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sabiji

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Everything posted by sabiji

  1. I am not a metallurgist, or a swordsmith, but I do not believe that Sai-Ha leads to such pronounced re-curvature. If I were to harden this blade again, would I have a half-circle? As long as an edge is hard, the martensitic structure will occupy the appropriate space. It is a tensional structure. This structure dissolves when the blade is exposed to high heat again. Accordingly, the bend should relax again - at least to a certain degree. In addition, I think that a swordsmith would correct the shape before rehardening, if necessary, to obtain an appropriate sori of the finished blade.
  2. No, it is "only" a tsuba. The tracking does not move. As the recipient, I cannot make an inquiry request. The sender is absolutely trustworthy and does what is in his power. In addition, the US Postal Service, as well as DHL, says that due to the tense situation and longer shipping times, you should refrain from requesting an investigation.
  3. I wanted to ask about your experiences regarding the duration of shipments abroad lately. I have been waiting for a shipment from the USA to me in Germany for 8 weeks. Shipments from Japan have also reached me within a week in December 2020. I did some research and read that the US postal service was extremely overloaded in December. Is that still the case? I know due to the pandemic you have to expect longer shipping times. But 8 weeks (air freight) is extreme. I actually don't think the shipment will reach me anymore. However, a small package from Italy reached my daughter this week, which was mailed on December 30. There is not even a customs clearance between Germany and Italy.
  4. I think the shape fits perfectly for a Katateuchi of the Muromachi. But what is it exactly? I see too little for that. Seems to have masame in the Shinogiji. Could be Sue Bizen, Could also be Odawara-Soshu, possibly also direction Wakasa- Soshu -> Fuyuhiro.
  5. Pffffhhh, I don't know. From the feeling I would tend to the late Shinshinto, so in the Bakumatsu. Well, and from what I can see it looks Soshu-esque. Since the Soshu style came late in the Bizen influenced Shinshinto period through the Naotane and Kiyomaro schools, I would guess the sword to be in that environment.
  6. Why? It looks like a duck, it walks like a duck, it quacks like a duck, why then necessarily confirm that it is a duck. Better invest the money in the next piece.
  7. I think Sandai or Yondai
  8. You have my fullest agreement, Christian. Many here have obviously also already been born as experts. No one started small and had to trust what the seller told him. Even if hardly anyone here can imagine it, there are definitely people who do not know Japanese and English, who do not trust themselves to make a purchase on the other side of the world, who do not know how to get the purchase through customs. When I started in 1990 there was no internet, literature mainly in Japanese. If you could not see swords in person, you had to rely on photos and descriptions. My first purchase in Japan had to be made via postal money order. The postal worker had no idea how to do it. It took a week for the payment to arrive in Japan. Today, many things are so much better. There is plenty of literature, the Internet, forums, and any housewife with a credit card can buy anything in the world with one click. And although so much knowledge is so readily available, many are too lazy to study it. Whether here in the forum or on Facebook, there are constantly new topics like "please information ..." and bad photos to go with it. It is also so much easier this way than to do research yourself. I am convinced that the buyer was not an expert. Perhaps a martial artist who wanted to fulfill the dream of a historical original and has long saved up for it. Clearly, from your point of view, the dealer did everything right if he made such a profit. But personally, I would never buy anything from this dealer again.
  9. No, every sword is at best what you get in the market if you have to sell it again! @Kirill: a sword that originally cost 70K, and later increased in sales value, must have had a certain quality and level. People who spend that money on a blade like this should know what they are doing. Collectors who are currently bidding up for the Muramasa from 1.45 million yen to 2.0 million yen at Aoi must also know what they are doing. Even if I cannot understand that, because a name and not quality is offered here. But if someone pays 15K for an unsigned, suriage Shinto Takada, I'm convinced they don't know what they did. And that's what this scene suffers from. How many times have I seen someone proudly present a sword for which they paid insane money. And then you don't know how to gently teach him that he was basically betrayed. That the sword is nowhere near the market value. And then there is bad blood, hardened fronts and certain people to be avoided ...
  10. If he even actually sold it for the prices. What I find hard to believe. But whether or not, I would be more than embarrassed. He didn't even bother to remove the spelling mistakes from Tsuruta's text. And that he has the copy right of Tsuruta, I don't believe that either.
  11. Tanto in Sanmai-Konstruction. Looks quite natural. Image is from USAGIYA.
  12. I have just discovered the topic. May I throw in another aspect? The construction of blades. Because this can also create effects, which inside the hamon look like monster-kinsuji (Here I bet strongly that this is the case with the pictures from answer 13, Picture of Aoi). The very first image reminds me of the effect in Awataguchi Tadatsuna. Here very long kinsuji cut off the ashi "halfway". A kantei point, which most likely goes back to the construction of the blade. Another example, which is located "further up". I own a Kinju. With it, you often find the effect that so-called "monster kinsuji" cut off the tops of the gunome, so that they look like "put on". An effect in the interaction of cutting steel, side steel and hamon. As I said, it is a possibility. But if you see particularly long, conspicuous "kinsuji", which also strongly influence the hamon, you should not exclude construction-related "hataraki".
  13. Efu ju Namitoshi: Namitoshi
  14. Not water wheel, but kikusui...😉
  15. Sugita Yoshiaki should also not be forgotten when it comes to Utsuri.
  16. I don't think machiokuri. The Fumbari Mune-sided is pronounced. But the Nakago actually appears proportionally a tiny bit compact and the Nakagojiri unusually sharp for this smith. But I can be wrong.
  17. The small sign on the Kabutogane of the big sword could be read as "Ishima" (Katakana).
  18. The blade has the greatest strength in shinogi. The principle continues at the kissaki in the ko-shinogi. Therefore the mune at this point expands to the strength of the Ko-Shinogi. Therefore, the indications of the Kasane can be misleading in some schools and styles. My Nidai Shigekuni in Yamato-Den style has 5 mm Moto-Kasane on the Mune and 7 mm on the Shinogi and shows exactly this effect on the Kissaki.
  19. It is what I mean (maybe a bit exaggerated on the picture): high Shinogi
  20. Why only at Gendai? In all designs where the shinogi is higher than the mune, this effect is seen where the ko-shinogi meets the mune.
  21. Is it just me? When looking at the entire Sugata, I always have a slight feeling of disturbance. At the top an almost straight monouchi and typical for Aoe a very low set koshizori. But the form does not continue in the Nakago. The Nakago area looks to me as if it was straightened at some point.
  22. sabiji

    Saya size

    Possibly the other way around. Tanto lost importance with the decree of the Bushi to wear a pair of swords (katana and wakizashi) in the Edo period. Only in Bakumatsu did this rule soften and Tanto became popular again. Nevertheless, the tanto was reserved for the nobility and the samurai. Certain commoners were allowed to wear a wakizashi, but not a tanto. But it's only one possible explanation ...
  23. Brian and Jean-Pierre are right about the Sugata. I also find the shape remarkable. A very classic shape. Note that the blade in the Monouchi area is almost straight and the Sori's center of gravity is concentrated in the lowest area of the blade. @Babu, a really good shape is usually also an indicator of a (very) good basic quality of the blade, so in this case I would be less worried about hidden defects. The question is rather, how will the loss of material from a restoration affect the already old blade? As some have already written, a Madoake and a knowledgeable eye would be highly recommended. Any loss of material through improper "conservation attempts" would be fatal in any case.
  24. Honesty and collecting, is that even possible? The first step towards honesty would be to say: no! As a collector, I have to know that emotions and passion are valuable, but unfortunately also dangerous companions. They can blind you and trick you into lying to yourself. Then there is money, a lot of money. An explosive mix! Then there is greed, status, recognition. Some things affect you more, some things affect you less. But it affects you. Knowledge is important, but relative. Even after 30 years I sometimes have a blade in front of me and a big question mark over me. But even 30 years are relative. About 20 years ago I called a collector near me whom I didn't know personally before. I was interested in meeting. The first thing he told me on the phone was that he has been collecting for 25 years. On site I quickly realized that he had actually been collecting for a long time. He also had a high opinion of his swords. In fact, he knew next to nothing, unfortunately, only what others had said about some of his swords. For example, as soon as I took a closer look at a particular blade, I noticed his suspicion. Well that was 20 years ago and this collector has been collecting for 45 years. As I hear from him now and then, I know that he hasn't really developed since then. But do I really have the right to judge it? Everyone pursues this hobby for a variety of reasons. And may everyone be happy with it in his own way. My goal was less to collect, but to study the Nihonto. I hated getting three different opinions from three different "professionals". So I had to study and, above all, train my eye. Yes, books are good, but they are of limited help in the beginning. That's why I don't like the often read phrase "buy yourself books first". It is more important to see blades. Lots of blades, and especially good blades. I did that at meetings of the NBTHK EB. I'd seen a lot of blades before, but they weren't the same. It was like a revelation! I started all over again and really began to learn. But in addition to "seeing" it is damn important to "let your pants down" and fill out and hand in your Kantei slip of paper. I learned a lot here, especially when I was wrong. But Mr. Hagenbusch always tried to deduce why you wrote down xy although it was yz. But unfortunately this Kantei game was not always popular with other members. Yes, I have collected. I was a hunter. I had good pieces and wanted better ones. I was never really satisfied. That´s the dark side... But more than 10 years ago I made a cut and sold almost everything. That gives me a freedom that I don't want to miss anymore! I enjoy seeing good blades and continuing to learn. I don't have to "own" it anymore. It gives me a certain unpredictability in judging blades. But in the end I want to be honest here too. You can't get rid of the virus. And when I see good blades, the little devils on my shoulder give everything. So much for passion and emotions. That was a couple of thoughts from me. Please excuse my bad english!
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