b.hennick

Hell Franco et al:

Kantei is great but one needs to learn to walk/crawl before running. One can use "study swords" to learn terms and activites in blades, shape as well.

At our next Toronto sword club meeting the topic will be kantei for quality of work in swords. Rather than who made it the question will be how well was it made?

We have run several traditional and Rochester study group style of kantei but this one will be for quality...

The Rochester study group developed a team kantei where the members were divided into two teams and the team discussed each blade and the reasoning for determination. The idea was that senior members could guide junior members with all learning. Making someone articulate reasoning is a good learning experience.

Here is a photo of a katana size tsuba that has one hole for a bashin. There is a shakudo overlay that makes it look like there is an ana for a kogai.

The rest of the koshriae can be seen here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/b.hennick/ ... tTu9tC-nAE

The blade that goes with the koshirae is by Rai Kuninaga aka Nakajima Rai.

It was about 1978. Therewere not many books on Japanese swords. I had an opportunity to buy from a collection of swords that were brought into my city. The owner had a good eye and owned a militaria store. I decided to buy 7 swords all with something from which one could learn. A friend bought one. WE paid about the same for my group and his one. I studied and learned from the 7 and in the end sold all of them. I now own the one my friend bought. It was a better blade - a keeper. The others taught me a great deal. In the end I learned and it did not cost me much.

So yes there are study swords.

Here is another example, I am a member of the Rochester sword study group. I bought from one member a papered Yamato Tegai wakizashi. It was a typical Tegai and a good blade to learn from. I sold it to another member of the group. In the end each of us owned that blade and learned from it. All of us can recognize a Tegai blade when we see one. That was indeed a good sword to learn from.

HIgo school certainly made smaller kozuka and kogai as I have seen several. I have been looking for a Higo Umabari that is small for a long time length 1 5/8" witdth less than 1/4". If you come across one please let me know.

Loved it! It was interesting to see the Japanese version of seveal arts. It is amazing how many things are the same as in North America and that some are differrent. I remember my wife complaining about removing grass stains from my gi. I can see that the folks in the video will have a similar problem...

There was one form where I would have enjoyed to see the whole form rather than just part of the kata.

Welcome to nihontomessageobard. You will find this an interesting place. Free with informaiton but sometime a little intollerant of those who don't listen.

A failry recent JSSUS Newsletter article by Francicso Couthino suggested that HIzento were made at least in part with Nanbam tetsu.

Hello Tom:

I went to renew my membership. I could not find a link to Paypal. Can you provide the address to send the renewal to,

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I agree "sokurri" = look alike. Both folding kake are bery similar.

I took some photos of my sword racks (not the built in ones) and posted them on Picassa. Here is the link to all those3 photos. I have attached a couple of photos to start us off.

Here is the link to the photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/b.hennick/ ... N-Gi5OdyQE

Piers please start a new thread on katana kake. I have several and am always looking for others. I do not particularly like most lacquered ones. Some are so gaudy. I think that the sword koshirae or shirasaya should be the focus not the lacquer work on the kake.

BTW Curran if yours becomes available please let me know. I hope to see you in Tampa in February.

I started with Hizento and collected them for many years. An exhibit of Soshu blades at one sword show made me interested in Soshu Den and koto blades. Although I still have many Shinto blades my favourites are mostly koto pieces thesedays. It took a number of years collecting to appreciate suguha rather than the exuberant midare/choji of Hizento but I now do.

Yes Shinshito blades generally in good condition but if you look and are willing to pay for it you can get Shinto and Koto blades in excellent condition. I think that the longer you collect the higher the standards that you set foryour collection become. One usually buys only blades better than what you currently have rather than worse.

Hi Curtis:

I collect iron menuki these look like iron. I looked on ebay but did not find them. Do you have a link.

Hello Keith:

I have seen them displayed together on a suit of armour. The tanto through the obi and the tachi hanging down. I have never seen a rack (kake) built for both.

Fond memories of Krash! He put me on to older I mean very much older swords.

If you are a member of the JSSUS we would publish descriptions of the stolen blades in our Newsletter. Membership is only $40 in the USA.

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Darcy's book is a very good one. You can get it for less from Lulu. They often have sales of 20% or 30% off.

Here is a slightly different take on things.

The first thing for me is shape. If a blade has a poor shape then it can't be vey functional or very beautiful. Shape first drew me to Hizento. Hizen blades as a group tend to have great shape.

Second comes pattern or hada. I love great hada. Hizento have great hada unless shintetsu is showing. Then the blade is not so beautiful.

Third comes hamon/edge. I used to be attracted to the wild hamon of Masahiro and Tadakuni. With experience I have come to appreciates suguha.

Lastly the tang. I good smith spends the time and effort to creat a well finished tang. File marks, mei shape all need to be correct. If a blade has everything else but has a poor tang it is not going to be a great sword.

With time what constitutes a beautiful sword changes in one's mind. I know that when I attended a Soshu exhibit I fell in love with a blade by Norishige. It took time, effort and a big expenditure to become the temporary custodian of a blade by Etchu Norishige a great sword!

So here I have laid out fouth things that a great sword needs to have. If any is missing then the blade may be functional but not great.

Nice tsuba!

Thanks for the information. I asked for more photos of the blade and it does seem to be a Chinese copy...

Thanks for your help!

Please help with this mei. I am having trouble with even the stroke count...

Thanks in advance!

It would help to know what part of Canada you live in. I live in the GTA (greater Toronto area) and know several serious collectors.

Welcome to the message board David. I knew a Robb Prior many years ago in the Tampa St. Petes area of Florida. He at the time shared our interest in Japanese swords. I lost touch with him about 15 years ago...