Marius

Mark, form I understand, you use authentic nihonto for historical re-enactments. I am sure that you give your blades adequate attention, but still, as you admit, they do rust... Wouldn't it be better if you used replicas? Just a humble question...

Henry, point taken, you were not bashing anybody, just telling about facts about a transaction of yours. Please accept my apologies. To make sure, I am not a spokesman for the dealers on eBay, and I know that we, the buyers who rely one eBay are ultimately very low in the nihonto food chain. It is just my sometimes contrarian spirit which led me to defending the dealers. Maybe I have voice my opinion too "loudly". Sorry about that.

What I meant, somewhat ironically, was that (eBay) sellers should beware lest they get a lot of negative publicity here on the NMB :D

What does that mean? Good question, Henry :-) It should be Caveat Vendor :lol:

Brian, I appreciate your remarks and I agree with them. I am not looking for treasures, to be sure ("If it looks to good to be true, than it is") Hence, my expectations are not too high. I don't mind the dealer making money with low grade stuff that nobody in Japan wants. I don't mind buying this from time to time. What I expect from eBay sellers is: no misleading item description, no beautified or low-res or blurry pics, no b....it like "I know nothing about Japanese swords, but some expert told me this might be...." I want a fair description, even if its only something along daimyou54eb's lines, I want high-res pics of every detail of the item sold. That is what I seem to get with this particular seller. What should I ask more? The topic of this thread has been whether this dealer is OK or not. IMHO he is, and if I choose to buy low grade swords, then it is my choice and that is fine unless someone sells me a sword full of undisclosed flaws. Or is there anything else one should expect from dealers like him? Seriously, what could daimyou54eb do to be called an honest dealer? He is in the business of selling his stuff, he does not hide anything (does he? give me an example, please), he does not mention flaws explicitly like Danny has doen recently with his hagire sword, but he is not misrepresenting either. I mean, his buyers are not children, but grownups, so it is Caveat Emptor, even if we would all like sellers to shout loudly "this is a junk sword"... My opinion is - he is OK, you can buy from him and you will not be ripped off (as long as you accept the item as what it is). Am I missing something?

Guido, you are obviously more experienced than me and I have learned a tremendous amount from your articles and posts for which I am very grateful But in this case here, allow me to defend the seller against your judgment... I have never dealt with this seller on Yahoo Japan, so my experience is limited to his auctions on eBay. I have purchased twice from him (a naginata naoshi and a wakizashi). All the flaws of these two blades could be seen on the photos (one of the blades was gimei, which I knew from studying relevant posts on this Forum). I look regularly at his auctions and I see stuff shown in high-resolution, with all detail, including flaws. Swords are being shown on both sides, with close-ups of each area, the sheer number of pictures is amazing.... Might it be that he has improved since the time of his Japanese dealings?

Henry, daimyou54eb posts the most detailed pictures on eBay (maybe only historian333 matches the level of detail in his pics). The description of all his (daimyoiu54eb) items is basically the same and means nothing more than: "I don't know what age, I don't know if gimei or not, look at the pics and decide for yourself". Also, I suppose there were NO gloves on his pictures. I mean, eBay is full of shady dealers, but this one is honest. I have bought a cast iron tsuba once from another reputable eBay seller and I hold no grudge because everything was visible in the pictures. One really needs to know what one is buying. Bashing an honest dealer for one's own mistakes does not help this Forum's members to make the right choice when trying to buy something on eBay. Your story is a cautionary tale about hasty purchasing decisions. I guess it was worth posting it here so others can act in a more thoughtful manner.

Dear All, I have found this today on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Sword-HAGI ... 240%3A1318 the seller is probably one of our Forum members and thank God for such sellers on eBay. He/she discloses a hagire and other flaws, which a careless polisher has inflicted on the sword. While I can understand that careless (shall I call it incompetent) polishing can cause the loss of niku and exposure of shintetsu, I cannot understand how bad polish could lead to hagire... Straightening a bent blade might cause haigire, a cut with such a sword could cause it, but polishing? I would assume that the "polisher" who has ruined this sword has done something else or that the hagier was virtually invisible in the old polish (although this is hard to believe). What do you think?

I have bought from him as well. Honest and trustworthy. Arguably the best pictures around, high-res and disclosing all details. Description is usually the same "Edo period" and whenever he refers to a particular smith, he refers to the smith whose signature is on the sword and not necessarily to the real maker of the sword But he never guarantees the authenticity of the mei. Definitely on of the few "good guys" on eBay.

Would that make this sword purely decorative then? Stainless steel is not suitable for cutting as it breaks easily.

Thanks Kevin, I have learned something new :-)

If it is all copper, than I would agree, if hesitantly. Those claws and spikes look like they could inflict injuries. I would say it is iron, lacquered. A Kabuki demon accessory would be made of wood I suppose - less work, easier to produce...

looks like a ninja implement - for climbing walls?

Thanks Jaques, not a big surprise here, as most of unpapered (and some of papered) swords are gimei. But what is it? Which province, which school? Any opinions would be greately appreciated by my friend, who has gone to great pains to find this sword (he was looking for a long katana, not 66-69 cm). So, suggestions anybody? thanks in advance :-)

Richard, this sword really should be taken to an expert. A recommended polisher (and there are only a few qualified polishers in the USA) will certainly give an opinion. Alsdo, a window (which is the polishing of just one small part of the sword) would disclose more details - this window must not be done by any amateur! I am sure that the forum members will recommend an expert polisher.

Again, many thanks for all that valuable input I have had an extensive uchiko session yesterday and it has worked! :D The worst stuff from the acid "polish" has come off, apperently. The yakiba is now much brighter, and I can also see more of the hamon when hoding the blade towards a source of light. I will continue with uchiko for a few days, I don't think I can do this sword much harm this way. I have always avoided uchiko, so this is the first time I am grateful that the Japanese have invented it :lol:

Dear All, a friend of mine has bought a sword on eBay some time ago. It is allegedly a collaboration work between Sendai Yasutomo and the daimyo Date Tsunamune. This collaboration has been mentioned in a Japanese book (pic attached). It is a large sword with a nagasa of 74.6 cm. It feels very heavy although the sugata has a nice tapering. I wonder what you think of it - ist it real or is it rather gimei. If real, does the amateur workmanship of the daimyo show? I have posted two pictures here - the sugata and the book page mentioning the cooperation. You will find more pics of this sword here: http://web.mac.com/mariuszk/iWeb/Site/Yasutomo.html

Dear All, thanks for all the good advice. I have started with uchiko, as my I have no ready access to nugui and would have to import it from Japan. A lot of brown dirt comes off and the hamon looks already better. I will uchiko this sword on a daily basis for a week or two and I shall see what comes out, but I am sure that most of this disastrous acid "polishing" will be removed. I will let you know in about a week :-)

Thanks for the info. I am an ignorant lazy bum, too lazy to Google Yoshimichi. Apologies. May Brian delete this unnecessary post I will probably have to ban myself from posting for a while...

Anybody seen such strange hamon? I have never seen anything like that... http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-sword-beau ... 240%3A1318

Dear All, I have recently purchased a very tired koto ko-wakizashi. I could not resist, I like the shape of it, looks like Soshu, and maybe it is the next sleeping Masamune The hamon has survived and it is nie deki, I believe. However, the hamon is dark and looks like it has been "brought out" with acid?. Anyway I can remedy this, without another polish, which this piece would surely not survive? Pics are attched. Thanks for your help, I appreciate it

Mark, Ed, many thanks for your comments. I shall read Kanzan Sato's information on welded nakago. I have taken some close ups of the boshi and the hada and hamon. It looks like the boshi is yakizume and the nioi deki hamon has a tight nioiguchi (at leat to me). Hada is nashiji-like. Might be a Hizen sword, were not for the yakizume. Still a puzzle, isn't it? thanks again :-)

Hi Henry, here they are: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0295904038 Oh, just in case they disappear from eBay, attached they come...

Hi Henry, here they are: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0295904038

John, many thanks for this valuable input. Interesting to hear about the blocks and wet rags preventing heat transfer. In other words, I may indeed have bought a sword with a nakago welded onto the blade. Any way of testing it? Tomography, X-rays or something? Another question: to weld and apply patina professionally would undoubtedly cost some money, making the operation rather pointless on a $1.5k blade (just trying to console myself :? ) Of course it is always possible that somebody has failed to sell this sword, because the abnormity of the nakago was so evedent, then the sword was sold cheaply to the dealer, who without inspecting it further, sold it to me at a profit... Just trying to figure out what I really have here...