Franco D

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/45691-need-expertise-and-advise-please/?do=findComment&comment=473503

Hello, Much more detail would be helpful? What are your objectives for buying a Japanese sword. A place to begin might be asking for mei translations and opinions on their validity in the translation assistance forum. Regards

Mekugi pins can sometimes be found on ebay and Etsy. You might also try contacting saya makers like Brian Tschernega or John Tirado.

If this very good tsuba doesn't come clean (as I suspect it might not) using typical methods such as anhydrous isopropyl alcohol, soft wooden toothpicks (to loosen the heavier verdigris), alcohol dipped soft tipped Q-tips, or even mild gentle neutral dish soap (no lemon!) with a soft bristle toothbrush, then, you might have to end up having to send it to a professional restorer (like Brian Tschernega). Which is what I ended up doing several years ago with a shakudo nanako tsuba I bought. In hindsight. The problem is that over time a tsuba like this can become exposed to all sorts of grime, dirt, and chems. In addition to removing the build up of verdigris across the surface of the tsuba I had Brian restore, he ended up having to carefully remove 5 layers of soot that had built up (perhaps from a nearby fireplace where it was being displayed ???). The thing of it is, it is sometimes very difficult to tell just by looking at a tsuba (or other tosogu) what has happened to it. In the end Brian ended up having to strip and repatinate this tsuba once it had been completely cleaned. He even repunched a few of the nanako that had been slightly damaged. And now after more than a year (of aging), the final result couldn't be better. The tsuba looks fantastic and even better yet you cannot tell it has been restored. Regards

There are surely dozens of reasons of how and why nihonto become separated from their koshirae not the least of which would be people are people. I can speak of two sets in particular. One set of fittings was sold separately because the sword they were on had a fatal flaw. As for a second set the actual reason the koshirae and sword became separated may never be known. However, just guessing, the sword was surely a prized heirloom to be kept, and for whatever reason, perhaps out of need, the koshirae was sold. Regards

Paul, You're welcome. Kantei is the foundation for Japanese sword appreciation. https://japantrip.tr.../Japan/osafune2.html Regards

No. Appears to be a suriage wakizashi ... https://www.hanbonforge.com/BLOG/What-is-SHINOGI-ZUKURI-(鎬造り)-blade-shape Plus, aside from shape nagamaki are defined by their mounts. Which means such pieces must have a known documented history. Otherwise, in the absence of documentation such pieces fall under the category of and are designated as naginata by the NBTHK. Regards

Perhaps the best Ko Naminohira I have ever seen had an Atobori horimono. Part of the history of this blade was that when it was submitted to Juyo shinsa by a collector whose name we would all immediately recognize, it was turned down and not accepted because of the Atobori horimono. So, the dealer may indeed be correct.

It appears someone had an affinity for a copper finish and probably used a silver wear polish to remove the black patina on a number of these pieces, unfortunately. While higher quality shakudo will eventually repatinate itself with time turning black, shakudo that is less so may have mixed results. The pair of menuki could be Kyo-kinko. The two figures on the kozuka at the game table may be playing a game of go.

Green patina??? Uh, no. It's called verdigris as Matt E. is pointing out. While shibuichi can have a slight greenish hue to it depending upon its make up, this ain't it.

In 33 years of collecting have never seen or even heard of wooden menuki. But when it comes to things nihonto that doesn't necessarily mean anything as almost always there are exceptions. If I had to "guess" I would say that these are copper based. Going a step further .... I'd even say these menuki might be from the Nara school. As for a non invasive test perhaps someone else might chime in? Regards

Wooden? Are you certain? Sure don't look wooden in the image. Regards

Such a thin blade with naginata hi and mitsu-mune on a naginata naoshi might raise some interesting possibilities. Out of polish mumei o suriage generally will not get you definitive answers. Regards

Well, it is either already an older sword or it's not regardless of the shinsa result. So, the question comes down to whether or not you're willing to follow through to find out? This doesn't mean throw out the current shinsa result, but rather take the information given, learn from it, and use it to help you move forward. Selecting a polisher will be important if you choose to go that route. Regards

Hmm. From these images it is difficult to say for certain exactly what is going on here (the forging is the forging, the polish is the question). You have to actually see the color and finish of the steel to better judge without simply guessing. An acid polish while bringing out structure of the steel/forging including the hada, the steel itself will look dry and scaly. Once you've seen this dry scaly look it will become easily recognizable. There will be variation.

Mei appears similar to one in Sesko's Meikan of Sword Fittings, but looks copied imho. When in doubt, shinsa.

Bob Benson said that when he made his uchiko it was screened and sifted seven times to ensure its quality and fineness. Additionally, if you want to see whether or not there are hike from uchiko on a sword view it under a quartz halogen lamp. Which you may want to use for sword study regardless as quartz halogen lightening shows off the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Let's take a step back. First of all, the polish that I have been talking about was a hadori/kesho polish done in the mid 1990's. At that time the standard procedure for care of a newly polished sword was oiling > uchiko > reoil > repeated over and over, over the next 6 months. The polisher obviously knew having carefully and precisely dictated of how to care for the sword over the next coming months exactly what effect the use of uchiko would have on his finish. So, in a sense the final look of his polish was being executed at his direction. However, anyone thinking or believing that the polish wasn't already set needs to have their thinking and understanding examined. Polishing has evolved since that time. Yes, it's still a hadori/kesho polish/finish. However, this newer form I would describe as a finish that follows the hamon in a more precise manner, and it has the effect of unzipping itself to reveal all when viewed correctly. When it comes down to selecting a sword for polish and choosing a polisher it makes sense to go with the best possible.

Who said anything about improving the polishers polish? It would take an enormous ego to even suggest such a thought. You think that you understand, but you just demonstrated that you don't. And, Michael, your talk of budgets and different skilled polishes here means what exactly? Stick it!

Mark, none of your comment comes as any surprise. I bet that without even realizing it you've managed to insult as many as two excellent fully trained professional polishers, and perhaps more. I'm just glad that they may never read your insulting words or see your insulting rude mannerism. As you were.

Sorry, Microdear is a cleaning cloth designed for optics.

Actually, it is not. From personal experience, I had an Echizen Rai Kuniyasu that was polished in Japan. Over the first 6 months I followed the polisher's care instructions precisely. Which included using uchiko. Over those 6 months the detail and activity continued becoming more and more vivid. In fact, this sword was shown twice to our study group over that time. Upon which our late friend Arnold Frenzel commented aloud "where did all that ashi come from." Where indeed! Now, having said that, I was given very similar care instructions using uchiko for a sword I had polished after that. I've chosen not to follow the uchiko path on this other sword. Why? Polisher's uchiko will not scratch when used absolutely correctly. However, it will absolutely leave fine scratches if it is not used absolutely correctly. Since I do not trust myself to be using uchiko absolutely correctly over 100% of the sword, I choose not to use it. Additionally, I've watched two different polishers uchiko my swords and neither one left a scratch on either sword. In any case, old, new, times are a changing. Microdear cloth and anhydrous alcohol works just fine. Regards

The problem isn't looking at the Juyo Morisuke, in fact not at all. Would love to see it. The problem for some is that their eye can't stop being drawn to the chip. Regards

While location can have some variation in the ones I've seen, the characteristics including shape, angle, and depth are unmistakable as to what made that mark.

Having seen a number of Nambokucho period blades with real kirikomi, I would consider what I'm seeing here as romanticized flaws of suspicious origin. Some collectors can live with flaws. Buy what you like, but know what you're buying.