Lee Bray

Please, don't offer your tanto to this members member.

I'm with Roman on the make up of this tsuba. It looks like copper and brass wire laid out in various patterns on a brass base then the voids are silver soldered up then it's all ground back till flat. Then the various ana cut out and finished off.

Duct tape. Apply a length of it up to the sabigiwa; use the pointy end of your mekugi nuki to work it into the nooks and crannies and peel it off. Takes more than one application to make a difference. Doesn't harm the patina at all. It's been a while since I've done it but seem to recall no issue with adhesive residue afterwards. If there is any, a careful clean with isopropyl alcohol would work. Transformed a very flaky(rust) Shinshinto katana nakago that I thought had been through saiha into a very reasonable nakago that papered afterwards. I was 'taught' this by a respected Japanese dealer and had good results from it but duct tape comes in various forms and qualities so 'use at your own risk'.

89 pounds! I've been using standard Break-free CLP for several years with no issues at all so I'll be sticking with that.

I've seen break-free oil in Tsuruta-san's shop(Aoi Art, Tokyo), Chonmage. Don't think he sells it but maybe worth asking him where he got it from as there could be a local source. If he ships it in from the states, my apologies.

I cannot imagine a soldier who relied on edged steel weaponry did not carry a whetstone in his pack or on his belt. I've seen antique viking whetstones with a hole to attach a lanyard as a necklace or to a belt. As a chap who carries a machete often to clear trails and who does a lot of camping, I think it is unthinkable to leave without a small stone or two to maintain my knife/machete edge. It would be like carrying a gun with one bullet. We're not talking a standard bench stone but something around 4" long, 1" wide and 1/2" thick is easy to use and weighs very little. It's used in hand and on top of the blade as opposed to clamped to something and the blade taken to the stone. Does that discount the wall sharpening theory? Given that stones are brittle and people lose things, it's not impossible. I've seen one of my crew 'sharpen' a machete on the flat concrete of a drainage ditch over here.

Thank you, Stephen. Nice to see someone doesn't think we are all thieves in this undeveloped country of ours. Though I have my doubts about the two chaps in the ebay ads... I've asked them if I can view the tsuba in person before making an offer. Holding my breath from now...

I've done it twice and you can take a maximum of three swords. As you mention Aoi, I assume you're taking them there. Best to get some documentation from them stating that you are taking the swords to them for restoration, preferably in Japanese or bilingual. Both times for me, the police official could not speak much English and my Japanese is non existent, so the documentation helps a lot. NBTHK museum is just round the corner from Aoi, and I know the little shop you mean, but its name escapes me.

Not to answer for Roman, but the inlays can be seen in a few places on the tsuba.

Shodai and nidai Tadatsuna centred their mei on the shinogi. http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessa ... php?t=1861 Certainly not usual, but as it often seems with Nihonto, there's always the exception.

Lovely shape. Signed as well...can't make out the first kanji very well, but possibly Sukemitsu? *Edit - Yukimitsu, I think...

I've sent one tsuka and a local friend sent a pair of daisho tsuka to David and they all came back fine for fit. I'd rather have a little trouble with tsuka fit than lose or damage a sword through international shipping.

Debate, discussion, and the sharing of opinions- that is what a forum is for, isn't it? I'm not looking for favours, frankly, I am more interested in truth. I have stated my opinion, Darcy has stated his. I don't see the problem but I thank you for your concern. Debating the mindset of the forger from possibly centuries ago is a great pastime but not for me.

Chris. You're a well respected member and this hound dogging of another well respected member will do you no favours. I say this with respect for you and in the knowledge that I just shot myself in the foot...

Kind of like playing 'Connect Four' with a bar girl in Pattaya and drinking overpriced Heineken. Apparently.

Magic, of course.

It is very slightly raised inlay, in imitation of thick ink? Gorgeously done.

Daikon are also used almost exclusively for cleaning soft metals prior to patination. Perhaps this theme is the artists way of saying thank you to the humble radish for doing such a sterling job in the workshop.

I'm in the middle of ordering a one piece 58" recurve bow which will be shipped from Indiana. They say that 'oversize' shipping has to be used but I do not know which company. If I find out more, I'll let you know.

Thank you, Brian, for stating that you did not ban him. No more said from me.

Wishful thinking? His input is missed...

Maybe... :D

It is almost certainly an example... I taught myself from an early age to say maybe as opposed to yes or no...

It's possibly an example of Satsuma suriage. If the kissaki is lost, the mune is ground down until it reaches the hamon at the broken end of the blade. This, essentially, gives a new, fully hardened tip. Hardly ever seen, but probably worth doing for a Kamakura Ichimonji sword. Scroll down to the bottom of this link for a diagram. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/suriage.html

Looks like Higo work to me. Possibly Jingo school, later work, circa 18th century.