Alex A

Hi Darcy, cheers for the tips, appreciated. The blade is in koshirae, with a modern lacquered saya. My main priority is sorting out the saya. Ive calmed down a bit now, not the end of the world, just one of those things. The scuff looks far worse in the pic then it does in hand. Il sort the saya and i expect this little episode may just end there, il see, an education none the less. For anyone reading, and for future reference, dont just take your blades out, clean, oil, put away. Take a good look for very (and i mean very) faint lines appearing, hopefully catch damage before it escalates. As for break free oil, you summed up my thoughts exactly.

Hi Stephen, whilst inspecting the saya with the torch, i noticed black marks where the mune touches the saya when it slides out. Looking down the saya with the torch, i could just about see similar black marks on the side of the saya, the same side as the scuff. Ive been careful about taking blades out, especially since i got told off for doing it assways about 5 years ago. Theres only me here most of the time, lads here weekends, but he knows better, i hope. An acquaintance i know as also suggested that its the saya is at fault, possibly may even have warped over time. Now waiting to hear from the saya guy, a shame it will have to be split and re-lacquered, more expense. The hidden joys of sword collecting

Cheers Hoanh, not the end of the world, but something i could do without. Not that i have one, but i sure wouldnt want this to happen on a real expensive sword

Cheers Franco, i agree. Il have a word with a saya guy i know, see what he can do, sure dont want it to get any worse.

Hi Brian, just spent half an hour looking down the saya with a torch . Pinched an aerial off one of my lads toys (needed something harder than a pipe cleaner) and scraped down the saya where i estimated the bother might be. I tapped the saya out on a piece of paper, a picture below. Feels like grit, sure isnt wood. Whether it was this or not i will never no. Ive gone back to using the more viscous oil i used to use. If anyone knows how much this will cost to put right il be happy to know. It is annoying, best sorting it. Ps, I know there is a pro-polisher in North West UK, if someone knows him, could you please send me the details. Found a number on my phone of a guy in Liverpool, is this the guy?, been years since ive spoke to him.

Hi Franco, maybe your right about it catching the saya, although there does seem quite a lot of room for the blade to slide in without it catching the sides, difficult to say. It is possible it as always been there. Ive added a pic, looks worse in the light than it appears normally. The saya was made in Japan professionally no more than 3 or 4 years ago. Dont really want to start messing too much with it, the lacquer is perfect. I presume it could be buffed out by a pro polisher easily, il look into it, dont think its worth the hassle though. The mark is only 7.5" from the top of the saya, wish i had one of those slim engineers bore-scopes, would come in handy from time to time. I dont think theres any grit there. Its just one of those things that really pisses me off, especially when ive been so careful, even wear a glove on my right hand so i dont get grease off my hand on the blade when re-oiling. If it was something ive done, let this be a lesson to other folk, you cant be too careful!. As for the BREAK-FREE oil, maybe its risky on these blades, with all the chemicals.

Hi Pete, cheers for that, an interesting read indeed. I rest the swords on a cushion on the settee. In turn i wipe oil off with alcohol, then dry before re-oiling with clean cloths. I use old white cotton t-shirt Its a straightish line through part of the hamon, looks a bit like a nioi, same colour, but obvious it isnt nioi. I would attach a pic, but too dark now. Im now wondering if it was from the polish or a previous owner and i just havent noticed it until now. Doubt it though.

Ive noticed a very faint scuff on one of my swords about an inch and a half long, im sure it wasnt there the last time i looked. Im really careful about where i leave cloths, so i dont think they have picked up any grit, but cant say for sure. I did use these cheap micro-fibre cloths once or twice before i threw them away. I started using a light sewing machine oil about 5 months ago, very runny, not like the usual gloopy gun oil i used before that. The saya is only a few years old, its not a tight fit with the blade. I was thinking that there is either something in the saya or ive wiped down the blade with something i shouldnt have. If there is something in the saya, then maybe the previous gloopy oil did a better job of protecting the blade from what was in there. Anyway, ive ran a pipe cleaner down the saya the best i can, and bought a thicker oil. I dont want to turn this into another thread on oils, i just want to know if anyone else as used standard BREAK FREE CLP without any issues for a number of years?, i think one or two of you guys do. This is the oil i have bought, but got a bit edgy about using it when i read "may be fatal if swallowed" on the bottle, suggests it contains some harsh chemicals.

Hello Steven. A phrase ive often read here, buy the sword, not the papers. As for the spending, well, i suppose it depends on how much someone wants something, how much their into something. I watched a tv show recently, in the show was an average guy who liked a particular modern artist, he paid £20,000 for one of the artists paintings, although a big spend, i get why he did it. Folk spend their hard earned cash on lots of things, cant take it with you. Im an average guy, blown tens of thousands on cars and bikes over the years, now theres an investment lol, do i regret it, no.

Christmas has come early

I wouldnt like to hazard a guess Piers, uncharted territory. All i know is, it looks older than me :lol:

Seen this one a while ago at Aoi http://www.aoijapan.com/kusarigama-nany ... kichijitsu

It doesnt surprise me. When i started collecting i bought my first sword from these guys. Whilst on the phone i asked the guy did the sword have any flaws whatsoever ?(he had the sword in hand), he seemed a real gent, told me the sword was flawless. The sword arrived two days later, it had a small opening. I suppose some dealers will occasionally bend the truth to keep the cash flowing in.

Hi Pete, your right, very interesting write up by the Lanes indeed. To me, the holes in this tsuba (ive circled them) are from casting "Gas porosity", the Lanes describe the tsuba as "Chisseled on a shinchu plate" . The Lanes also describe the tsuba as a Superb "SHAKUDO" kinko tsuba, is this appropriate?

Im tempted, but dont know anything about them, i could not seem to find a great deal of detailed info on the internet.

Hi Romain, papered swords with cutting test inscriptions are quite expensive. If your going down that route Id start with some books (someone was going to say it). Search books for beginners.

Hi Romain, do a search on here for "why mumei?", the thread will answer a lot of your questions. The sword does not have a cutting test, but the smith/school had a reputation for making sharp swords, was in the rankings, a bit like a football league viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12164&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Hi Romain, looks a decent sword with Hozen papers. Be aware that Edo/Mumei can be a bit more of a difficult re-sell, but as long as you get it for a good price, then alls good. At the end of the day though, the only opinion that really matters is your own. Know exactly what your buying, you will apprecate it more.

Excellent work, particularly like no8 with the two trees.

Coldy B Moore

:lol: , I love a good conspiracy!.

Interesting read, heres another theory. The swords where handed in at the police station, but where not the real deal , hence a low key handover...Someone put me right

Understand Aleksandr, was just thinking out loud, done a few myself. Buy decent fittings, if you buy low end parts you may end up regretting it, especially if you value your sword. Maybe worth considering having everything new, Tsuba, fuchi koshirae, menuki and seppa, it gives it that personal touch, rather than mixing the old with the new. No fit issues, which can be an headache. I enjoyed searching for parts too, educational. It can take some time sourcing correct parts, which can be a blessing, spreads the cost out.

A wiser man once said to me "enjoy your blade as it is, in shirasaya".

Hi Km, i would assume some smiths would only sign an order after receiving payment, unless it where a gift/presentation. Maybe that would explain a few of these "general" mei dates. Maybe that would also explain more mumei pieces (non payers), but lets not go there...