NewB

I thought that, the extra photos do help. I know there are folks here that find online 'kantei' a challenge and most of the time they provide insightful information for free that I personally find very engaging. I'm not familiar with the school and even if I try to compare the signatures to books/online information, I'd fail as the powder has obscured some of the elements to where id be only guessing. Guiding light would be - familiarity with school/smith/lineage and of course - condition price. The assumption of being gimei is always i solid approach so i think you already are on a good track Cheers Y

Hello id say clean up the powder and get a high res photo as displayed, if impossible then most likely an impossible guessing opinion. Signatures are inescapably connected to the jitetsu of any blade IMHO Maybe others have much more to input j

Give it 10 mos The process is still complicated, I believe J.

Hello Yes, you can purchase a blade at this budget online. J.

I'd pick the ubu blade. Prices also Are decisive factors.. there are a lot of folks here that have same or better blades for very competitive prices J.

I haven't looked into it in depth To me and another extremely knowledgeable forum member And a private kantei sho from a recognized Japanese scholar it got an Aizu Nagamichi attribution. The closest I have to this particular jitetsu hamon is my Tachibana Sadakuni which in a sense supports the Nagamichi lineage if I am not mistaken? J

@Soshin nice nice nice. While I realize shinsa is just an opinion (without hijacking the thread), how’s mine a later generation Kanemoto? cheers y

Nice! I beg to differ on the 3rd being 'better' than the shodai but I'm not in a position to debate for obvious reasons. Here's another great article that goes in depth why so many Tadayoshi get rejected or remain in 'horyu' .. I hope you enjoy it https://nihonto.com/shodai-hizen-tadayoshi-初代肥前忠吉/ J.

Hello I'm pretty sure this is not an authentic, Japanese, traditionally made blade... and if I'm wrong then someone made sure it is at past its original shape. among everything else it has file marks on the tang but that alone can't be a guarantee J

There are NO Tadayoshi blades that have remained unpapered in an high bid auction (one slipped away few weeks back) in a sense. He had strange signing habits should I say.. the 2nd and 8th generation (if im not mistaken) remained the same stroking but this is an interesting gamble. I dislike there are no detailed photos of the hada. Just to say that Tadayoshi isnt an eaay and quick right of the bat call. - My published shodai had a temporary turn down by shinsa because - big names, big money, big responsibility. Thankfully they found it and I hope to have a reissued paper. Big win 🏆 Eternally thankful to the ones that put the effort in it. Happy to declare shodai Tadayoshi shizu utsushi in my collection as a somewhat minor collector 😉 Y.J.U.

IMHO-tough hobby 😀 J

I miss this blade j

I like their price estimates! J

You are so right. Indeed. Thank you I just wanted to be named on the paper lol Kidding J.

I appreciate what you've written and I agree What I am having hard time believing is that someone can be so skilled to make konuka hada in a such a perfect manner that only shodai Tadayoshi was able to make and then fake the signature (And the blade was advertised in the 70s reikishi magazine as guaranteed shodai tadayoshi kanteisho) ?? So that person knew the 'secrets' of making it so good that even faked the signature?? That just makes no logical sense.. That's why I said To be safe, their stance is - let's deem it - 'needs further study' I know it is 100% as my sensei got it as a wedding present when he married in the nabeshima clan family! Hahaha J.

I don’t want to post photos of the blades as they have been discussed at length here.. I’m ready to say our dear forum members in a sense are very very knowledgeable and I’m just crushed that several well known dealers have confirmed the blades but shinsa turned them down. Not sure whether to laugh or cry j.

Thats right! I have a shikkake blade that was once papered by them and now I'm not wanting to send it in - who knows - they might say it's Chinese 🤣 J

Well, how could we agree that the blades Do show the qualities and proprietary elements of the smiths that signed BUT the signature is off. So someone was superb in not only faking the signature but was also a master of faking the craft?? Get the heck outta here right lol J

Well I tried to paper a blade that was once papered And it was listed in the reikishi magazine.. didn't pass. Didn't get rejected either, forgot the term for 'needs further evaluation'. Also, I have a personal letter from Tokuno Kazuo regarding a smith from great lineage but with very scarce information and not many pieces available.. they turned it down... Also A kotetsu candidate got a Kanemoto attribution-when looking online, my blade HAS NOTHING TO DO with his works (has NBTHK attribution to Aizu Nagamichi). And then the funniest part A naoe shizu nbthk blade got a showa attribution - I'm literally laughing my behind off.. so - yes, it is cheaper to paper the blades when the shinsa team is here and NO , pay more and do NBTHK - period. And don't bring expensive names - they won't pass, just so they are on the safe side lol Just my observation.. J.

I'd rather not but ... yesterday was the first day of shinsa. The show starts today.. J

Good luck I'm disappointed J

After today's shinsa I am totally wondering What on Earth is going on with shinsa 🤣 What a disappointment 😞 .. J.

I requested a photo of the other side. Will post it if I receive it.. this is just not a good place to have any kind of flaw IMHO J

Indeed. Japanese dealer, very strange as most are very upfront.. well , to my experience That was the sho to my dai.. what a loss.. The search continues.. ugh J.

I'm glad I asked for a better photo .. J