loui

Ah yes Microdear - that is what I have. Louis

I am constantly adding and removing oil from blades, I use mineral oil with a couple of drops of clove if I want the nice smell. To remove the oil I use a nice soft tissue paper with no skin softening additives, I add a some fresh alcohol (70 percent) to the tissue and that removes most of the oil - the remaining oil I remove with high quality uchiko that I make myself - the same method used by most polishers (yes fully trained polishers in Japan). It is very important that the uchiko is used properly, if over used, improperly used, or poor quality uchiko is used then you will be into some problems, most people dont use uchiko properly (over use, too much pressure, obscuring the yokote etc etc.). I find the microfibre cloth doesn't remove all the oil completely and like any other cloth the ability to pick up contaminants is possible, I have one but rarely use it. I've never had alcohol problems (sword related), mineral oil issues, or uchiko issues, all recommendations I am passing on have come from polishers (fully trained bla bla bla, for the picky ones). Regards, and enjoy. Louis EDIT, please do not use acetone on your swords.

I'm in for 4 copies if that will make things easier for you. I am a huge fan of your first publication. Louis

Thanks for your help with the woodblock guys, much appreciated. Louis

You could try Mark Jones, a very honest dealer with honest pricing, he frequents this board. Regards, Louis

Hi Estcrh, thank you for looking, I think it was made in 1848, I am putting together some info now. It would be really nice to have the whole thing translated as that would tell the whole story - but that is going to be next to impossible. I am expecting more woodblocks shortly so I will post them up when I get them, I had sold a few and am back into them again. The more violent the more I like them:) Did you see his print of the skeleton? Louis

If you are sending to Japan, then I would concur that Usagiya, (the Kashima Sisters and Hiroshi Kojima) are top notch, I cannot recommend them highly enough. Their honesty and integrity is to be respected and admired and is pretty hard to come by in Japan. If you send your swords to Usagiya you can be sure that you will receive a proper and honest appraisal of what should be done with your swords with respect to polishing and papering if you wish, you will not be "directed" into something that is not needed (read $$$), and false hopes will not be handed out (read $$$). Best of luck, I hope you contact Usagiya and ask for the opinion of Mr. Hiroshi Kojima. Regards, Louis Skebo

And one more picture, I'll remove some pictures after I get some info on the piece. Thank you very much. Louis

Hello Gentlemen, I just received my latest woodblock and I am pretty happy to have this one. I generally like woodblocks that are more violent and this one fits the bill, explosives, sword in the mouth, it fits the bill to a "T". Is there any chance someone could translate some of the kanji on this to give me a good idea of what the exact story is? Help would be much appreciated. Regards, Louis

I don't doubt it is an awesome polish Barry, his work is outstanding.

The most humbling experience in my years of nihonto study was attending a lecture about polishing by a fully trained Japanese polisher at one of our study group meetings. In fact, the lecture was so mind opening that following the long lecture, which included the topic of shaping the kissaki btw, I gladly paid for an additional private session, where at the polisher's suggestion we concentrated specifically on how to properly look at a sword. As a result of those lessons, I can not see how it's possible to begin judging a sword without also judging its polish at the same time. While there are certain particulars of a polish that require specific focus to see, there are some polishing details that seemingly jump right out. Another strong influence in this respect is when having studied the work of numerous excellent polishers, some side by side, the eye/memory simply develops a recognition for certain things. Judgment of polish should be one of the key factors in buying, selling, or restoring a sword, and in sword appreciation. Franco, that sounds like a great experience, you are fortunate.

It actually adds to my confusion. If everybody on this forum would be in the position to make up his own mind we would have countless one-post-threads. Explanations by more experienced collectors are usually the reason why many newbies come to NMB. I also don't agree with Louis that only polishers can judge a polish. Like everything else when it comes to Japanese swords, it's a question of experience and education. I have quite often discussed polishes with polishers in Japan and was never told that my reasoning is flawed because I'm not a polisher myself; and I'm talking about traditionally trained, professional Togishi, not self-taught amateuers. Agreed Guido, there are almost always exceptions to many rules, but a polisher that is trained will notice more about a polish than a non polisher in my opinion.

I'd contact Bob Benson, you can't go wrong. Regards, Louis

Hi Chris, I'll respectfully disagree with your statement in part, on one hand what you say can be true most of the time but there are times where it is not true (there are almost always exceptions to any rule, almost), in the case of some tired blades or blades that have seen very poor polishes in the past and some other circumstances. With a very tired blade or tired blade with a previous poor foundation polish, (like so many wartime polished blades, or previous poor amateur polishes from Japan or the west, or old swords etc.) it is not always the practice to correct the shape so much that they have the perfect shape (the light bulb test you refer to), the result could be a sword whose life has been ended or drastically shortened just to make a perfect shape. Your statement that it will be a poor polish is correct though - but perhaps it could not be avoided in some circumstances. To sacrifice the life of the sword to make a correct shape would not be proper is what I was told when questioning this very subject years ago. Respectfully, I also think that being able to really tell takes which constitutes a "good" polish cannot be determined with a simple "light bulb" test or by most people who collect or deal swords, I believe that the true critique of a polish is best done by polishing peers. That is not to say that a non polisher can not have an opinion of a polish, but it is only an opinion based on seeing swords and not by hands on work, a polisher will always see a sword differently than a collector or dealer who does not polish (and yes there are exceptions). Like you said the judging of a sword polish is very hard based on pictures over the internet, but there are general rules that do apply and that do constitute a proper polish - they can usually be noticed by both polishers, knowledgeable collectors and dealers very quickly (hybrid polishes, acid etches, or just outright bad polishing etc etc.) I know you are a dealer of mostly newer swords that are probably healthier and can take a polish with a proper foundation though. I'm a little tired and have been working hard lately with little sleep so I hope I have conveyed my thoughts without insulting anyone, if I did I apologize. I won't comment on the polish. Regards, Louis

The amount of material needed to be removed depends on the angle of that chip, a polisher just doesn't remove the metal until there is no chip left. In a nutshell once the polisher determines what the proper geometry should be and the correct shape can be determined he stops removing material, or of course if a chip has to be left then it is for other obvious reasons. All that being said, if that is a gunto, gendaito or even a shinshinto blade that is a large undertaking as just about every surface of the blade has to be taken down a certain amount in order to maintain proper shape, the steel is so hard on newer swords that it really does beat up on a polisher (and most wouldn't restore a blade with damage like that). Some times better to live with it, but I understand when sentiment becomes involved time, effort and money might not matter. Regards, Louis

Here is an example that I sold on consignment, before it left it had a traditional polish. A blade that is acid etched like this looks very much different after a polish, it was much more subdued after a real polish - hence the trickery I mentioned. Looks nasty. http://www.japaneseswordcollector.com/tsuna/tsuna.html Louis

Using acid is bad - bottom line, a polisher that uses it is performing a bit of trickery, enhancing the blade artificially. I won't say how they do it covertly, but there are methods - the kind that when when people see the blade they are floored by it. It's a shame. If a blade is enhanced poorly it shows up usually with the blade being very one dimensional, or a blade with a white hamon the entire length of the blade - blaring white at any angle with a dryish black looking ji. A pro acid job is another thing all together, very fine techniques are used in certain areas to enhance certain things, for the most part a seasoned collector wouldn't know the difference. Just my opinion. Louis

I've owned one with a similar hamon and have seen several since, here is the link: http://www.japaneseswordcollector.com/e ... chsek.html

An "artsy" smith.

LOL, gotcha:)

Serious? Please be careful with comments like these, a sword should not be written off by some pictures over the internet. Schnitzel please have someone knowledgeable look at your sword in person. Regards, Louis

If you can get polishers uchiko then that is the best, Bob Bensons is great and the process to make it is pretty extensive - I use the same process and it takes me several hours. Some commercial uchiko can't be trusted for the above reasons. Regards, Louis

I'd like to see someone tell a Licensed Japanese swordsmith today that his sword isn't Nihonto:)

It looks like someone either polished the whole blade with a polishing paste or diamond paste and then used a fingerstone to whiten the ji and highlight the temper - or the whole blade was fingerstoned and then someone ran over it with a polishing paste of some sort. In any event it is "improper" as you say. regards, Louis

Hi Stephen. I know both you and Louis weren't suggesting anything bad about the smiths, but being a couple of them my friends it would be good to point out that if any tricky business has been made with this blade likely it has been made without participation nor knowledge by the smith possible maker of the blade. And yes, it looks like Ted suggest. Original modern Mei removed and poor patination. I hope to be wrong for everybody's sake. Exactly, we didn't make reference to the workmanship, the nakago is dubious and raises questions, I think Ted's find is very enlightening. Louis