Vermithrax16

In the shirasaya on the left.

By either name by a quick reference check, it looks gimei. I am NOT a shinsa team.

I have opposite issues as you Ken as far as humidity! It's good and rewarding to have it all out; to see and appreciate. We all work for what we have, but seldom really appreciate it.

I was off from work December 20th to January 6th. The break was much needed! It's nice to just have all your collection out for inspection and whatever cleaning and checking they all need. Every time I see something new. I find new wonder. A little wonder is sometimes a huge thing and I think nihonto delivers that. And so much more. Plus if you are from a cold climate (I am from Northeast USA) it's a great time to check the room humidity and adjust with a sonic humidifier if needed. In my den it's always needed. It's 20% or less humidity here in winter without some kind of remedy. I feel we all spend so much time chasing things, maybe we don't spend enough time on what we have. I was very happy to hang out with this crew:

I second this observation

I love this seller as they don't update items often but when they do, there is usually a really good deal somewhere in the updates. I think this one is worth a look: https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_tachi&katana_A071219.html

I didn't see much worth chasing, but bad pics and poor descriptions will do that.

Well done John.

Nihonto: expensive to buy, cheap to sell. For all but the higher end blades (and lower end), one has to expect to take a hit on any re-sale. Especially if there is time pressure. I have come to accept this and thus have changed how large a collection I intended to have (it's going to be much smaller sword wise than I had planned a while ago). Now most would say "I have never lost money on a sword!" but keep in mind most also say that: - they are ahead at the casino - ahead on scratch tickets - never lost money on real estate - never lost in the stock market There should be a zillion millionaires among us with these unwavering gains. It's weird there are not. I have two swords; both top flight examples of their school or maker. Both top flight high end polish. Both with NBTHK papers. Both with top flight shirasaya and both with gold habaki. And I expect to lose 20% at a minimum and probably 30% or more if/when I should ever have to part with them. Sucks, but if you are going to be in this hobby, it's reality.

Well done Jae, congrats!

Love that set Ed!

In one of the pictures on Fred's site I think you can see what paulb is saying he saw; I tried to show the areas that the pictures caught the liveliness of the blades hada. Would be exciting to see in hand:

Yes Bruno. Same. No worries John.

John, no I dont have a good idea on why the flattened areas. The ground is textured and uneven on the works, so maybe to get a surface for the seppa to sit on?

Really happy this Monday as a set of tsuba I have wanted forever became available and arrived today. Set of Sankei tsuba with motif of the big dipper. On left: NBTHK Hozon (translation attached here) 8.1cm X 8.9cm X 0.5cm On right, yet to be submitted, but after study and in hand I think Sankei as well: 8.0cm X 8.6cm X 0.5cm Would like to submit as a daisho set to shinsa soon. Reminds me of a great book that really moved me when I read it.

Wow Ray! Thanks! Big Kunimitsu party! I would most like to see the Taima tanto and the 2 Kanenaga swords.

Someone needs to grab this, wonderful sword, great polish. Any study into Taima will tell you one can learn a LOT about swords from all the activities in this school's works.

No signature Curran, so no help there. I can't place the work either really, it's ok quality but certainly not high end. Main things for me are: - it's a rabbit motif - large katana size so easily mountable - look better in hand than in pictures

Yes Ken. Just arrived this week.

Rabbit and Moon themed F/K:

Tom D. Post a pic or what are you doing? The folks are well respected that you named, but they are not a shinsa team. Thread got more interesting.

If it is masame hada would love to see pics when you get it!

I used Sesko's PDF meikan for the comps, I could break out the books and see more, but before I invest that kind of time I would ask Ed which paper each has. I have serious issues with a quite a few of them and would not like an outlier for my own personal collection.

Ed, are you say all but #7 have passed shinsa? All are 1st gen Masahide, or are some other gens? I only did comps for 1st gen except the obvious 3rd gen example.

I stated in my post that #5 and #8 look shoshin, so all others are gimei. Others have posted the 2 are the same sword, I failed to notice that and just compared each one by one. Again, ready to be proven wrong, Masahide has so many examples would hate to see one come in at a shinsa if I were on the team.