was judged as Enjyu by Honami Koson sensei but I think the blade was polshed and disappear Utsuri on the ji. So NBTHK judged as Kouda school. I think the polisher polished the blade more active jigane and hamon. So the Utsuri disappear from the Jigane. Anyway the blade was made around late Kamakura period fantastic jigane and hamon. I have read about polishing changing the appearance of a blade significantly (polisher-dependent), but didn't know that important features such as utsuri can disappear, too. This is too unsettling. Comments, please? Regards, Hoanh

Dear Paul, Very nice pictures! I especially like your lighting, which seems to be spot-on without reflections. Did you work with the RAW files using Photoshop to post-process the pictures at all? It would be instructional if you could post the same pictures, but with the features to which you referred marked up in some way. Regards, Hoanh

Hoanh

Gentlemen, Thank you all very much for your advice and encouragement. I'm not entirely happy with the remaining red rust but will heed Mike's advice with choji oil & sun & air to see how it will look in a few days. If the red rust still remains problematic, I will carefully clean it using deer antler and a fiberglass pen without touching the brass anymore. Brian: It took me the better part of my weekend. My wife is not amused. Richard: With the ten zogan, it sure looks like an Onin Ten Zogan tsuba. But, I do understand your direction. It could be a Heianjo Zogan tsuba. Regards, Hoanh

Hi, I bought a tsuba from ebay that I thought had potential. It was in really bad shape when I received it. With advice from Matt L., I bought some deer antlers to remove the rust. With a lot of rubbing and dish soap, I managed to clean up the tsuba reasonably well (considering its poor state when I received it). Below are before-after pictures for your reference. I have a couple of question for the membership here. 1. It looks like an Onin tsuba. Am I correct? Muromachi jidai? 2. Should I keep rubbing it with deer antlers to rmove more rust, or am I in danger of over-cleaning it? It looks like it can use some more cleaning, but I want to make sure I ask the question. Regards, Hoanh

It looks to be water-quenched to me. I see lots of ashi. The hamon looks pretty lively with lots of activities. Regards, Hoanh

Jean, Here is the link to pictures of the sword. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Koto-Mo ... 2a2800d8a6 Regards, Hoanh

Chris, I opened that file with Adobe Digital Edition. It then tries to download the book and gives me an error. I sent lulu support an email and am waiting to hear back. It's probably something in my AntiVirus setting. Hoanh

Chris, I purchased this ebook, but am having trouble downloading it. I must be doing something wrong. Every time I attempt to download the file from my lulu download page, I receive a file named "e_index_of_japanese_swordsmiths.acsm" that is only 1 kB long. What am I doing wrong? Please help! Hoanh

Andi, I don't think you are doing anything wrong. The coupon says "40% off any book." Hoanh