Grey Doffin

"I need help with this sword" is perfectly capable of a search online for restoration service in his neighborhood, but then what? Will he know which polisher has proper training? Can he trust the polisher to tell him if his sword doesn't warrant the expense? Will he know how to care for a new polish so it doesn't get scratched and stained in short order after he gets the sword back? And what the heck is wrong with his taking some time to learn a bit before he starts throwing money at his sword? Grey

Hi gang, Not wanting to hijack another thread, I'm opening this to suggest that we all take a break from encouraging rank beginners at Nihonto to have their swords polished. These are well meaning new collectors who know almost nothing about their swords (nothing terrible about that; we were all there once) yet time after time they are told they need to spend $2,000 to $4,000 for a restoration they again know almost nothing about. Polish is serious business with many variables that need to be taken into account before a decision is made. Even with 40 years of learning under my belt, I go slow with having something polished. There is no way a beginner should rush into this. Polish isn't preservation; a light coat of machine oil takes care of that. No reason the sword can't wait for its owner to study and then make an informed decision. Grey

Hi Steven, Here is a care and handling brochure you should read: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Do no more cleaning of anything on either sword; well meaning amateurs often do damage. The short sword is a wakizashi. Pictures of both blades bare of their mounts, on a dark background, will allow us to tell you more about them. Coseups of both tangs (blade inside the handles) even if the wakizashi isn't signed, will help. Cheers, Grey

Hi Paul, You can get just as nice or better for significantly less money. You need to do some research/study before you buy; the more you know the happier you'll be with with you get. Grey

I can recommend David McDonald in Montana. Does great work and should be linked at the top of the home page NMB. Grey

Hi Bert, Some care and handling reading for you: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Welcome, Grey

Hi Brandon, Here you will find care and handling: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ You would be doing yourself and your tanto a huge favor if you read it at least once. Be sure to replace the bamboo peg in the handle ASAP; it is quite important (whittle one from a chopstick). If you find yourself with a dozen questions feel free to call. I'm no authority but I have 40 years experience with nihonto and will help where I can. Congrats; very nice gift. Grey 218-340-1001 central time

Emura Saku. Grey

Hi Jack, These are called Kao. They are personal seals. Grey

Hi Tobin, Here is a care and handling brochure you should read: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ None of us can tell you much for certain working from just pictures; the sword needs to be seen in hand by someone knowledgeable and honest before you'll have a better understanding of what this is. The next Japanese sword show in the US is Las Vegas in January; if you can attend you'll learn a bunch. Resist all encouragement to have the sword restored before you know a whole lot more about this sword in particular and Nihonto in general. Restoration does nothing to preserve the sword - a fine coat of machine oil on the blade above the tang will do that - and you don't know enough yet to understand what you would be up to. Restoration, if appropriate, can wait. If you have a dozen questions you'd like answered feel free to call. I'm no authority but I've been at this for 40 years and will answer all I can. Cheers, Grey 218-340-1001 central time

Hi George, The 1st picture tells you all you need to know, even without the Marto logo on the tsuka and habaki. The habaki is narrower that the blade and this never happens on a real Nihonto. You would be doing yourself a huge favor if you took some time in study before throwing money at the unknown. Grey

Hi Hylke, You might try: clamp the lower nakago in a wooden jaw vise, with the blade vertical. Place a small hardwood block along side the the blade and on top of the habaki, and gently tap on the block with a small hammer. Move the block from front to back and side to side and eventually the habaki might work loose. Any one have a better idea? Grey

How to properly care for your sword: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Grey

Sageo. Your sword in koshirae is slid behind your obi on your left hip and the sageo goes in front of the obi and is then tied around the saya below the obi. When you draw your sword the saya stays behind. Grey

Thank you Ray, Grey

Hi guys, These have me stumped. If any of you can read the mei on the fuchi and menuki (which will be for sale) I'd be appreciative. Thanks, Grey

Hi Tim, Here is a care and handling brochure: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ We will be able to see more detail in the blade and fittings if you take your pictures on a dark background. At 1st glance it looks nice. Grey

Hi Steven, Here you will find a care and handling brochure: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ You should read it. The sword doesn't require restoration; it is fine as is for now. If you get serious about Nihonto and learn a lot more than you know now you can then decide to have the sword polished (or maybe not). Big, important decisions like restoration, if made with little or no knowledge, often go astray. Cheers, Grey

Hi Jared, Here you will find a care and handling brochure: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ You'd be doing yourself and the sword a favor if you read it at least once. Resist all urges to fix anything. Repair should be left to those with proper training; well meaning amateurs often do damage. The kogai and kotsuka (scabbard implements) look to be quite nice; they speak well of the sword. Welcome to Nihonto. Grey

HI guys, Just took in a copy in English of Dmitry Pechalov's great book and I can save a US customer about $40 on post. Normally the books are shipped from Europe and that costs $60 to The States; I can ship this one for $20. It is in near new condition, no problems and it is inscribed by Mr. Pechalov to someone who has than signed it over to someone else. Here is the book on my site: https://www.Japanese...rpieces-by-pechalov/ If you are interested please send an email: gdoffin at gmail.com Many great books listed recently, including Tanobe's Meihin Katanaezu Shusei, and many more to come in the next few days. Thanks, Grey

Is that hada or some sort of damascus process? Grey

I wouldn't recommend linseed oil; it can gum up and leave a mess. Try light machine (sewing machine) oil instead. Grey

Hi Ron, Comes across strongly as a Chinese fake. Poor quality hori-mono slops over onto what must be a cosmetic hamon (real ones don't have carving on them). The ornaments on the saya and tsuka scream fake. Grey

Hi Robert, Donating your swords to a museum that has little or no interest in Nihonto is a great way to destroy them. Unless the museum has a department that is likely to put them on display, odds are good the swords will sit in a drawer in the basement and slowly rust away to nothing. Please reconsider; your sword are much safer with a knowledgeable collector. Grey

Hi guys, In the last couple weeks I have listed a small but nice collection of kinko tsuba on my site and just today I started listing a library of 100 titles. Please have a peek, if you are interested. Thanks, Grey