LakeBum

So darn excited to hear the book is still moving forward. Thanks for all your hard work!

Ok, just checking if he mentioned it on his website and I missed it. Thanks Chris!

Just seeing if anyone has heard how the progress of the book was going?

I agree Ray, that is a great looking set. Normally I don't like tanto koshirae, but that set speaks to me.

Right on! I'm just excited to hear you are still making the book. This has been my most anticipated reference book release for some time now!

Thank you all for the information! Like I said, it looks like a great sword, there were just some things that were unique to the package. Sorry for the feathers I may have ruffled, you just can't learn if you don't ask.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SPECIAL-ORDER-Japanese-WW-II-Army-Sword-KIKUSUI-CREST-Old-Antique-WW2-Samurai/362254859846?hash=item5458127e46:g:~-sAAOSwluxalf1V Granted I have not been looking all that long but this blade has a seki stamp and a kikusui crest. My question is, does this make it not traditionally made? It looks like a decent sword to me, or maybe the crest was added later and i'm fooled? Special note, I'm not going to buy it, this is just for personal curiosity. Thank you for your time! Jason

The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords Jan 17, 2017 by Kokan Nagayama $60 Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords: A Collector's Guide Mar 28, 2017 by Paul Martin and Nobuo Nakahara $27 The Samurai Sword: A Handbook Sep 15, 2008 by John M. Yumoto and T. C. Ford $20 The prices are from amazon. While your thinking it over, these are a few books I read when I was just starting in. These books should give a good overview of Nihonto and what all is out there. That way you can start to pinpoint what you want your first to be. These are some deeeeeeeeep waters lol.

Ray you hit it, that is exactly what I was talking about. Thanks for enlarging it! The blade itself actually looks OK, but that one spot just looked off to me.

I'm not buying this sword, just purely for my own curiosity. The nakago looks like it was added on after the sword was forged. Wondering what your better trained eyes would see. http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-Japanese-SAMURAI-ARMY-OFFICER-SWORD-LATE-WAR-KATANA-/222668947215?hash=item33d81a7f0f:g:xvwAAOSwCbtZ1wDX Thanks for your time, Jason

Agreed, I've been reading books and cruising through the site for a few years now. ALWAYS something new to learn and figure out that these waters are as deep as the Mariana Trench. This site seriously and graciously puts up with us younguns though :D. The next book up pumped to read is Mr. Sesko's book on Gendiato. My wife just rolls her eyes when she sees how excited I am to study this hobby.

This will probably be the first thing I have ever crowd funded. I have several of your other books and cannot wait for this one!

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/17425-new-book-out-modern-Japanese-swords-the-beginning-of-the-gendaito-era/?do=findComment&comment=179694 I had the same question :D. Here is the link.

Cool article, thanks for the link!

I agree with ken, great book for the money.

I think I paid 30$ for mine a year ago. Did it really become that scarce within the span of a year?

Thanks for your input guys! Does look like a really good site too Stephen, thanks for the link!

Oh yah I am not doubting the sellers integrity, I just wanted to know if you guys would be like me and "want to peak under the hood" so to speak. If it is not traditional then it would probably hurt the value to break the lacquer, so I get what the seller is saying. Just wondering why the maker would lacquer over the peg to where it could not be removed.

Starting off, I'm not going to buy this. Not even looking to buy, just looking to learn lol. This seller said he did not remove the peg to check the tang because it was lacquered over. Granted he doesn't think it is a traditional blade, but would you guys pop the peg out and look or just leave it? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Tanto-with-Bag-WW2-Navy-Officer-Bringback-Minty-No-Res-/391320214219?hash=item5b1c809acb:g:wvsAAOSwsFpWRovj

You guys have been patient with my questions for four years, and even in person at shows. I live in the middle of no where IL and gladly make the treck to the show of shows and chicago (plus go through about 4 or 5 books a year lol). I do not always fully understand what I read or what you guys try to teach but that is just the learning process. These are some deep waters.

I did not see where the source of the information came from Tobias, sorry .

Well it has two examples of his work. One from his actual name Ichihara Tatsuoki and then one with the Nagamitsu. It says that rumor has it that "It has been mentioned that some Nagamitsu swords were apparently signed by different smiths, so presumably, Nagamitsu had many assistants or students." He says it is due to the large number of Nagamitsu swords made during the period. It says that Ichihara worked for the army as a smith in Osaka and was very prolific. There is no mention of where he got his training . There is a macro shot for the sword with itame hada and the suguha ko-midare with ko-gunome and ashi hamon though.

With the stamped stuff, I thought that was odd too. There is a blade with the Minatogawa stamp on it. It never comes out and says that the Minatogawa sword is made in the traditional manner but does not say it is nontraditional either.

Well I just got my copy from amazon today and its not a bad little reference. It has 51 blades pictured with close ups of the signatures. Each blade gets a full measurement and profile make up. It even gives a few blurbs about the smith. The blades in the book are from the smiths Gassan Sadayoshi, gassan Sadakazu, Miyamoto Kaneori, Gassan Sadakatsu (4 of these), Yoriyoshi(Enomoto Sadayoshi), Minamoto Sadayoshi, Minamoto Katsumasa, Yanagawa Naohiro, Kurihara Akihide, Yoshihara Kuniie, Kasama Shigetsugu, Akimitsu, Akihisa(2), Akinobu, Masatsugu, Miyairi Akihira, Hideaki(2), Yasutsugu, Yasumitsu, Yasuhiro(2), Toshihiro, Kunimori, Yasuoki, Yasunobu, Yasunori, Tsukamoto Okimasa, Kanenobu, Kato Kanefusa, Minamoto Yoshiickika (sho dai), Minamoto Yoshichika (ni dai), Ryujin Ikkansai Kuniteru, Masakiyo, Takahashi Yoshimune, Koa Isshin Mantetsu, Nobufusa, Ichihara Tatsuoki, Ichiyushi Nagamitsu, Takeshita Yasukuni (2), Hiromistu, Sadaroku, Ihara Teruhide, Hiromitsu, Yoshihara Yoshindo. Some of the blades come with pictures of the mounts and some are just swords. If you want to know anymore details just say so, I'd be glad to give back to the forum for all your guys patience with me.

While I do not have any swords to contribute, I will be buying the book when it comes out if that makes you feel better :D. I just think it is great that all these new books on nihonto are being published.