Katsujinken

The next New York Token Kai meeting will be October 27.

If Ray pointed you towards the major museums that’s a great start.

Yes. See the website for details.

Its a very ragged looking mei...

 

BaZZa.

The nakago looks younger than 15th century to me. But I have been wrong many times before!

Hear, hear! We are extremely lucky in New York.

It’s definitely not cast.

Picked this up today. Obviously not capital-N Nobuie, but I’d be curious to know what some of our resident tosogu experts make of it. The iron is nice. Not very thick. But I always enjoy Satsuma-ana and it has a little wabi-sabi going on with the asymmetric sukashi...

Generally if Aoi won’t guarantee a pass it means quite simply that they don’t think it will pass.

But ultimately you have to decide.

I don’t know why someone would fake this signature on a yari, but you can see (as they note) a different texture on the nakago over the signature. Maybe someone tried to get the signature to stand out? Who knows...

Regardless of the budget, quality over quantity is the way to go.

Ray is also 100% correct, but there’s also something to be said for collectors who recognize that they lack the time or talent to master kantei but choose to invest in a quality piece out of love and appreciation for the art and a desire to preserve it for future generations.

We need both of these theoretical people – the one who sees diamonds in the rough and the collector who protects already identified important work – and more!

Does your sensei even allow live blades? I've trained in two iaido ryuha for three decades, & have not seen Nihonto, or even shinken, allowed in a dojo. I agree with the others, of course, that using Nihonto in any martial art is a no-no, as this forum is for the preservation of these blades.

I agree re: training with antique nihonto, but would like to share that many kenjutsu styles that practice tameshigiri (and even some that do not) use live blades for all aspects of practice. Toyama Ryu Battodo is a prime example. Once students are competent enough to use a shinken, that’s all they use, with one exception for the practice of kumitachi. But even for kumitachi, after a few more years of training, folks are expected to use shinken.

It absolutely changes the nature of the training, mentally and physically. For example, when it comes to nukitsuke (drawing cuts), a shinken will teach you very quickly (and profoundly) if your technique or patience is lacking. This is not to say one way is better than another or to denigrate any approach. Rather it’s just some styles focus on this or that.

Sooo i know what talking about Michael...but im ebay seller as a few others here.

Totally fair, of course, but you’re also here. In fact I bought an inexpensive tsuba from you via eBay as a gift for someone... but it was your presence and conduct here that led me to happily do so without hesitation.

No need to read past the words “eBay seller” in order for me to share my opinion, which is I suppose self evident and admittedly mildly self important.

This forum and the small group of honest dealers who serve North America offer a fantastic selection of swords and fittings at all price points on a regular basis.

Also note that the kissaki has been reworked, and badly. Notice how the bohi extends well beyond the “yokote”. This sword has seen a lot of abuse. Tough to say where/when its life began. I agree with Ray and Grey.

Nice sugata. Good nakago. One could do a LOT worse for 5k.

By the way, this is for sale. Contact me with any interest! :-)

Welcome, Skhye!

This leads me to wonder, how does one go about getting a non-art sword sharpened? (I am assuming that togishi who polish art swords don’t spend their time putting fresh edges on Chinese-made shinken...?)

Thanks,

Richard

Outside of Japan, you can work with a place like Nihonzashi, in Florida. It’s a Battodo dojo + traditional martial arts store. They sharpen modern production blades.

Within Japan, there are no Chinese made shinken, so it’s just a matter of getting a lower grade polish on a shinsakuto, which is no problem. There’s no shortage of tameshigiri practice over there, so it’s a common need.

Grey is correct. The “theories” are McDojo hogwash. :-)

Basically, yes.

In the case of a nihonto that is pre-Meiji, it's essentially a question of quality and whether or not the risks/wear and tear to the sword inherent in the practice of Iai/kenjutsu outweigh its intrinsic value and potential preservation. For example, swords used for tameshigiri do need ot be sharpened periodically, which as we all know, shortens the life of the sword. It's essentially a consumable. Different folks have different opinions on this, of course.

For a modern sword - a shinsakuto - it essentially comes down to whether or not the blade was intended as an art sword to begin with. Usually art swords are made with higher quality materials (e.g. the really good tamahagane  ). So for shinsakuto it's basically about intention.  

I appreciate the replies. Michael could you point me in the direction of what I should search to read up on Darcys thoughts about this subject?

Some good stuff in this recent thread: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/27429-captured-wwii-sword/?view=getnewpost&fromsearch=1

Otherwise, head over to his website, yuhindo.com, and read read read.

And signed.

Yes indeed!

Darcy has written about this articulately and extensively, but, basically, the older a blade is, and the more prestigious the school/maker, the less a flaw should detract from its value (or paper potential).

To be clear, this scale is exponential, and remains relatively flat til you are well into Nanbokucho territory.

Anything Muromachi or younger and the flaws deduct value (aesthetic and otherwise) quickly.

Shinto and onward better be perfect.

Believe or not, I don’t envy George in this moment. It’s an incredibly tough spot. I agree with the advice given in this thread – family heirlooms are priceless in a way, but when we discover a new Da Vinci or fossil from a new species of dinosaur, we also a have a responsibility to history and those who will come after us.

I sincerely wish George and his family the best, and again want to thank Darcy, Ted, Ray, and everyone else who contributed. In many other similar hobbies, George would likely have swum right into a school of sharks. Heck, in this hobby, if he’d gone to the wrong place, he’d have found predators waiting.

So thanks be to everyone, and to Brian, for maintaining this space in the right spirit.

I guess this would be a rhetorical question but how many swords with asking price well above 1M yen do you see for sale with NTHK papers in Japan?

Bingo!

Walnut with clear lacquer.