Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Ditto And about the style and quality of carving (the second half of the matter quiet forgot in the last posts) none of the examples offered by our generous Jacques is even close to the one of the original question less , maybe, the one that was (intentionally?) post without head which orientation and style were things that contributed to make Ray's feeling.Out of curiosity would be interesting to have the whole picture and supposed period of making (nobody can be sure about this). More you can't compare Fudo Miyoo (image n.3) with a dragon in this topic for the same stylistic reasons Ray quoted.

Yesss. Now a reply is due...

This is really a good one. Thanks.

I had a Naginata signed "FujiwaraSadanori" rated Josaku early Edo. Sorry I have no Hawley or other references at hand to give you his hawleys number and hope my memory is still working.

+2

Wataru Hara is a very serious scholar and a friend with deep knowledge about early swords. I have a big debt toward him cause he made my essay translated and published by Chubachi Museum.

Merry Christmas AFU...

Painful...

Big Loss... I'll watch at the Koza with different eyes from now on. R.I.P.

Am I wrong or they are also (rarely) present in the Mune above the kissaki ? ,

Believe it or not this sword was the one that made me fall lin love with Nihonto. I even remember the day when I first saw the movie. I was a self propelled artillery corporal servicing my country. Love at first sight, more than Yesterday, less than Tomorrow. From Captain Yonoi to World Soundtrack Lifetime Achievement Award winner 2016

A MUST SEE !!! Movie's soundtrack is a masterpiece. BTW Takeshi (beat) Kitano's first important performance. One of many Others.

Congrats Dave. Whish you all the best for the future challenges.

Nice blades. I've a soft spot for Jumonji Yari.

Recommended reading ; Suenaga Masao "Nihon Jodai no Buki", Masakuni Ishii "Warabite-To", Honma Junji "Shoso-In no Token". You might also like my essay (http://www.webalice.it/tsubame1/ZZZZZZ_ESSAY.htm).

Seems you have one shot only. Be sure that what you aim at is what makes you happy and worth the effort. Otherwise You might end up with a rhino and soon after realize you preferred a lion...

Correct. This image should work for Tachi, and Tachi alone according Masakuni

I'm very tired and shouldn't post in this conditions however IMHO is a fake.

Brian, this thread should be a sticky...

Hi RG. You should sign your posts with at least your first name as per board's rules . When asking info on a blade you have to post pics of the whole naked blade cause nakago (hilt) is as important as the blade for judgement and understanding. with these pics IMHO your Tanto seems an assembled blade or a chinese fake. At best a "Kamikaze dirk",,, More knowledgeable people will chime in. Welcome to the board, Here you'll learn a lot for your future aquisitions,

Sorry to delude you that's not a picture from my essay. I'm no expert nor polisher but used the knowledge of top experts and polishers to sustain my theory, all documented in high level publications I've cited in my bibliography. Anyway You have no arguments against a gamma ray picture. Shingane definitively existed much before you ridicolously insist it was, citing just one source in front of can't remember how many, including the ones that studied and cared the Shoso-in blades. BTW you'll be able to say that anything I write has no value only when you too (like me) will have an essay translated and published in Japanese by a Japanese museum (search in the Publications of Chubachi museum). Or Shut up.

Already in Jokoto ; quote... Most specimen consist of three to five layers, and combinations of two or six layers of steel are rather rare. From this point of view we can say that in most cases ancient sword blades consist of three layers of steel forged in a vertical manner, so to speak a shingane with each one layer of Kawagane to the sides. And the incorporation of horizontally arranged layers too flowed eventually into the well-known forging methods of the Japanese sword. Therefore it is important for the understanding of the history of development of the Japanese sword to look back on the forging methods of ancient blades”.38 ...unquote 38 Suenaga Masao "Nihon Jodai no Buki" page 142 And the everlasting work of Boris Markashin :

Believe it or not, you stated this also a long time ago. This hurted me so much that I decided to put together my essay to prove both you and Nagayama are wrong, and using academical arguments and Japanese sources some at least of the same level of Nagayama some may be higher. You can find their names and the works I took information from in the bibliographic section of my essay. You can find it here : http://www.webalice.it/tsubame1/Downloads/2)%20Notes%20to%20On%20the%20Origins%20of%20NihonTo.pdf

The study of the swords in the Shoso-in made by Markus are enlighting. Of course I can't boldly state that all schools and traditions used shingane always and every time. I offer only an opinion based on what I had and have researched not forgetting that in Nihonto exception is the rule...