b.hennick

Two people really wanted it. The lucky one did not win the auction.

I understand that you are looking for a trade. It would help to know how much you think the tsuba is worth.

Sorry Bruce. I am still waiting for more photos.

Thank you Moriyama san - Nobody does it better!

Please help with this mei.

Fujiwara

In the USA this is something called collectors insurance. I was impressed with what I learned until I learned that it was only available in the USA. Perhaps others can suggest a specific company. You don't want to pay what your regular home insurance would ask.

👍👍

Sad

I have never seen a seppa like that. I have been at this since 1976!

Thanks, we are working on it.

Hi Bruce: It is not my sword. Someone asked me for help and I asked here. There was no mention of serial numbers. I did crop the images and did not see any numbers at all.

His wait list is long. I mean really long. It is worth the wait if you can wait that long.

I've seen a whole issaku koshirae by Natsuo. So there is at least one.

Koa Isshin Mantetsu Saku Showa 18 Spring Thanks Uwe! and Thanks Ohmura san http://ohmura-study.net/913.html

Please help with the translation of this mei.

Hi Barrett, as a fellow Canadian, let me share with you, that in Canada, in almost all transactions for Japanese items among collectors, are priced in USD. We have a sword club in Toronto and at meetings members have things for sale. Almost all are priced in USD. Same holds true when I sell to friends locally.

And none are hagiri.

Takeo Seki is fully trained and lives in British Columbia Canada.

The first one is a tanto. The shirasaya says Masahide. The others are kitchen knives. Masahide was a good smith whose work was faked often. Even if we see the tang and it says Masahide we cannot confirm if the signature is good (shoshin) or fake (Gimei). It looks like the blade needs a polish.

You can unscrew the pin at the top of the tool and use it against the peg. Then use the hammer to tap the pin.

Only if you see active red rust should you put oil on the tang.

Welcome Mark! The journey that you have started is a long and enjoyable one. You are off to a good start B by posting photos of one of the swords.

I use a small piece of cotton fabric to put on the oil. You use a minimal amount of oil. Yes you can oil the gunto blade. Microfiber is used to remove the oil. You should not put oil on the tang unless there is active red rust. If there is is red rust, I would use a tissue to apply the oil.

I have purchased shinto blades that are ubu and others that are not ubu. For me there are a number of factors that affect my decision to buy a sword of not buy a particular sword. For years I collected the Shinto Hizen smith Masahiro and other mainline or sideline smiths. Here is a list of what I look for: 1. Shape 2. hada 3. hamon 4. nakago 5. if signed, I look at the signature. Looking at signatures is a full topic on its own. 6. Horimono 7. mounts I would put ubu in with nakago. Ububa (ubuha) would be put in with shape in that it would be noted when looking at the shape. The newer the sword, the more things have to be very very good.