ROKUJURO

Theoretically, yes, but in practice, this will be a very small fraction of a percent. To reduce friction considerably, moving/turning machine parts (like in a bearing system) "float" on a thin layer of oil, but this has to be considerably thicker than what remains on a cleaned NIHONTO. To be efficient in a way to prevent metal-on-metal friction, the layer of lubricant has to be either viscous enough to allow this "floating" (with low rp/m) or it has to be under a relatively high pressure, e.g. by an oil pump, as in a motor with high rp/m. This requires a low viscosity. So, in TAMESHIGIRI, I think you would have to soak your blade in oil before a stroke. Not sure the bystanders would appreciate that..... In SEPPUKU, the assistant was using water to enhance the cutting performance.

Probably not snake skin, as most of the snakes have flat scales that are quite loose on their skin. My impression is that of a fish, another ray type or shark, as Brian already mentioned. Nevertheless some very decorative TSUBA, and a masterful work with the material used! Whoever has tried to work with SAME will certainly appreciate what they achieved! By the way, the 'glue' is in many cases just URUSHI.

Any organic solvent like alcohol (diethyl alcohol) and related substances like denaturated alcohol, isopropylic alcohol, petrol (not the one used in motors but pure medical petrol!), ether, or acetone would be fine as long as there is no water contained. Some of these mentioned do not mix with water, so they are water-free by nature. All these solvents can be used to remove oil or oil residue, but they are not identical in their respective effects. As an example, glue residue from self-adhesive tape requires something like petrol as alcohol wil not work in a satisfying manner. Some of these substances are dangerous to your health, so working with nitrile gloves and in an open space (if at all) is advisable. The use of these aggressive solvents should only be considered on blades which are heavily soiled with chemical substances like paint, used industrial oil, tar, or resinous plant oil. In all normal cases (= blades in healthy condition or polished) a little bit of CHOJI oil will clean the blade sufficiently. At least, this is my experience.

Ruben, a small but 'hefty' TSUBA with KUMO design from my little collection. Some say it has YAMAKICHI BEI traits. The cloud design here stands probably for the smoke of incense, used in the respective game described in the GENJI MONOGATARI

If it's photographed upside down, it's a fake....

Hamfish, it is difficult to add anything revealing after Ford has given his opinion, but if the TSUBA in question was not aged artificially, it may have seen some proper use on a sword. If these traces of wear and use, especially on the SEPPA-DAI, are genuine, it may have more years on the calendar than you would expect from a very late production. The design has OWARI elements, but the MIMI is rounded, so together with the fact that it is made from soft metal, it was very probably not made by any of the famous TSUBA schools.

Darcy, this is true and can be applied to many learning situations in life. In fact, living is constant learning.

The TENAGA signature might be MASAHARU.

Josh, you need a special steel for the Japanese way of YAKIIRE. The handle seems indeed to be cast and the "HAMON" has probably been brushed into the patinated surface.

Grev, heating up a piece of iron and cooling/quenching it in oil will end up with a black TSUBA. Grinding/polishing it to a metallically clean surface and heating it up to ca. 280°C will result in a dark blue blue. I would not want neither of it for one of my TSUBA.. The item in question may not be great, but if the (not so proud) owner is patient enough, he may just brush the active rust away and let time and frequent handling do the rest for something like a patina. This process can be enhanced by exposing the TSUBA to the climate (but not to rain) and wiping it regularly with a dry cotton textile. At least this is my experience.

Josh, if it was cast, it will probably not be differentially hardened.

They have been in a fire. Strong SORI is typical for SAIHA.....

Andy, it is an attractive TANTO even if it may not be old (it's not a dagger (= two cutting edges)). Keep it as a first step and buy some books to see the real deal TANTO.

This subject has been dealt with recently: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/19672-old-red-gold-patina/

Stevenson (is that your first name?), please sign all your posts at least with a real first name plus an ititial, as is requested here. I would like to recommend that you read a lot here on the NMB and look at as many photos of real Japanese blades as possible. After a while you will get acustomed to what is real and what was only fabricated to deceive. Hopefully you are not disappointed or even discouraged!

NAKAGO does not look like SHIN-SHINTO to me as far as the heavy corrosion is original and not artificial. KISSAKI looks longer than CHU, but that may be the angle of the photo. The length seems to be about 70 cm. NAGASA 94 mm is for ONI.....

Darius, you were on the right track: Third photo: SUISHINSHI MASAHIDE

Paul, this has to do with the fact that steel, made from iron sand and coming out of a traditional TATARA, is usually very pure and has no other alloy partners than carbon (except some trace elements like titanium). Any addition of elements may (and will) change the properties of the steel and will require different heat treatment procedures. In former times, there was no other method in Japan but the TATARA, so there is a kind of 'purity' guarantee if you use 'old' steel/iron. In nEurope, modern type blast furnaces started to produce large amounts of iron already at the end of the Middle ages, so this could be exported. But it was not the same quality as the TATARA steel, although these early blast furnaces were still charcoal-operated. I am convinced that the Japanese KAJI did not use a high percentage of NAMBAN TETSU in their blades, and it was mainly for the exotic effect (or marketing, as you mention) and for easier or cheaper purchase that they did so. I am working with pre-industrial steel in my workshop, and this material is considerably different from modern steel and requires different techniques.

Lloyd, in principle, the HADA cannot be changed except when excessive polishing removes the KAWA-GANE. This can be the case especially in blades that have a respective KITAE with very thin 'skin-metal'.

I want to underline Steve's comment and add from my own experience that to prevent too much SORI after SAIHA, you have to heat up the blade a first time and straighten it. As heating up to the necessary temperature inevitably produces a material loss by surface oxidation, some smiths might be tempted to quench the blade in its state (without straightening it) which then can end up with more SORI than in the original blade. In an effort to produce an UTSUSHI blade with similar HATARAKI one has to know precisely how the smith in question had been working with his clay (TSUCHI-OKI). You need to know the temperature of the cooling water which was a big secret in former times. The quenching temperature of the steel is not so much a mystery as this has to be around 800°C, otherwise it would not work. So straightening a blade plus re-hardening plus a good polish is only an option if you have a really beefy blade without any KIZU like hidden FUKURE, SHINAE or so. In any case, SAIHA will always result in a blade that is reduced in thickness.and width (and possibly altered in the SUGATA as well) and thus not be perfectly like the original.

There is no reason for a straight seam line from casting unless you use an industrial die-casting process. If a traditional one-of-a-go sand mould is used, it is still a manufactured (hand-made) item with potential irregularities. The impression that the TSUBA in question might be cast could be based on other features like small blisters and holes, grinding marks around the SEPPA-DAI, and the lack of visible chisel tracks in the corners. Not saying this one is cast, but I believe it could be. Difficult without seeing it in hand.

Brian, it is undoubtedly a very bad attempt at faking a Japanese sword! Unfortunately you cannot punish someone for making such stuff, but it is almost criminal to offer this with that description. It is their duty to be informed about the goods they sell, As you wrote, this is not a KATANA, it is not old, and it is not Japanese..

Darius, it is not the Japanese way to display swords and TSUBA on the wall. They are usually kept stored away in their KIRIBAKO and then in a TANSU, and are looked at and cared for from time to time.

How can one contact a seller directly without signing in to the site?

Grev, you mean CHOKARO SENNIN? That is this one!