Scogg

Thank you @Toryu2020! I do really need to attend those sessions. I read and save all the NCJSC newsletters and kantei emails, and also have Markus Seskos koto kantei book and supplement. The tricky part is getting all that knowledge and information to stick . I’m sure the zoom meeting would help a lot. Thanks again and hopefully see you soon on the zoom kantei, -Sam

Thank you, good advice! Making it a priority -Sam

Thank you Bruce! If only that was the "buy it now" price . I'll be bidding on this one. Cheers, -Sam

My ultimate goal in Nihonto collecting, is to admire and appreciate the workmanship of Japanese swords. Learn the features, and be able to recognize high quality from the rest. Getting better at Kantei is another goal. The theme of my collection (for now), is Yamato-den, and Yamato influenced works. Although, I intend to collect anything that's in my budget that I enjoy / believe I can learn from. I prefer KOTO items, for the romance of "OLD" . My only requirement for now is that it's in decent polish without fatal flaws - ideally but not necessarily has papers. The soul of my collection is the Katana I inherited from my grandfather. Early shinto late Kanemoto school, in full koshirae. It's not high quality or in great condition, but it's very special to me. I really like handmade stuff, and to me, Nihonto is the epitome of excellence in handmade craftsmanship. My "state of collecting" is always evolving, growing, and changing - and I consider myself a beginner collector, especially in Nihonto. Cheers! -Sam

I will be in attendance. Already got my flight . Haven't been to Vegas since before I could legally have a drink I would love to meet more fellow forum members! It should be a good show, and I am very much looking forward to checking out the Antique Arms Show also. Cheers, -Sam One lucky night on the roulette table could pay for both! Kidding of course

Thank you for the link and correction @Franco D, that was a really informative read. Much appreciated! My apologies @sc72 for speaking out of turn. There’s a lot more to consider than I realized, and sorry for misleading. Carry on, Thanks everyone. Back to my books -Sam

I think I’m a little confused, and maybe putting my foot in my mouth with my novice understanding. I have no doubt of the importance of determining if a sword is shortened or not. And telling if it’s punched or drilled. But is it actually possible to determine exactly when the shortening happened? With respect, -Sam

It suggests the mekugi-ana MIGHT have been done earlier; because drilling is viewed as a more modern method. But drilling is ancient, so it's far from indisputable... Although, trying to determine exactly when an old sword was suriage, might be a fools errand because it's impossible to confirm. Fun to think about, and wonder though. Cheers, -Sam

Just because it's mumei does not mean the attribution is incorrect. It would help if we could see the papers to determine what the NBTHK said versus what you and the seller are saying. The NBTHK are very skilled with an incredible depth of knowledge and resources. I'd trust their attribution whether or not it's mumei, suriage, etc..

Considering that you already know the attribution and era, you wouldn't "need" it per-se... It would just be an exercise in the study of your sword. If the sword is O-suriage, it can be interesting to imagine what it might have looked like unaltered. If I am incorrect in assuming Jussi's meaning; hopefully someone will correct me. Cheers, -Sam

Hi Francis, interesting swords! Sorry to be off topic. But when you get the chance I’d love to see some close-ups of that habaki with the bird Cheers! Carry on, -Sam

Kiri depiction signed Choshu Kiyoshige

My first ever tsuba, on my inherited katana. A permanent part of my collection

I am looking forward to the nakago reveal. Glad to see you’ve posted the sword here. Best of luck, -Sam

Very well put, Colin. This is the heart of collecting in my opinion. Finding those items that speak to us in some arcane way. Personally I like tsuba that have nice patina, and depict something from the natural world. So I’ve got lots to choose from … I just hope to focus on recognizing quality, and keeping my collection/s focused. Cheers, -Sam

AOI art knows their stuff, and you won't regret taking their advice. In the end, the optimal oil is the product that does the job, and to your liking. Personally I like the tsubaki spray bottle. I've tried many others, but I always go back to that one. Truth is, I can't really tell which one is doing "BEST", so I use the one's that are recommended and are easy to source/use. I think the argument for modern machine oils is a pretty good one. We've developed the best-of-the-best over the years, so why not use it? Personally, I don't like the smell https://www.amazon.com/Singer-Sewing-Machine-Oil Best of luck, -Sam

Wow, thank you so much! That’s so interesting and paints a really dismal picture of Gifu that evening… It must have been a terrifying night. Much appreciated! It’s this history, and these kinds of stories that I find so fascinating about WW2 swords. I always learn a lot about more than just the blade. Thanks again, Cheers, -Sam

Beautiful blade. I plugged it into google translate for my own curiosity. Apologies for the tiny font! But I hope this helps anyone interested. *Beware: google translations are not always perfect* Cheers, -Sam

Hi Mason, welcome to the forum! Looks like a real Japanese sword to my novice eye; albeit in rough condition. To help those to identify, can you confirm or deny that the yellow circled area is a stamp? Any chance you got a close photo of this area / mark? Cheers, -Sam

https://www.amazon.com/KUROBARA-Tsubaki-Japanese-Maintenance-Camellia Here's a link to the spray tsubaki oil that Brian mentioned. I encourage anyone to find a source other than Amazon, but it was the easiest to find Another oil tip, that helped me early on, was checking on my sword 24 hours later. If oil has collected, or is beading anywhere; you can soak it up or spread it out. Also, you will know to use much less the next time. I quickly got a feel for how much was needed. Cheers, -Sam

I use this Tsubaki oil: https://www.amazon.c...ps%2C137&sr=8-1&th=1

I was hoping someone else would chime in Typically people are a bit reluctant to speak about prices on here. Which is understandable because nobody want's to influence a transaction based on incomplete info (photos, description, etc.). The price doesn't raise any red flags for me. Looks like a nice package. My novice opinion. -Sam Keep us posted with more photos when you're able!

I've never seen an oil quenched Showa-to with Shirasaya + oshigata. I'm sure they are out there, I just haven not seen such a nice display for a showato. My guess is water quenched, but I will look forward to more photographs! The Oshigata appears to show more hamon activity, but even that is hard to see and blurry. I will be looking forward to more pictures! My beginner two cents, Cheers, -Sam

Ive seen a few of these pop up on eBay over the last few years. I assume: they are oddities, meant to entice collectors into thinking they're bidding on an "ultra RARE and unusual item" maybe worth lots of $$$. When in reality it's just mixed parts pieced together. Just my two cents, I'd love to be proven wrong, if anyone has a historical precedent for such an item! -Sam

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/47942-ai-and-nihonto-chatgbt/#comment-497930 Here's a thread I started in the Izakaya in February about ChatGBT, with the prompts and answers that I fed it. Cheers, -Sam