DTM72

I got you @Matsunoki. I will be arriving tomorrow at 1:30. I'll snap pics from Thursday to Sunday and post here.

I may be wrong but it believe it has to do with the insulating properties of the clay, and how it was applied. Just my opinion, if the clay thickness had a transition in thickness from the ji area towards the ha, (think of an angle from thick to thin) then the result would be a wider nioiguchi. Conversely, if there was more of an abrupt change in the thickness, (think of a step) the result would be more of a narrow or sharply defined nioiguchi. The whole point of the clay is to insulate the upper portion of the blade to pervent it from hardening during yaki ire. The clay in the ha area is very thin and can even be a different compound than the clay in the upper area. To me it is easy to imagine the differences of hardening between the two thicknesses of clay...but what about that are where the two meet? That is where the magic comes in and different schools teach what to make the clay from, how to apply it and in what style, not to mention the temperature of the quenching water, how long to hold it in there on the initial quench, then the reheating and tempering of the blade after initial yaki ire. Your question may be best answered by an actual blacksmith who has performed this process and obtained the differing results you see above. Again, I may be totally wrong, but at least I am willing to offer a theory, and get the ball rolling. Someone correct me or prove me wrong! I'm always willing to learn. Dan

Marry a woman like that if she is rich...then you become a rich widower.

True story --> Never had an issue with just the swords, but when flying out to Las vegas earlier this year, I had 4 matchlocks in the case with the swords. The lady at the counter of Breeze Airways said she needed to confirm the matchlocks were unloaded. I explained what matchlocks are, how they they differ from "normal" firearms, how they operate, and that it is somewhat difficult to actually prove they are unloaded. SWEAR TO GOD she looked down the barrel of 2 of the 4 matchlocks. Looked at me and said "OK" then put the tag inside the case confirming all firarms are confirmed unloaded, as well as another on the outside of the case. I still wonder to this day what she expected to see, or not see, down the length of a 36" barrel. I also wonder how she was "trained" to confirm firearm loaded or not loaded status. <-- Things that make you go hmmm.

I posted quite a few photos of the Vegas show to the thread Grey posted above. I will try to do the same at the Chicago show as well. @Tom Darling stop by and see me at the Chicago show. I'm always up for chatting. I'll have a small sign out with my NMB screenname. "DTM72"

I will message you if I see any 94's.

I just drove to Indy from South Carolina on Thrusday night. 720 miles in 10 hours, with fuel and pee breaks included. Drove back to SC on Sunday. That drive whoops my tail. Flying to Chicago to save my butt. lol Look forward to meeting you and the other ITK guys!

This show will be in just a few weeks.Anyone looking for anything in particular? If you cannot attend, i would be willing to photo/video items you are looking for, and post to this thread with the sellers information. So, who is looking for what?

Got my tickets yesterday as well. I submit mine on Thursday @ 2:20 pm. I'll be one of the early birds.

For fittings, I recommend Raymond Yan. He had a table next to mine at the show in Vegas earlier this year. He sells on Facebook as well, in various Nihonto groups. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trkparms=folent%3Araymo-ya|folenttp%3A1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l71971&_ssn=raymo-ya As for who can make a complete koshirae, I have no suggestions. Nice yari though!

I messaged you.

I agree with Ray. The sword may have lived mounted as a katana (edge up) its entire life until mounted for WWII as a "Tachi style" mounting. (edge down)

It could be one of two guys, https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/TSU245 https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/TSU269 Both guys lived/worked in the early Edo period 1673-1704

Something that may also help with loading pics, load one pic at a time. If you choose more than one, it sometimes causes trouble.

Sorry, my simple brain is not getting it. Do you have pictures or a sketch of your example? Tsuba only go on one way and cannot be mounted upside down. The nakago-ana (the tang hole in the tsuba) is normally a somewhat triangle shape and can not go on edge up or edge down. It CAN be put on with the kozuka hitsu-ana and kogai hitsu-ana reversed, but not upside down. Additionally, why do you think the tsuba is upside down or mounted "edge up"? Tsuba are generally symmetrical and don't have an edge to be mounted up or down. (See earlier comment about nakago-ana) Due to the sori of the blade, it would be impossible to noto (return the blade to the saya) a katana unless you roll the saya 180 degrees, on a tachi mount. Once it is back in the saya, it could then hang as a tachi. Sorry in advance, I have an old, slow brain and I need pictures.

I would like that, yes. You can accept 5 other swords and cash, right? lol

@mdiddy will you have this in Chicago in a few weeks?

When I first stumbled upon this, I thought it was a pieced-together monstrocity of a naval saya with a Type 3 tsuka and Type 98 tsuba. Once I looked closer I realized this was actually assembled this way. I would guess this officer came from a well to do family and spared no expense for his koshirae. Now I really wonder what blade was in there. Maybe as @dwmc says it was a Gassan blade, or maybe it was a very old and valueable family blade. Has anyone noticed the markings on the tsuba? I can't really tell but one looks like the na symbol for Nagoya. Anyone have any guesses on the tsuba markings?

Can't say I have ever seen a type 98 koshirae of this caliber before. Sharkskin saya, laquered ito on the tsuka, different menuki on each side, 4 seppa on each side of the tsuba...Quite unusual all around. Found this on eBay from a Japan seller. Can post link if someone wants it.

Looking for a Naval kyugunto "rising sun pattern" tassel / portapee. Please let me know if you have one available.

Glad I was not drinking something when I read that! lol

Matt Brice has one for sale on his website. https://stcroixblades.com/shop/products/Japanese-police-shin-gunto-sword-from-the-plimpton-collection-premium-condi/

Sorry for the misleading title. Saw this video and had to share. I think this is Samurai Monkey from eBay polishing/sharpening a blade for sale.

Got my papers earlier this week. Much Appreciated!