Grey Doffin

Not 100% certain but best guess is not made in Japan. Grey

Thanks guys, 2 pix of the tsuba. Grey

Hi guys, I'm about to list a tsuba signed Teiei to my site. Can someone tell me what the paper says before "Tsuba Mei Teiei"? Thanks, Grey

Hi Cathy, A care and handling brochure: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Everyone should know this. Grey

Let me add: what I can see of the horimono does not look promising, clumsy, not well done. Almost certainly not a good prospect for polish. Take time to learn a lot more than you do now. No need for hurry; there will always be good Japanese swords to buy and the more you know before you purchase the happier you'll be with what you get. Grey

Iga no Kami Fujiwara Kinmichi. There were a variety of smiths using this signature between the late 16th and 18th centuries. The sword will have to be seen in hand by someone knowledgeable and honest before much more can be known about it. Grey

I think the markings mean the blades were made yesterday in China. Grey

Try taking the pictures with a black background. As is, we can clearly see the off-white background and the tang is indistinct. Best guess from what I can see so far is Shinshinto at the earliest, possibly 20th century some time. Grey

Hi Joab, Not newer made but to begin to tell you how old it is we'll need a better picture of the tang. Grey

Hi K. Dim, Do not try to remove the blemish yourself; if it is to be removed it has to be done by a properly trained polisher (of which there at least 2 in the US). Well meaning amateurs have made terrible messes with attempted repairs. If I were you I'd leave it as is. The blemish is cosmetic only; it will do no damage. If you absolutely have to get it removed, only those with proper training should touch it. Grey ps. Click here and scroll down to Care & Cleaning for a maintenance manual. https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/

Thanks for the kind words folks. And Jack, 3 & 7 are the Namban. I would recommend you stay away from ebay until you know a lot more about this; buying what you like without knowledge is an easy way to buy a modern fake. I, and many of the other dealers on NMB, will never lie to you just to make a sale. You could give some thought also to investing in a few books. The more you know about tsuba before you buy any, the happier you will be with what you get. There is no need to be in a hurry; there will always be good tsuba to collect. Grey

I think it is possible that more than just the one signed tsuba are real; maybe one or the other Namban also. However, all are low quality at best and nothing you should want to collect. Check sellers here on NMB, both on the For Sale forum and the dealers. You'll have no trouble finding much better. Grey

Hidetoshi, I believe. Most likely Showa-To but I can't be sure. Grey

A few good books. Grey

Hizen no Kuni no Ju Omi Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro. Grey

I agree that Tsuba Kanshoki is a good reference but, unless you can read Japanese, make sure you get the edition from 1975 with English. Here it is on my site: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b823-tsuba-kanshoki-torigoye-1975 There is an earlier edition but it is Japanese only. I can recommend also the current 2 volumes and one day 5 volumes of Tosogu Classroom from NBTHK/AB and JSS/US via Markus Sesko Best advice I can give is not to hurry. There will always be good tsuba & fuchi kashira available. The more you know when you buy the happier you'll be with what you get. Grey

Hi Chris, The fuchi is real but the signature may be a forgery. As is often said here, the work confirms the signature, not the other way round. Show us the work, please. Grey

Hi Ron, I know of Kashu Toko Taikan: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b818-kashu-koto-taikan Kashu Shinto Taikan: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b660-kashu-shinto-taikan-kihei-ueno-%26-yoshiaki-adachi and Kashu Shinto Shu: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b462-kashu-shinto-shu-kanazawa-branch-nbthk All currently out of stock for my website but maybe someone else will have copies. Cheers, Grey

Hi Nonito, Definitely an early, crude Chinese fake. Grey

Hi Dominic, David McDonald in Montana can make a handle for you. He can use your parts if you still have them or supply what is missing and he can wrap it also. He does very nice work. You should be able to find his contact in the links at the top of the NMB. A random tsuka bought off ebay is almost certain not to fit properly. Grey

I have this one on my site: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/tsuba-%26-kodogu/q717-shinsaku-iron-tsuba# If anyone knows the smith's name let me know please. Gre4y

Kiyomaro Taikan on my site: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b340-kiyomaro-taikan-nakajima-uichi There are other books on Kiyomaro; search the site for his name and you'll find them. Grey

Another possibility, and not saying this is the case; can't tell much from the pictures, is retemper, which often leaves a weak, indistinct hamon. Grey

Everything is relative. All else being equal, an ubu katana of 75 cm is better than a 68 cm, suriage katana but a flawless though shortened katana is better than an ubu katana with a bad defect. Grey

I can't think what this could be if not shintetsu. The blade looks to me to be very tired. Grey