Grey Doffin

I've been waiting for the one, true answer to this; I've had the same question myself. I know from making shoji that rice glue will give with a sharp blow; you have to be able to disassemble the frame to repair damaged kumiko. What I would try before the steam is to hold the tsuka vertical, nakago ana up. Place a hardwood block on the top of the tsuka and give it a sharp blow with a hammer. Shouldn't cause any damage and the tsuka just might fall apart. Grey

Hi Ron, Your sword is, most likely, Koto. It definitely has been shortened and looks long enough to have been a katana before shortening. If there is room between the tip of the boshi and the end of what's left of the kissaki, a properly trained polisher may be able to restore the sword by reshaping the kissaki and by moving the mune at the tip of the sword closer to the edge but the cost for the work probably far exceeds the value of the sword when completed. Grey

Hi Mike, I would suggest you take the time to learn more before you purchase your katana. There is no substitute for "the more you know before you buy, the happier you will be with what you buy." There is less satisfaction in buying what someone recommends than in educating yourself so you can make your own recommendation. In my opinion, the 59 volumes of Token Bijutsu, English edition, from the NBTHK, is the best material on the subject in English. Find it here: https://japaneseswor...lete-with-1-reprint/ or as B747 on my site if you want all 59 to be original. There will never be a time when good Nihonto won't be available; there is no reason to be in a hurry. Best, Grey

Hi guys, I lowered the prices of almost all the tsuba and fittings on my site a few months back; just did the same with book prices (with a dew more to fall). https://japaneseswor.../item-category/book/ Cheers, Grey

Hi guys, I drive to this show so if there is a book on my site you'd like, you'll for sure be at the show, and would like to save the cost and bother of post, send me an email; I'll have the book for you at my table. Just lowered almost all of my book prices; there are bargains to be had. https://japaneseswor.../item-category/book/ Thanks, Grey grey at gmail.com

Hi John, Go to: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ and scroll down for Care and Cleaning. Other than a very light coat of machine oil and a new bamboo pin in the handle if the old one is broken or lost, do not try to fix anything. Your sword is much older than WWII, hundreds of years old. Beware of sharks trying to buy it; learn what you have before acting. Grey

I agree with Steve and, Jaron, you would be well advised not to work on the soft metal. Antler will do no damage to the iron but you can easily do irreparable harm if you mess with the soft metal. Grey

Hi Dan, Start by reading Care & cleaning here: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ and read it again until you're sure you understand the basics of handling a Japanese sword. Taking in the talk on handling Saturday morning at 10 is also a good idea. There will be a display of better quality pieces, probably early afternoon Saturday. Highly recommended. Come prepared to look at everything in the room and ask a lot of questions. Come by the tables Mark & I share and introduce yourself. Have fun. Grey

Thank you, Grey

Hi guys, Concerning a sword with a kin-zogan mei by, I've been told, Honami Koon. I can't find anything on the man; can any of you enlighten me? Is there a geneology of the Honami in Romaji somewhere online? Thanks, Grey

Wood never stops shrinking and expanding with change in humidity. With time the seasonal change lessens but it doesn't disappear. Grey

And while you're in contact with Markus, ask about the current 3 volumes (some day it will be 5) of Tosogu Classroom. The perfect book for your needs. Grey

Where did you read that genuine mei were removed and replaced with gimei? I'm sure it has happened sometime but, given how much easier it would be to start with a mumei blade that wouldn't require removal and repatination, it probably is quite uncommon. Grey

Hi Mark, Wood of the shirasaya shrinks and expands with changes in humidity; the habaki doesn't. The blade should be inserted far enough that the habaki is comfortable, gripping but not forced. Too far in and the saya can split and/or the foil on a habaki can rip. The gap is not a problem. As for protection from dust, that is why we keep our swords in bags. Grey

Hi John, 3 of your tsuba are labeled as cast iron; I doubt that is correct. You might ask the auctioneer to change the listing. Grey

I once had a real Nihonto katana on which the tsuka had a mekugi-ana on one side only and the katana had no mekugi-ana. Best guess was that the katana was a gift to a shrine and thus no ana. As for the tsuka: no idea why an ana one side only but it can happen. The only rule is that there are no rules. The tsuka in question, to me, looks to be real Nihonto. Grey

Hi Mike, Here you will find care and handling: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Do not try to fix anything; restoration is best left to those with proper training. And don't give it to a museum. With rare exceptions, museums are death to Japanese swords. Have a bunch of questions? feel free to call sometime. Cheers, Grey 218-340-1001 central time

Hi Tom, Odds of finding a koshirae that is available for sale and that fits your wakizashi are close enough to zero that it makes no sense to look. As stated, having one custom built will be quite expensive. Most every beginner wants to do this; nearly none of the old timers do because they know the bother and expense and they know also that they'd never be able to get their money back when the time comes to sell. Another option, and one that makes sense, is to buy a wakizashi koshirae, not bothering to see if it fits, and display it next to your sword in its shirasaya, where it belongs anyway. Grey

Hi Michael, If the dark patches show little or no hada, of they show coarse hada, they are most likely core steel (shintetsu) as noted by Alex. If the patches have an honest hada they may be a special hada made by specific smiths or schools, for example matsukawa hada. But these dark patches aren't usually as well defined as those in your pictures. Best guess from the pictures is shintetsu; we call the sword "tired" Grey

I believe the title is Nihon no Mei Kabuto. Grey

Thank you Steve. Grey

Hi guys, What is the middle character, please. It is right side up on my computer but sideways here; go figure. Thanks, Grey

Hi Mark, Books could be written to answer your questions; it is a complicated subject. The task you've set yourself is large if not ponderous; it is one often taken up by beginners and far less often by seasoned collectors. If you study and stick to it you will succeed and, when the time comes to sell (it will), you'll have little trouble recouping a quarter of what you spend (other collectors will be looking for antique Japanese koshirae, not modern (except for work done by modern masters)). There is another option for you: https://www.Japanese...possibly-higo-sweet/ Cheers, Grey

Hi Steve, I'm curious: would a tsuba from the early 1800's have that much of the design on the seppa-dai? I thought that was a Meiji & later thing. Also, the katakiri borii seems a bit heavy handed to be that early. Grey

Hi Peter, I may have one or two (I'd have to dig through the pile to know) but not a steady source. Grey