Toryu2020

All - I always understood it to be for application on wood. Things like tansu and such. Anybody know of or used it in this manner? -t

Not a bad get at 56 bucks - Though I am of the opinion people had better handwriting 120 years ago... -t

Did anybody mention these are killer!? -t

Could it be that this blade is a single piece of steel formed into a blade - thus thinner and lighter by just a touch - forge folded certainly but not with a separate softer metal core? If this is a blade by a shinsaku-to maker but made for Iai and Tameshigiri, I am not certain but I believe this is what they are referring to... -t

What do I look like a Tauron?

Amen - Gabriel! I have been into this subject 25 years - I own may be 4 swords - I was so mad for swords I moved to Japan for five years, where I went to every kantei-kai and museum exhibit I could get to. Now I have a collection in my head that none can equal, none can steal and I get to take it with me when I go... -t

Ugly, yes not to mention NOT REAL Nihonto - would you be satisfied with an inflatable doll? Don't buy it...

Simon - We are only looking at the signature - the work is yet to be seen. However the student of a master shows the masters influence and this signature shows a practiced hand. Compare to Sukenao's signatures - Hawley ratings should be taken with a big grain, individual works should be taken on their individual merit... -t

Kane兼　tsugu継 As to the fuchi - a cheap replacement part? or mayhaps a late war piece of nickel or somesuch that was colored and the the color has worn off? What makes you think it is silver? If you remove it from the tsuka does it look to be silver on the inside? thinking outloud... -t

Thought: Fraking beautiful! -t

Miyoshi Izu (no) Kami Minamoto Naokuni 三好伊豆守源直国 Student of Sukenao - Sig looks OK but the color of the nakago looks funky - heavily oiled or...? -t

All - Got a chance to review the article in the Token Bijutsu and the kantei sword that had us posing the question in the first place. Han Bing Siong's explanations were a little difficult to comprehend at first but as we had a terrific Fukuoka Ichimonji Yoshimoto blade to compare them with, I feel I have acquired a much better understanding. The dark patches like thumb prints within the utsuri running the length of the blade were evident and from the descriptions this was the antai we were looking for. What a happy coincidence it was when we found one of the swords that Mr Han Bing Siong used to illustrate his article was a work by none other than Fukuoka Yoshimoto! So we had the blade in hand, an oshigata of Mr Siong's juyo Yoshimoto and several examples from the Juyo Bijutsuhin catalog. A terrific lesson for me and I thank you Paul for pointing it out to us... -t

David - According to Akiyama Kyusaku Sensei older tsuba which had hitsu-ana added later should properly have those openings filled. In this way when viewing them you could more easily imagine them as "ubu". Of course as John as pointed out Edo period artists found that you could fill these openings with all kinds of soft metals, add fancy punch marks and patterns and these in turn would become part of the overall presentation. I believe that in the late Edo period it became quite a fad to add ume-gane. Now I only know this from articles in our own newsletter so there must certainly be more informed opinions than mine... -t

Franco - Thanks I won't have a chance to pull it from my library till this weekend - and I agree, an excellent excuse to lose an afternoon rediscovering the TB. Seems to be pretty specific to school time and place so my definition may just be poor memory... not the first time, -t PS John pics are good!

At Sundays NCJSC meeting Paul Martin brought up an interesting question, Well interesting for me and I hope Paul doesn't mind me invoking his name. We were considering a sword which we as a group thought was Late Heian or Early Kamakura, Ko-Bizen or Yamashiro. The question concerned the quality of the utsuri and the presence of antai. My understanding of antai is that it is what we call the ji or dark area BETWEEN the hamon and the utsuri. While Paul was saying that antai was dark spots within or under the utsuri, seen as dark thumbprints randomly placed all along the blade. I had not heard this definition before and we didn't have time to really deal with the question at that time. So I ask, what is antai? where do you expect to see it on a blade? Have you seen it? and on what type of blades? Any help appreciated, -t

Fukunaga Suiken Sensei has a whole chapter on Women Swordsmiths in one of his books BTW... -t

Thats what I get for looking at the pictures sideways... -t

I am thinking Noshu ju Kamei Sukehira saku but have been wrong before... -t

A fantastic find and a marvelous restoration - few would recognize an item like this and fewer still would have the skills to do the proper restoration. Hats off to you, -t

My guess would be Omura Masamichi... -t

Eric - I agree with John on the reading - however there are at least 20 artists that signed Daido and according to the Nihontoko Zenshu the Mino ni-dai and san-dai both used Izumi no kami. I have no references for Mino smiths so cannot help with examples for comparison. Whatever it is its a neat find... -t

John - Isnt that Koei Gan-nen? 元年 -t

Looks like a Model 1898 Cavalry sabre, pretty sure that is what you are looking at is the blade length like 31"? If so these are not that uncommon... -t

Klaus et al - Iai-to could mean my sword I use for practice, a sword made specifically for practice or a koshirae that is built for practice versus a historical restoration. Therefore; 1. There are individuals who use a traditionally made blade with antique fittings, handle and scabbard for the practice of iai. This would be their Iai-to. (not recommended BTW) 2. There are many shops selling nickel blades of varying qualities with stamped out fittings modern made specifically for the practice of Iaido. Some are very very nice and if you spend some time looking these can be very satisfying to own and practice with. (recommended) 3. When you go to a proper saya-shi and request a koshirae - there will be questions as to the quality you wish to acheive - fittings are one question, but the wrap, quality of same and lacquer are another. If you want a complete period restoration do not expect your sword back for 3-5 years while the artists confer and slowly put together all the right elements - If it is just an Iai-to you want, you'll get good same, a strong wrap and decent lacquer in much shorter order, but not the same time and attention to detail - it is not a What so much as a How you want things done, if that makes any sense... -t

Niten Ichi Ryu or Musashi Koshirae - No secret - the original Musashi koshirae had an enlarged iron Higo kashira, the hole for the tsukaito being much larger than it needed to be. It was not extended however. Attributed to Miyamoto Musashi and copied by students of his Niten Ichi Ryu, it slowly but surely became more extended and more pointed. This example is a much later example of this idea. I have seen this piece in hand, a nice blade and koshirae for the price if one is looking for an Iai-to Strikes with the kashira, tsuka, tsuba and kojiri are common to many schools and not really hidden if you are looking... -t