FZ1

If you can post some pictures showing any details of the blade, the people on here are really good at providing the region it was made and possible dates. The more detail and definition you can get, the better info they can give you. Also, if you provide a picture of the whole blade (without the fittings) from square-on, it will help them because the shape of the blade provides a lot of info about location/date. Note, I say "they" because I'm new to this too, and in awe of the fact that they can give so much info just from photos! Jon Edit: Geraint beat me to it!

Welcome Mark. There is a huge amount of info available in books, on the net and especially here on the NMB. Cheers, Jon

Just to clarify........... Anything bought online or by mail-order within the from a UK business (i.e.not at an auction) is protected by Distance Selling regulations, with a defined returns period. Geraint was only commenting on some auction houses. However, auction houses do offer in-hand/in-person viewing sessions for potential bidders to assure themselves that what they may bid on is what they want and so they can do their research before bidding. It might be too far for the potential bidder to travel to view an item, but that's the bidders choice. Cheers, Jon

I just got some books sent to the UK from Germany this week, and got 0% VAT. Consistency? Naaaah! Jon

Welcome Giulio, this is a great place to learn. The experienced members are very generous to us new starters with their time and knowledge. Jon

Welcome Mike. As you'll have seen from other comments in the thread, this is an excellent place to learn. The search function is a wonderful tool. I'm not Canadian, but had a fantastic holiday in BC in Sept 2018 - Loved it! Cheers, Jon

Welcome gents!

P.S. I love the shape of jumonji yari, but I can see how difficult it can be to light them for photos.

There's a chap on YouTube called Walter Sorrells who has done a video about this. He also recommends watching Part 1 of his "How to Photograph Knives" mini-series. HTH Jon H

Just ordered my paperback copy from Amazon UK (just over 25 quid if anyone UK-based is interested). https://www.amazon.co.uk/Study-Japanese-Swords-Chronological-History/dp/1954297254/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Japanese+sword+book Jon

If its eBay, they are probably trying to avoid negative feedback. You know what some people are like, "Beautiful blade, superbly packaged but no pin, hence negative feedback" Jon

Thanks gents, very much appreciated. Although I appreciate the art in Nihonto, I've got to admit that I'm fascinated by the metallurgy, construction and engineering that goes into the blades. The link provided by Chris mentions different methods of construction in different eras (old/new), so that's another on the "list of things to study/research"!

Thanks for your help Grey - I'll keep practicing! Jon

In my continuing efforts to educate myself, I've been trying to find examples of tired blades online. I found some really obvious examples, but still trying to "get my eye in". Brian posted an example way back in 2012 (first image below), but due to lack of experience, I can't work out if the second image is tired or if its just part of the wood grain pattern (itame?) Please can someone put me straight? Thanks. Jon

Lovely looking blade Adam (I hope that the dog survived the photo session ) Jon

Thanks Jussi - Some more phrases for my reference library! Jon

Once again I am in need of some assistance please. This attribution is for a recently advertised Hokke sword, but there's a lot more in the paper attribution than just 法華 , hence my request for help. Thanks in advance , Jon

Thanks for the advice Jussi, all good learning material for me! With all my collecting experiences (current and past), I find that research is a great way of enjoying the subject without having to spend money!

Hi Jussi, Yes, you're right, but I'm not looking to buy it. I'm very interested in military history, so future purchases for me will include earlier blades, i.e. less focus on art and more on a nice looking blade that was (potentially) used as a weapon. I haven't yet got my first sword yet (an Edo period Katana, still waiting for the export license) , but I'm using the intervening time to research older blades, so lots of searching NMB for "tired blade", etc to get some examples! I am useless at languages, so I "get by" with most translations by using Markus' Swordsmiths book (in PDF) and the DeepL free translation App, but when the kanji is part of an image, I'm stuck! This time it was the kinzogan mei and Naoe parts that had me stumped, hence needing to be rescued by Kyle! Cheers, Jon

Thank you Kyle, its very much appreciated. Cheers, Jon

Good evening everyone. This is my first posting in this section, and definitely not the last (my command of languages is awful), so please could someone help with this translation of the attribution column in a TH paper? I've only got as far as s "Shizu", so I'm interested to know the rest of it! Many thanks in advance. Jon

Welcome Ken. As a new starter myself....... Ditto to what Charles said! Using the search function on the forum reveals a huge store of knowledge, but if you can't find what you're looking for, the members here seem to have infinite patience with answering questions. Like Charles, my experience here is limited, but when I've asked for opinions, I've had lots of differing ones which is really useful to get different views - it's great for learning Cheers, Jon

Being able to have a whole room to display the collection in (literally) its best light is wonderful. I love the beams and purpose-designed lighting. Jon

Anyone else new to Nihonto (live on the forum, or still lurking!): Thirty quid is a really good price for one of the "must have" new-starter books. I bought one just a few weeks ago and the best price I could get mine for was £38 plus postage. Even if you're not going to buy a blade but are interested in the discussions on NMB , its a really good reference book. Note 1: I have no connection with the seller, other than having just bought a couple of books off him. Note 2: I am feeling very smug and righteous, having actually provided some (possibly) helpful advice on NMB ............ small steps! Cheers, Jon