Grey Doffin

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

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

Hi guys, If you've been watching my site you may have noticed I've slashed the prices of nearly every piece of kodogu (if you haven't been watching, shame on you:-). Find the carnage here: https://www.Japanese...tegory/tsuba-kodogu/ I have 2 or 300 pounds of books to list in the next few days and new (to my site) swords, koshirae, and fittings will follow soon. Thanks as always to those of you who support my efforts: much appreciated. Grey

Hi Tarquin, This book: https://www.Japanese...-by-joly-with-index/ and this one: https://www.Japanese...fittings-by-fukushi/ Grey

Hi Tyler, Care and handling: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Don't be in a hurry to get anything done. You need to know a whole lot more than you presently do before acting. The sword can wait for you to catch up. Grey

If you sell the sword and have to ship it to the new owner: how to safely ship a bare blade. You need a stout tube, about 5 or so cm longer than the blade, end caps for the tube, and a piece of 1/8" masonite (or similar) that fits snugly, both top to bottom and side to side, in the tube. With the blade in its paper shirasaya, lay it on the masonite and mark the mekigi-ana on the masonite. Mark another hole just above the nakago next to the 1st mark. Drill holes in the masonite at the marks. Tie a sturdy piece of insulated electric wire through the holes in the masonite and blade to secure it to the masonite, or you can use a nylon zip tie. Securely tape the blade in paper saya to the masonite in 3 or so spots along its length. Insert into the tube, place the end caps, and you're set. Grey

Hi Alaen, Cut a piece of black paper the shape and size of the seppa-dai and place it on the tsuba on your screen. Now ask yourself, "Does the design still work?" As a general rule (exceptions for tsuba made in very late Edo and later which often were made to suit western taste) seppa dai were left plain because they would be invisible when mounted. Well made and well designed tsuba use this negative space as part of the design. In this case, you have the man and the front half of a tiger with a disembodied tail across the seppa-dai; the design doesn't work for me. I have to disagree with Colin; I think the carving is clumsy, not well done. I wouldn't collect this one. Grey

Hi Matthew, The sale says, "As is". He isn't accepting returns. Ebay is a snake pit for beginners; if you have any sense you'll stay away from it. If you did manage to find something good on ebay other bidders who know more than you do will see to it that it will be expensive. You need a dealer whom you can trust to help you make smart decisions. Grey

Hi Shawn, Care and handling: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ The bamboo pin (mekugi) looks as if it may have broken. If it no longer does a good job of locking the blade in the handle be sure to replace it as soon as possible; it is important. You can whittle a good quality chopstick. Grey

Hi folks, Volume 3 of Tosogu Classroom is now available for purchase: $44 post included for members of The JSS/US and NBTHK/AB or EB, $64 for everyone else. You can order the book from Markus Sesko: markus.sesko@gmail.com. If you prepaid for this and the next 2 volumes and if you have moved since you received Volume 2, please contact Markus with your new address. If you care about kodogu (sword fittings) you want these books. If you search NMB for Tosogu Classroom you'll learn what these are. Cheers, Grey

Hi Matthew, The paper under the wrap is padding only; probably a page from an old phone book or a grocery list and means nothing. I'll let the military sword guys tell you about the sword but here is a care and handling that will help with handle removal & replacement. https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Grey

https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Grey

Hi Alex, Try taking your pictures on a black background with a raking (from the side) light. Grey

Hi Max, Bitchu no Kami and I can't see the rest of the mei well enough. Definitely an older blade but the nakago has been cleaned, the blade has been buffed, the tsuba is either cast or real low quality, and you need to know a lot more than you presently do before you start throwing your money away. I don't mean to be blunt but the fact that you don't know if this is WWII tells me you are a beginner and you should buy swords only from dealers you can trust 100%. On your own you're ripe for the picking. The more you know before you buy the happier you'll be with what you get; consider a good book.. Grey

Hi Bryan, Looks like a stain was used on the wood before a finish was applied. If you air it out, as recommended, you should lose most of the odor but probably not all of the chemical residue. Should be OK for swords but I can't guarantee it. My personal taste: I think this is too busy (hade') for Nihonto; I much prefer the plain, unfinished Japanese sword boxes. Grey

Far as I know Mark & I are in. Mark will have a car that can hold 5 or 6 in a pinch. Even if we need an Uber, split 9 or 10 ways it isn't much. There are good restaurants in the neighborhood that will certainly cost less than the chain Benihana in the hotel. We can do better. Grey

Hi Bryan, Please post pictures of the box. Grey

Hi Kris, Here you will find a care and haddling brochure: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Grey

Hi Christian, Is the blade retempered? Is it tired (too many polishes)? Does it have a fatal flaw you're not aware of? Until you can answer questions like these for yourself and not rely on opinions offered online from a few photos, you shouldn't be considering having unsigned, undocumented, unknown blades sent to polish. There will always be unknown blades to buy; there will always be blades you can have polished; there is no reason to be in a hurry. Study Grasshopper. As for this blade, the open grain/defects are troubling but no one can answer the question for sure without seeing the sword in hand. Meaning well, Grey