Christophe

Hi, english is not so easy for no native speaker. Hoanh, I see the tsuba on ebay. I receive from the seller a mail telling me that I wait to much and other people was waiting. I see it first on a market at $390 , then on Yahoo (but has been removed just before the end of the auction). From $390 to $1,200.00 what a jump ! Did I miss something ? I think, It will be there for a long time, or again on the Japanese market soon. I can't follow your anwers on real time but thanks you all for the answers you give me. Christophe

Thank you for your opinion, what comfort what I thought. Not for me. Thanks again. Christophe

This is the last pic I have, it show a little the rim. Patina was very light, not darkens. Christophe

Value of a tsuba is not related to her physical well-being? Christophe

Thanks Hennick, yes, it can be an explanation, but in this case, is it worth 390$?. Making holes is that it does not devalue the tsuba? (Size is 6.3 cm, thickness 0.4mm). Christophe

Hi everyone I have been proposing this tsuba as early Edo period, but I decline the offer because the price seemed too high, and because you can see three circular mark on the seppadai which could leave to think it was manufactured by machine. Does it could be true, otherwise what could correspond to these marks? Thank you for your help. Christophe

Good evening, It can be Japanese cypress call hinoki (檜), use a lot in Japan because of its color aging very well and stay well in hand even if its wet. Its a strong wood but still light. Christ.

I was thinking about him, everythings depend of the value of the kozuke. I will try to contact him through his website, perhaps I can get his opinion. Thanks Stephen

I found this kozuka in a free market for 100 yens. The Mt Fuji is in silver. I tried to found here in Japan a craftsman for eventually restore it but without success. Someone have any idea ? I do not think I have the ability to do it. All suggestions and comments welcome. Thanks in advance. Christophe

Finally having some free time this morning, I took pictures of some tosogu I have and submit them to you. Any comments or opinions are welcome. I apologize in advance for the quality of pictures. Thank you in advance Christophe https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8dr4f7s7gq039df/dThOGn4RtE

Sorry to thanks you all for your help, especially for the link to Nihontocraft. I see I still have a long way to go. Thanks again. Christophe

Can we use it to clean tosogu too ? christophe

Thanks, Jean and Ian to differentiate itame-hada & mokume-hada is not to difficult on photos, but become realy difficult when you have a blade in your hand. Its at this steep that I have a lot of problems. Christophe

I'm still a biginner in the study of nihinto and stumble on this problem often: is there a way to differentiate easily itame-hada & mokume-hada ? Thanks in advance for your help. Christophe

One of my friend pass away and his wife ask me info about tsuba. Can some one help me to determine the school ? I try to found infos, but its not so obvious. The first one look like a Aizu Shoami, but the pattern don't look so fine and details are not perfect. Manufactured tsuba ? second tsuba, I don't found anuthings who look like that. Seems to me quite recent, but I'm sur I'm wrong> Thaks very much for your time and help. Chistophe

Sorry Brian if the topic is not in the right category. I am interested in small fittings than Alan Bale have on his website: japaneseswordbooks.com. Did anyone have already purchased from him ? Prices seem a little high but it may be only a feeling. Did you have any advice ? Chistophe

I bought this tsuka some time ago in a free market. It7s a tsuka in dark wood, no tsukamaki and same. I thought that the fitting was iron or copper, but I was very surprised after having cleaned it that the fitting was silver plated with kamon on the fuchi and the kashira, and dragon . I tried to find on the internet which style could have a koshirae with this kind of tsuka but without any result. Did someone have information about these koshirae and there period. Thank you in advance. Christophe

I comfirm, thiis blade had been cut in accordance with Japanese sword laws. We can found in Japan a lot of blades cut that way. Christophe

Thanks Mariuszk for your post. I agree at 100% when you said that 'Modifying" either the sword or an original koshirae means destroying it",It was never in my attention to do so., and keep alwyas my sword in their original shirasaya.I will be never offended by your posts, because they can only help me in my study of nihonto.. I work on this project with a traditionally trained craftsman in Kyoto (third generations) who himself work wih two others in Okayama. I think a lot of people misunderstood my first post, and it's me fault, (difficult to explain in english). I have to decide which kind of koshirae I would like, what fitting I have to found (and know it take lot of time)........, after I will attend the differente steps of the process. I do it last year for a tanto (two years of search for the fitting). It was very rewarding to see them working. For me searching for fitting is a way to study more effectively. In the other hand, i enjoy them more on a koshirae then in a paulownia box What i was asking for was a little help about the differences betweem gunto mounting for a sword with no stamp or arsenal marks so I can make a choice. Christophe

Thanks to all of you. Alex, I agree when you said "assembling can be educational and a pain in the ass", I will just add "a sense of pride when it is well finished in the right way". Bruno, I like your idea of Army civilian gunto mounts, it can be more my mind. I beginning to seach quickly and found this : http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_037.htm but I have to start serious search and take time to found enough informations before starting. What is good is that I don't have to rush. Geraint, thanks for the link. I understand when you say "his is going to cost you far more than you will ever be able to sell the sword for", but I have a speciel feeling for it and I would like to makes things right. I know I can not do it alone for every things and will have to ask for help from a professional and that cost money. I will have to work more and make perhaps sacrifice in everyday life, but its a challenge for me. Is there any books that you can recommend me about gunto/civilian gunto mounts ? Thanks again to all of you. Christophe

Hi Alex, well for me mounting a sword means if possible to put it in its context. I know this may sound silly, but I feel that a sword in shirasaya is like an orphan, that why I try now to mount them slowly (two every year). I have only one sword from this period and I think I will perhap enjoy it more and learn more about gunto if I can carry out this project. Even if you are not a fan of something, studying it can only be beneficial. I don't know much about military mounting, so it can be a way for me to discover a new field. Christophe

Hi every one I have a sword in shirasaya signe by Hirata Hidemitsu who was, as I learn in this forum, a Seki Tosho in WWII. He began working on 3rd March 1943. Most of his work would have a Seki stamp. My have no arsenal or acceptance marks on it. It have a NBTHK TOKUBETSU KICHO (green papers) - Showa period. I'm thinking to have it mounted as a military sword even if I'm not a fan of this kind of mounting because of its smith and period. I beginning researching gunto mounting and their history but was quickly overstep between : Kyū guntō, Shin guntō, Type 94, Type 95, Type 98, Kaiguntō…..Can someone help me to found the best way to choose the mounting or tell me where I can found informations to carry out this project. Thank you very much for your help. Christophe

Hi, this is my tatami room, still working on it (second part of the room is not finish). My sword are for now in katanatansu. I start restore a tatami-yoroi. Christophe

"Am i the only one to think there is something wrong with the shinogiji?" Can you be more specific? The both side of the blade have the same shape Christophe

Thanks Stephen, I will store it correctly after applying a thin coat of choji oil. It's still dificult for me to make difference between shinae and mukade-shinae. I ned to study more and more. Thanks again. Christophe