Franco

As previously mentioned, the final result will often reveal the quality of the shakudo. It may also show the ability and skill of the restorer who may have to spend considerable amounts of time trying to come up with just the right formula to achieve the desired result. And even then, nothing is assured as the alloys used in production were simply subpar.

In some cases a Fuyuhiro attribution was or is a safe call when shinsa cannot make a more definitive determination on just who or what tradition or school or smith made this sword. Often because the polish on the sword does not or did not provide or bring out the specific detail necessary. That may or may not be the case here. At the very least, it suggests (to me) that this sword needs more careful study by trained eyes before accepting this Fuyuhiro call.

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/tools.html I made my own stuck tsuka removal kit. Secure protected sword/koshirae/tsuba. Tap firmly but gently evenly from one side to the other. If tsuka does not begin to budge/move, stop. Don't force. Figure out why?

Double clicking on the third image (front half, omote side of tanto), the surface steel both above the hamon and below near ha doesn't look tight to me, a little loose. Needs a good look from a polisher. An excellent polisher might look at it and say no problem.

Perhaps. Something an excellent polisher could answer.

Tired in the sense that I would be concerned about the unexpected with a new polish. Especially depending upon how much foundation work is required. I'm not convinced by the uchizori of age at this point. Keep in mind that uchizori can be a function of polish. And this tanto looks to my eyes in desperate need of a polisher with excellent foundation skills. p.s. Upon further look, this steel does not look healthy to me. Hope I'm wrong.

Tired looking blade badly polished, imho. Which makes it somewhat difficult to accurately date.

Ughh!

One does run across legitimate retired samurai tanto and self protection pieces for women, and both the mounts and blade will be of immediate recognizable quality. This is all tourist and export stuff for people who don't know any better. It is what is and should be treated and valued as such, but not made out to be as something more.

One more reason to have Yamanaka's Newsletters revised as it lists the traditions each smith worked in. Many swordsmiths worked and made swords in more than one tradition. A swordsmith working in one tradition, say Mino, might also have made swords in the style of the Soshu tradition using mitsumune. That's only one example.

Thoughts; On the short side. Also, I would factor in the cost, time, possible risks of a new high quality polish. Now you're in the $12,000 plus range for a short katana. Could be a very good sword. Needs to be studied in hand. Return policy? Shipping back and forth risks? If only nihonto collecting were easy? Desire is the cause of suffering.

Caro Marzio, These types of flaws within the hamon are permanent.

Type of polish, quality of, foundation all matter. Choose your polish and polisher wisely. Ha!

A sword is not only competing against other entries, it is (as previously noted) competing against "like swords", against quality of polish. Entrants should also pay attention to whether or not it's a Toku-Ju year with much stiffer competition. Finally, keep in mind that participation is voluntary. Desire is the cause of suffering.

Confirming, kitae-ware within the hamon cannot be closed or tightened up. Something you'll have to learn to live with. Above the hamon some ware can be closed or tightened up, but they could also open up and become worse. Generally, there are two kinds of nihonto collectors. Those that can live with flaws, and those that cannot. If and when it comes time to sell, swords with flaws may take a long time to sell.

If he's a well rated smith there should be info written up in Fujishiro.

Hello, No evidence of hand forged steel. No evidence of water quenched.

Hmm. It seems that were back to square one. Apparently, I can't even believe my own eyes any more. I'm going to have to break the bad news to the sword owner that he no longer owns a naginata-naoshi. He'll have to tear up the NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, and have Mr. Tanobe's sayagaki removed. He'll then have to tell the polisher that he didn't do what he did. All because Jacques says so. It's just amazing the lengths someone will go to, so as to never admit and accept when they're wrong and mistaken. “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” MLK Jr.

Jacques, your problem is that your infinite ego just can't stand that someone knows and understands something that you don't. Especially when you can't figure it out. Secondly, Jacques, I am not so rude a person nor impolite as to be so assertive as to ask and press someone about what is obviously a special talent. I have no right to ask, and neither do you! And if he wanted anyone to know ..... . Besides, how do you think he did it! Hmm, let's see, maybe he used magic polishing dust and water! Or just maybe; ability + skill + experience + patience + drive + time = Final result. Thirdly, are you now suggesting that perhaps I'm not being truthful, or perhaps that I have a vision problem or I'm blind, or perhaps that I'm too stupid to recognize the change from the old "before" polish to the new "after" polish! Or maybe you're suggesting that as soon as I left the room the shinogi somehow meta-morphed back to its previous distorted state. Now that would be magic indeed! Yes, Jacques. See how ridiculous this thread is becoming as a result of your obstinance and refusal to admit when you're wrong. Further, have you ever stopped to consider that even if someone knew something, why on earth would they share it with someone so brash as you! Good grief!

I can say because I saw the before and after. It doesn't matter that I don't know how. What matters is that this polisher knows how! Still digging I see.

It's all about the koshirae.

That is a great question. I wish I knew the answer.

You're right, Jacques, it is very clear. Which is probably why the NBTHK, Mr. Tanobe, and Kanzan Sato all agree with each other. And don't agree with you. First, Sato writes that "nagamaki" refers to the way these swords were mounted. Followed by "Therefore, nagamaki should properly be called naginata." Which blows the copies claim theory out of the water. Why? Because despite the marked differences in shape, they are still "naginata." Further, anyone reading Sato's article should realize that Sato is talking about blades made over multiple time periods encompassing a number of different shapes. To that point, when being reconfigured to other uses, katana, wakizashi, modifications would be adapted and customized to the individual sword. It was not a one cut fits all. Which accounts for the differences we now see in the boshi between the different types of naginata-naoshi. On the subject of "impossible to know." Again, Jacques, you are mistaken. When naginata-naoshi underwent a shape change there was a narrowing. That narrowing changed the appearance of the sword. When properly restored by today's polishers, excellent polishers will recognize this distortion and reconfigure the shinogi to give the sword more of the original appearance, as the maker intended. When it comes to nihonto, it's just when you begin to think you know something that you find out how little you know.

Note to self: follow established (published) definitions. Note to Jacques: you have been citing Kanzan Sato over and over, time and time again, in order to define and support your positions and thoughts. But, having read through the very pages that you posted written by Kanzan Sato, they clearly state something different than what you are saying. And, in fact, Sato supports the NBTHK's position and practice.

De·lu·sion /dəˈlo͞oZH(ə)n/ noun 1.a false belief or judgment about external reality, held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, occurring especially in mental conditions: