robinalexander

Yes, great covers thanks John. The seki Kai (Okada KANEYOSHI) was owned by an Ensign Maehara 14th Base Force (at least, accordingy to the surrender tag). Great pacakage on face value but unfortunately, the same has all but dissappeared in mid to lower sections of the saya and the blade has not been treated well, post war. Another loved orphan 😊 Rob

The Hiromasa is third from the left. @Stephen . A couple of sellers pics attached. I was able to pick it up due to the generosity of an astute sword mate over here. Beautifully made, solid sword with the heaviest metal saya (and cover) I have ever held.

So agree Bruce. But that is a random 'maintenance' snapshot. Initially, I just wanted one 95 ... but I read, I listened, and my first purchase turned out to be a not inexpensive Koto (mumie) in 98 mounts from the UK (good credentials, tks Bill Tagg.). Rob

Just finished some maintenence on saya covers and blades, given our recently extreme humidity here in coastal New South Wales ( thats OZ not South Wales UK 😉) Happy with my work, love this small group of my lot. Thought I would take a picture (and share view 🙂) before I turned the lights out tonight. 95's, nihonto, showato....no discrimination....love em all! As I said, no agenda ....just sharing a nice view. Rob PS....Stephen @Stephencan you pick the Hiromasa?

Now that is just 'a little bit special' Neil. For a Gunto Gendai collector it has so much going for it. Verrry nice! Do you have any mei translation that you could easily post? Also, any closer of pics of the hada and hamon would be nice. Rob

How can having your legs cut off, be passive? 😉

Ahhhh Bruce. I like the way you think.

Thanks Bruce and Kyle, Unfortunately I couldn't locate a clearer picture of document. As to why they would attach yellow tassel's....I guess it just comes down to human nature...many people just like to dress things up either for sale or just to look at. Yellow of course signifying 'courage' (Japan) would be appropriate for a sword. The red ones? .... 'good luck' for the Chinese.....who knows. Rob

Thanks David....I have a tendancy to agree although the cheap presentation in that shot probably dosnt help. Might have to run it past the tsuba guys. Its confusing why there is so much (old?) wear or shine, on the 'corners' if the tsuba and also fuchi that are directly above, and in line with, the hole (???? ana ) for the retention strap. Rob

Hi Erik, No my tsuba does not have any stamps or numbers. Like yours, mine has an oval hole which accommodates a leather retention strap. Typically due to age and use, many tend to break or rot and are missing.. Mine is gone. Interestingly, my copper fuchi (small band on end of tsuka (handle) and the rim of the tsuba are are distinctly shiny (absence of patina) in the precise position the, previously attached, leather retaining clip would have been located. But I digress. The holes in the tsuba both for the blade and the retention clip (chuso) would be made when the blade was mounted. All operationally matching. Mine never had a chuso clip attached to the tsuka nor was my saya ever designed to accommodate a locking clip. Therefore one oval hole. The small punch marks you see are to my knowledge, put there by fitters in order to minutely decrease the size of the hole (nakago-ana) so that the tsuba fits snuggly over the blade. There are lots if 'tsuba guys' on NMB far more knowledgeable than me. Try a couple of key word searches on NMB. I have no idea about authenticity or otherwise of your tsuba (or mine for that matter ) Keep asking questions Rob

Hello David, who's Tsuba are you referring to? Mine (which is shown immeadiatley above your comment), or Erik's? Not disputing, just clarifying. Rob

A clearer shot of my Tsuba shown in Bruce's first picture above....for comparison.

GIven the evolution of this topic and the interest shown... I have found Markus Sesko's book 'Tameshigiri - The History and Development of Japanese Sword Testing' a very interesting read so far. The (reasonably priced) publication has been mentioned on other threads and there are probably a thousand books on the subject out there but...just for what its worth Rob

Very interesting Bruce thanks for that detailed information. Enlightened yet again. Once again proves that everything you think you see the first time, may not be quite right

Three 'tassels' from the 'Liveauctioneers' (Price Results) website. 2 pics of each...long shot and then a close up. Clearly not your regulated IJA/IJN tassels but interesting all the same. The first two (red and brown) look very much like the current products coming out if China but its hard to discount the wear on that red one. Maybe from a Jitte or even bugle?... who knows.

No probs @Stegel. 759. Japanese Sho-Shinto-Shirasaya type sword w/original scabbard and a sarasada | eBay Rob

I came across this on Ebay-Netherlands and thought it might be worth posting. A small engraving on the nakago. The following is copied from the items description...... "The image/symbol on the tang is ENGRAVED and NOT stamped into the metal. I am told that the figure engraved into the Tang is one of the seven gods of Japan. I am told it is the "Happy Buddah" and I've also been told it is of the god "Daikoku", or "Daikokuten", one of the seven Gods of good luck/fortune-for agriculture, farmers, and wealth. I have shown this blade to several acknowledged "experts"-all of whom want the blade but none of whom would/could tell me "specifics." " Never seen anything like that myself and thought it may be better under this thread than a new one....but relocate if you wish. For interest @Bruce Pennington Rob

Folks ...... please open another thread on 'One Upmanship' and leave legitimate posts such as this alone.

Thanks Bruce that is fantastic. Great record keeping skills. Nice to have them grouped this way. Impressive! Rob

Thanks John, That is a real shame about the pictures but it is good to be able to confirm that and capture members memories before they start to disappear (memories that is ). Rob

I find this quite interesting Bruce @Bruce Pennington In the 2010/11 (Mantetsu Wak) thread, Christian Chaffee said he had one in hand (21.5 inches) but despite requests from members for pics, there are none on the NMB. He did say he posted them however, they did not appear and no one followed-up on the 'missing' pictures. I find it quite incredible that a person who was asking NMB members for a sale price on a Mantetsu Wak so he could post it on Ebay, would not post pictures on the NMB as part of that query. In 2017 'Ed' also had one in hand (21 inch nagasa) and posted pics of a nakago (Mantetsu Wak) and later evidently posted further pics (of what I'm not sure) and some members obviously saw those pics but 'Ed' then quite strangely removed the link to those pictures and stated " BTW: I removed the link, as I only intended for the few people here following this thread to see it." Now what sort of a reason is that for removing a link to pics of a very rare Mantetsu Wak - why would anyone do that??? Are there one, two or three Mantetsu Wak's out there....who knows. If they are out there then methinks they are all a little camera shy! Why are there no pictures (apart from a nakago) of something as important and rare as this? Bruce I thought he said 21 inches but either way this reminds of another article I read in regard the the Lochness monster...... a couple of eye witnesses from Scotland after seeing the Lochness monster also stated that the creature had a large body about 4 foot high and 25 feet long with a long narrow neck slightly thicker than an elephants trunk and as long as the width of the road (10-12 foot) ......but guess what, no pics of that either. I am not saying Mantetsu Wakazashi's don't exist but I have never seen one and can't locate any picture of one if anyone does have clear, full and complete pictures of a Mantetsu Wakizishi then I am sure NMB members would be quite interested and this would be a great place to post them for, as you quite rightly say, posterity. Rob

Dave, Have attached a pic each of the four 'sides' of nakago and I dont think there has been any brazen braising going on here. Good thought though. I would rather know about something like that than thinking I had something that really, wasn't!

Dave @Dave R will post some pics tonight on that 'metal addition' to nakago and possibility of tang 'replacement'. It doesn't look like it unless the smith had the skill of neurosurgeon. I was wrong about one thing though. The 'metal addition' is not really aligned to be under either seppa but rather, is positioned to align with a tsuba's nakago-ana. Will show that as well. Will get back to you. Rob

And another 2010 thread re Mantetsu Wakizashi that very mysteriously seemed to be lacking pictures.