Alex A

Dunno if this helps but ive found over recent years that dealers use UPS for shipping antique firearms Paperwork needs filling in about why you are importing it and what exactly it is. They have their own customs and have been very professional on 4 recent purchases, though not from Japan and not sure whether antique firearms are as big deal for shipping to the US. Saw a recent vid on youtube and it stated antique firearms in the US are not even classed as firearms. talking about non-cartridge/muzzleloaders.

Thinking about it, id say a lot depends on the blade Jacques. Can imagine something like a modern steel bamboo chopper drying out a lot faster than maybe an old koto blade that has its fair share of loose grain and small openings. Guess its not a one size fits all. I don't know how much water may be absorbed into a blade. ps, how do you know your blade as reached the correct temp?, guess maybe you have some kind of thermocouple in your lab maybe? Perhaps with a thermocouple folk wanting to heat the sword without the use of hot water could do, as mentioned earlier Anyways, just thoughts, no physics expert here Cheers.

Hi Jacques, What you or anyone else does with their blades has nothing to do with me, just making the point to seriously keep an eye on the blade afterwards, for a good while. As mentioned, seen threads with regards rust staining after swords have been polished. If people want to treat their expensive arty swords the same as their bamboo choppers, then that's also their business. If anyone does soak an antique sword in the bath tub and has issues, don't say you were not warned. Remember, lots of people read here looking for tips, even overly eager beginners getting a little pedantic over a slight bend Point made, Cheers.

Hi Colin, thanks for the heads up. Any bargains on the knife front ? Happy New year! Ps, Preston arms fair in January, i think

Hi Jeremy Will explain. Steel is porous, also, we don't know about the blade in question. Is it full of open grain?. You may well think you have dried a blade off but that's where that story ends and where a thread about rust starts Seen quite a few threads on here with regards folk not taking care of blades properly after a polish, which as you know allows water into the pores of the blade. Rust spots can appear within a very short time and stain the blade. Even read of blades arriving from the polisher with rust spots. Remember a real horror story where someone put a blade away after receiving it back from polish, forgot about it for a few months then had a real big issue. My point was about inexperienced folk that may well be daft enough to think a blade is dry after submerging it in water for a few minutes, sheathing it, then dealing with the consequences. Do a google, im not making it up. As always, horses for courses. Just though worth a mention before someone does something they regret.

It can be really difficult to try and narrow a blade like this down to one particular smith. Tried in the past but sometimes there is little difference between the work of two or three smiths that worked in succession Through books you get hints or clues, sometimes see a particular smiths blades described as having a "blackish jigane" etc etc. Its an old signed blade in good condition, sometimes part of the hobby is being able to accept the amount of info available. It can be frustrating, but that how it is. Ps, OP, looked and maybe missed it but don't think you mentioned length of blade

Jacques, reading your instructions above, i cant help but wonder if it is totally necessary to add soaking in water into the equation I'm not advocating any DIY straightening. Would suggest not buying any blades with bends or if a tiny bend, live with it. Could you not just put a towel over a not too hot radiator or heater and leave it there for a while ? The thought of inexperience and "soaking in water" makes me cringe.

DHL have a bad habit here of just leaving parcels in unusual places. Had a book delivered from the US this week, i gets an email notification saying your item has been delivered and for a few minutes im walking around the house asking if anyone has seen it. Then i thinks DHL, could be anywhere, from inside a bin to thrown over the fence. I goes outside and its hidden behind a plant pot with no note trough the door and soaked from the rain. Luckily the seller put in in a plastic bag. They really don't care As for Parcelforce and Coventry, try and avoid if possible. Said before, UPS have their own customs and never had an issue. Sometimes when something is sent from the US to UK by USPS, it goes through Heathrow and Coventry never gets a mention on the tracking.

Dan, admire your tenacity for getting stuck into this, Some good finds,

Sometimes they don't update tracking Bruce, then all of a sudden it arrives at its destination. Had that a few times.

Not looked into it but getting a Shimada vibe, just something to look into.

OP,, Surely with the amount of posts you have made and info learned you can come to a conclusion. Sometimes, i guess you just got to ask Fair enough

Its a popular subject What folk need to try and get their head around is that Kazu-uchimono is a BROAD spectrum .From junk that went abroad to swords that are good, well made fighting weapons.

Uwe, difficult from distant images but you seldom see a black Handachi Kashira. Ray skin Same too, looks like its been weatherproofed. (though cant be sure as difficult to see it) Maybe Geraint right though, need a better image.

Looks like someone lacquered Handachi Koshirae

Amazing what you can find out on the internet.

I am a bit confused here, hoping for some clarity. Briefly. The small sword has been described as "CAST", by experts. Just a straight bar, no cross guard to add any complexity to the cast Seen Dans video where a few dudes "cast" a rough iron (whatever you want to call it) Now, if they did that, why cant some iron "wizards lol" 2000 years ago do the same ?. Its not exactly the Angel of the North or anything. Then file the "whatever you want to call it" into a neat sword, rather than hammer. Perhaps they managed to get it neat first time, with a technique the guys here are not aware of That's if they had files I say this because it is described as "CAST" by "EXPERTS" Can this be answered without the use of a time machine, i would think someone will know, even if not here. ps, just looking at the sword again, its not exactly neat, but maybe thats down to corrosion, dunno Image from the “CAST” iron sword video that Dan presented. Cheers

Thanks Dan, that vid answers a lot for me.

Aye Dan, just having a laugh. As for the Conan vid and im not saying you could make a fighting sword like this. Yes, its far fetched but in its defence the dude does actually re-heat and hammer it into shape. Its not just a case of casting a sword and saying there you go. In Jeans vid, the guy describes other issues. Interesting vid that you present. Sometimes when you don't know what your talking about you have to stick your neck out and ask what may sound like a stupid question, so here goes Is it possible to cast a really rough overly large sword type thing, re-heat and gently knock it into the shape of a "not for war" small sword ? If so, does that mean we have got to the bottom of this?.

Good find Jean

Link ? I use the dark version, found it now, thanks! Was hard to see.

You should add images of the blade here, i for one only just noticed this sale.

Worn Ito left as is, don't feel like you see that too often, nice to see.

So what some of you are saying, they got it wrong in the Conan movie

The Samurai handbook may have errors but what it does well is let the newbie know that all swords are not equal.. Those that are experienced know that well but many new to the hobby just looking for an antique Samurai sword will be oblivious to it. Remember looking through the valuation pages as a newbie and being determined to buy a sword with a smith rating of at least 15 lol Really did get me thinking and working out why, actually exchanged a sword with a dealer for a better one. It does its job. Another book that seldom gets a mention is The Sword of Japan by J W Bott, that's usually quite cheap and worth the price for a basic introductory book. Well done to anyone wanting to buy books, still get surprised by how many swords get sold to people that don't educate themselves