peter k

spider rust is highly probable; uchiko powder being the culprit

it looks like a Japan made shinsakuto to me. it's probably one of komonjo's blades from ebay.

yes, ed speaks the truth in regards to yahoo auction of Japan. i'd won half a dozen yahoo auctions in the past two years that were cancelled after auction ended. yahoo Japan allows the practice. it's frustrating when you think you've won a nice item for a great price, only to be messaged that it is no longer for sale...

what copious and uniform amount of utsuri on that sword...

i sent him a message saying i'm prince bakayaro of the royal imperial court of Japan and that i would like to invite him and his tanto to my castle in kyoto. he hasn't replied.

i believe he also sells on ebay as high5japan; i asked him a question about a naval katana that was on his auction list around 4 years ago; the blade didn't have a single rust spot for being a naval officers blade, so i asked if this sword was stainless steel, as mass produced naval swords were in that time period. he never replied... i guess he's impatient with buyers asking tricky questions.

i've seen chinese made katanas being sold as nihonto even as recently as a month ago... but this is one of the most egregious fraud on ebay that i've come across; yesterday the starting price was $8800; since then it's been lowered to $2800... i guess he/she realized there aren't that many fools with deep pockets.

i came across this today on ebay; a mugito being sold as a bizen tachi; i have to assume the seller knows this is a $300 wall hanger since the nakago is not shown in any of the pics. https://www.ebay.com/itm/BIZEN-KOTO-EDO-HEIAN-TACHI-KANTANA-Japanese-Samurai-Sword/183935831753?hash=item2ad36e0ec9:g:3lYAAOSwCTddaevh

i'm partial to monkeys:

thank you !

some one asked me just how many forges remain active in current Japan and i couldn't answer him. would anyone with some insight enlighten me? thanks in advance

partial to this:

thank you. i will start from the preface page and expect very insightful reading ahead of me.

for that amount of money you can find much better swords at aoi art or nihonto.com i believe they offer returns within certain periods.

you should've checked his feedback ratings...