obiwanknabbe

Hi everyone, I am curious why it is not an accepted practice to have a professional restore Tsuba while sending a sword to a polisher is fully embraced by the collecting community? Or is it? I realize that for some it would not be feasible, but in other cases, I would think that it would be (as in the case of a simple pierced iron Tsuba). I am sure that there are some that would say that it would make the item more difficult to date, but I would assume that it would be possible to leave the area under the sepa unaltered, much like the nagako of a blade? Am I missing something or is it just not a practice that has caught on yet? Thoughts? Comments? Kurt. K

Thanks guys. The reason I'm asking is because I found another one at a local antique shop (they really seem to be coming out of the wood work lately) and the guy is asking $650. Ebay is an easy way to see selling prices but there are just so many knockoffs that it has become really hard to tell what prices to go by. As for the blade, it is just about perfect from what i can see, but at the shop I could not get the tsuka off to inspect it further. Looks like the real deal though by all other features. Has the "right feel" if you know what i mean. Guess I better get myself some overtime because I KNOW that i wont be able to pass a blade up. Kurt. K

Hey everyone, While i realize this is a VERY general question, i was curious what the consensus was of my more learned peers regarding the going rate for a run of the mill, oil quenched, military mounted, showato is; assuming it is in great order? Do different smiths matter or do they all rate just about the same? I have heard it said that some stamps are more rare than others, but that can be put aside. Thanks in advance, Kurt. K

Hello everyone! Being new to the board, I have started to notice that there are many Nihonto related events being held in many places around the country (U.S) as well as abroad. I was curious if there were any such events that you folks may be aware of in the NY area? I don't think I have ever seen one discussed, but clearly that does not mean it does not happen. Thanks in advance, Kurt K

Hey all, I figured as a newbie on the board, I should also throw my hat into the ring here. While I am 37 now, I have been fascinated with the Japanese sword since i was 8 years old. As a child of the 80's, I think there existed a genetic predisposition towards bad Ninja movies. In one such film, Sho Kosugi's "Prey for Death", the main character is forced to make his own sword as his old one is broken. Being a self confident, and rather naive adolescent, I seized upon the notion that I TOO COULD MAKE MY OWN SWORD. We had a coal burning stove in our living room. That was the first piece of this soon to be tragic tale of invention. I took a few buckets full of anthracite out of the hopper on the side of the house, dug a hold in the horse shoe pit in our back yard, started a huge fire, rigged the exhaust of our shop vacuum as a blower, and proceeded to melt my fathers tools. The end result of my efforts were a few minor burns and a rather crude, twelve inch, metal toothpick. I was exceedingly disappointed, my father was pissed and proud, and the fire department had a few harsh words for me about starting a massive coal fire so close to the woods. I still have my "sword" though. A few days latter a neighbor comes knocking at my door. Mr. Moore was a metallurgist, and as it turned out a metal working guild member, who made a living in the R&D department of Grumman Aviation. He had heard about my black-smithing misadventure and was there to offer some training in real metalworking. I took him up on his offer and spent the next 5 years in his garage, learning the right way to put hammer to steel. That's where it started. Today, after 28 additional years of study and practice, I make my own blades with the flare that I originally hoped for as a child. With my corresponding 28 years of Martial arts study (everything from Ryukyo Kempo, to Genbukan Ninjitsu) a natural love for the real thing developed. I spend my leisure time raiding antique shops and estate sales in true Indiana Jones fashion (I even have the hat), exploring deep and dusty corners for whatever treasures they may hold. I have to say, in those endeavors, I have had some great luck and found some wonderful blades. So here's me, living on the raggedy edge of poverty/hunger, harboring an insatiable lust for these formidable works of art. That's my tale of woe, and so it will remain until such a time as I win the lottery. At least then I wont be hungry anymore .

Cabowen, That is what I thought as well. Now at least i know someone who knows more than i do agrees. Related, do you know what the deal with the punch mark is below the Mei? The first 2 blades have one, as does mine. It seems deliberate. As for the blades future, If a polish is going to cost $3500+ for a polish, do you have any idea (rough or otherwise) what this smiths blades are generally worth? I found a few that sold for some pretty prices,$3500- $4550, but two prices do not a good average make. I am in at $400 one this sword. Like i said, its in pretty good shape. The only real problem with it is that there is one ware just above the hamon a few inches past the habaki, and at an earlier point in time, some Darn fool took a belt sander and removed about 1/100th of an inch the cutting edge to dull it. Why someone would do this is beyond me, but they did. I went out on a limb when i bought it with the thinking that it had to be worth more than the $400 I haggled the dealer down to. Again, thank you Kurt K

Thanks for your feed back guys. Cabowen, if you would indulge me, what leads you to believe that this is NOT nakirishi mei? Not that i doubt you. It would please me greatly to find out that it is shoshin mei. Are there some telltale signs that you see? I ask only to learn. Best regards, Kurt Knabbe

Hi everyone. So here is the deal. Recently we discussed a blade that I picked up at a local antique shop (been hitting home runs lately). What i found turned out to be a Mano Masayasu. There is some conjecture as to whether or not this blade is Nakirishi mei or shoshinmei. Pictures and discussion of that blade can be found in the translation section under "Kai Gunto? translation". What do you folks think about Mr. Lohman's polishing service. The price is right, but how about the workmanship? Does this blade warrant more? Also, who would your recommend as an alternative? I dont have disposable income, but would really like to see this sword returned to former glory. Thoughts, comments? Thanks, Kurt. K

Thanks for the image cisco-san. So This makes it difficult. Am i correct in concluding that the image to the center has Yasuri mei is most similar to mine, being that the file strokes are completely horizontal and deeper cut? The "kore" is different though. My "kore" is closer to the image listed as Nakirishi mei. Then again, the "Yasu" is different too. I suppose this is why there can be so much debate on authenticating a Mei. Could this blade have been made by a student? Also, the punch mark at the bottom. Is that a telltale clue? Mine has one, and the first two images have them. Ideas on what that is about? Regarding a polish, $2k-3k is the range of cost I am familiar with, but is it worth it? If this smith of my blade is the one being discussed here, then he was rated Cho saku in 1941. The real question is would the polish be a wise investment? Side note, Where can i get a copy of that book? I searched for the author but nothing came up. What is the title? Thanks again folks Kurt Knabbe

Patrick, Thank you so much! I have not seen that variation of "kore".. Is it some kind of script kanji or just a very stylized inscription? Also, you think this is nakirishi mei? Anyone out there want to weigh in on whether this is worth sending out to be polished? Thanks again! Kurt

Hi folks, First off, sorry about the angle of the picture. The Mei is so big i had to tilt the camera to get the whole thing in the frame and still be close enough to be able see it clearly. Though covered in dried casmoline, the blade is actually in really nice shape and has an attractive gunome hamon. Also, and unless something is tricking me, there are signs of Nie (I see some sparkles at the boarders of the hamon and Ji). This confuses me as there appear to be some stamps along the mune side of the nagako but they are hard to make out. Water quenched showa-to perhaps? I have been trying to use the kanji pages to translate this signature but with little success. I have only been able to discern a few things (i think). The second kanji down looks like Shu which would mean that the one above it is a province. Which province eludes me as it does not appear on the Japanese sword index (perhaps not a common one?). I think the third Kanji is Ju The bottom looks similar to Kore but i dont think that's what it says. The rest are beyond my limited experience at present. Any assistance is appreciated Thanks in advance Kurt

Lance.. I like your idea. I have about 4 blades to finish before I can start something new, but its an interesting angle. Thanks. As for the Wakizashi, she will stay as she is. Like I said, i don't really plan on doing anything more with it. The blade looks good as a display and study piece (the original reason I purchased it) as it stands. I just wanted learned opinions. These are the types of conversations which are not generally covered in books. Kurt

Thanks for your feedback guys. I thought Kane was part of it, but I have seen how additional kanji can change the pronunciation. As for the polishing. I can assure you Brian, I wont work on anything I think could be valuable. What you could not see in the picture was the other side of the blade, MASSIVE kitae Kizu and blistering, and warping of the mune. Mostly when I do work it is on one of my own blades. I have been smithing for about 15 years. Thanks again guys. Kurt

Hi everyone, A while back i picked up a rusty short(ish) sword in war mounts at a gun-show here on long island (NY). The Nagasa is 21 3/4 inches long and the nagako is just under 6 inches. hard to tell in the picture but the hamon is irregular midare and it appears to have Itame hada. It is signed, and appears to be pretty old (judging by the black rust). Do any of you recognize this signature? Now there is another part to this question. Sadly, when i did the polish on this blade, a Hagire surfaced. It was under a rust spot three quarters of the way up on the cutting edge and was not visible until after foundation polishing. Fortunately I got it cheep. So here is the second part of the question. What is the etiquette regrading O-Suriage cutting the blade into a tanto and inserting Gaku Mei? I'm not sure if I will actually do it, but I am more interested in what the common consensus is among those of you with more knowledge and experience regarding such things. Pics inserted below Thanks in advance, Kurt

Hey folks, Thanks for the quick replies. I will try to post up some pics as soon as I can. As for the war period of the mounts, its hard to say. They were pretty much destroyed when i got the sword, no Ito, no tassel, and the Koshire were pretty banged up. Fortunately, i have a secondary set of them from an older blade that are in perfect condition and fit well. The saya that it came with was steel with one Ashi and the corresponding decorative fittings. The second hole on the blade is not located all the way at the bottom of the Nagako. It is about 3.5 inches from the bottom, right above the kanji for Saku kore. Upon further inspection, there are 2 metal reinforcing fittings on the tsuka, one on the top, on one the bottom. I am sure that at $100.00, there is no way i could have gone wrong as I have seen them selling anywhere between 700 and 2500 depending on condition. That being said, what i was trying to get at was what you folks think the future potential of this class of sword looks like. It seems that they float in limbo somewhere between gunto and nihonto at present but with some people leaning towards classifying them as the latter. Thanks again, Kurt

Hi everyone. I'm Kurt and I am new to the board. My questions, for any of you who may know, pertain to a Koa Isshin Mantetsu blade that I recently came into my possession ( found it in an antique shop and got it for $100 bucks :D ). It is dated Spring 1940 and signed Koa Isshen Mantetsu Saku Kore, the numbers along the mune are 10, 3, 5, 6. The thing that has me slightly intrigued is that every other one of these swords i have seen has a single Mekugi-ana. The blade i have has two as does the tuska, which is also steel reinforced along the mune side. Have any of you seen this before? Was this a special order option? It seems that it would allow for more aggressive cutting. Secondary, have attitudes started to shift in the Nihonto community regarding these blades? What do you think the investment potential of these class of swords will be over the long term? Thanks in advance, Kurt