Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Hi John. Link works fine with Firefox. Maybe this way more people will enter the topic.

I was joking Jason. 8,9,3 is a losing combination in Japanese gamble. There is little interesting meaning in that inscription.

Jason, I would consider the option it says 8,9,3...

Jo, any chance it's related to the head-hunter tribe recruited as special force ? They should have had their own special short blade...

8 to 12 years... Being both an adoptive and biological father my pain is doubled.

Too fancy, but this scan of an old pic might be pertinent. Late Edo.

Let's pray they'll be successfull. Situation seems to be much worse than expected.

Seems to have never been mounted... And if it was a balancing toy with the shape of a tsuba ? :lol:

Good Lord, just realized how sad Hanami will be this year... Jo Anseew is safe as well.

Nigel's report on FB is indeed terrific. Sea is his life so he know it very well. He's safe.

Lorenzo said to me that Piers is in Europe now. His family is safe. BTW seems Markus too is safe, possibly in Europe or USA, as he've just posted on FB.

Not to hijack this very interested thread but I'm puzzled by the meaning of putting together 3 zodiac signs as appears to be the snake horse and hare (is it an hare/rabbit ?). Thanks in advance to anybody can tell me what this is referring to.

In this specific case is a Tanto, but happens to swords as well.

not the same but useful I hope, (I don't think Chris have an overpolished blade as this one).

+ 1. Sad news indeed.

Sakite is a two-ways job. Fadigue exchanged with knowledge. I think that using Sakite a master can concentrate better on the billet and temperature.

Rich, a well mounted sword has no rattles at all. Everything must fit as tightly as possible. Habaki that rattles are a no-no and this often depends on the level of the blade. Some have been polished a bit and the habaki never replaced to fit the new thickness of the blade, usually to spare money. Or the Habaki can simply have been replaced with another from a different blade. Assembled mounts with not exactly matching pieces are quiet common out there (not saying yours is the case).

Milt, when you'll be in dirkadirkastan take a look for Khyber swords. Some are even better than Bungo ones... :lol: Welcome back.

Hi Bruno. Yes, it's possible and indeed done, patina rebuilt as well. There is a fellow forumite that owns (at least I wish he still owns) a blade with a so well restored Nakago to have been assumed Ubu by an high level Japanese expert.

More on the Kabuto, not visible.

Here's an high-level armor, genuinely tested, mid-XVIII c.

Sorry, Pavel, but as you too have got an e-mail from him I'm sure you'll understand my caution. Welcome.

Hello Pavel. I'm replying cause I'm assuming (and I deeply hope to be right) you've never used the family name of Novak. Pavel Novak has bothered many of us with fraudolent attempts to sell swords, hence probably the lack of replies so far. First of all, from what I can see and IMHO the saya and the tsuka aren't from the same blade. Saya should have a button for the leather retention system. Seems it has never been there. The nakago is very crudely made much like shortened and hammered in an hurry. No Tsuba. No military standard curvature (and possibly lenght) apparently. The line might be sign of (re)temper. Still dubious cause you can' say when it has been made. It can be either of the possibilities you list, assembled with what was available and martirized in late June 1945 (imaginary date) or plainly faked. My suggestion is not to waste time and money and eventually keep it as is.

Maybe it's the pic but I really can't see the hook making it resembling an hachiwari. I was under the impression you were referring to the item that started this thread.

Noooooo. It's perfectly fine to me and I *really* hoped they were your contribution claiming to be proud of them.