Bazza

Patrice, It's far too early to tell. In the Netherlands you have access to some real expertise. Go slowly, clean nothing apart from a light coating of sewing machine oil on the blade. About the peg/mekugi, support the sword horizontally such that the handle is particularly firmly supported. With a pin punch or similar round tool slightly smaller than the peg, use a hammer to gently hit the peg. Gently is the keyword and do this from each side in turn watching for movement. One side will be the correct, ever-so slightly smaller original side to tap from, but it may be difficult to tell. Keep working gently and the peg may slowly move. A good indicator is that the habaki (the 'collar' next to the guard /tsuba) is a blue/black colour indicating it is shakudo, or a shakudo foil cover. Others will pop in with more advice, I'm sure. Read the extensive Board articles on care before doing too much. Knowledge is your best ally here. Regards, BaZZa, aka Barry Thomas.

The peg may be bent from someone trying to knock the handle off without first removing the peg. Not uncommon and I had one recently. You may have to destroy the peg (mekugi) to remove the handle (tsuka). Making a new peg from a bamboo chopstick is a sometimes necessity. BaZZa.

Like an iron tyre/tire on a wooden cart wheel... BaZZa.

Grev, its been and gone... Just got the catalogue, well worth having, but the online download is probably just as good. Only 300 copies of the catalogue were printed. BaZZa.

Couple more images I have on the same theme. The Kutani bowls is mine, picked up at auction. BaZZa.

Not TADA?? 忠 TADA does not have a seeming radical to the left?? BaZZa.

Hmmmm - is it a kofuda?? BaZZa.

Has the legendary 'sword stretcher' raised its ugly head again??!! BaZZa.

A friend left a pile of Daruma magazines with me to help pass the time (!!), You guessed it, Nos 46 and 47 were missing... I do have a colour laser copy 'somewhere' of I guess what might be No. 47. I'll look for it and if anyone would like a per tem scan of it I'd be delighted to oblige - PM please. Happy New Year to all. BaZZa.

We're all getting Old mate!!! Greetings from Australia. How go the .310 Cadets???? And the fishing. Happy New Year and may all your troubles be little ones... Best regards, Barry Thomas. aka BaZZa.

Interesting discussion. There are at least three (four?) systems of transliterating Japanese to English, some from the 19th century. I used to agonise over this in my early days of collecting, but no more. My view is that we should be as good as we can by example individually and be gentle and encouraging with other folk as Jean has done, without being didactic in the matter. The Hepburn system is the preferred method, but these days I reckon we should roll with the punches instead of being overly precious about it. The way to have the stuffing knocked out of you is to study Japanese intensively for a few years... BaZZa.

Correct orientation. BaZZa.

Michael, spot on mate. Shows the failure of shooting from the hip and relying on memory. Thanks for the correction. BaZZa.

Julien, Thanks for the news Jon is doing well. A very long time ago he did a beautiful polish on a godai TADAYOSHI wakizashi that I still have and admire. Barry Thomas Melbourne, Australia.

Thanks Michael, delighted to see this. Gives me a chance to show my latest find, a TERUKADO wakizashi (50.0 cm) in Edo period koshirae. It is said he signed TERUKANE in the earlier part of his career and TERUKADO after he was given TAMBA no KAMI in 1659, dying in 1584 (?). A google search finds much more information including on this Board. Regards, BaZZa. aka Barry Thomas.

?Modern fake? There's just 'something' about it.. BaZZa.

Very sad news indeed, RIP Richard. BaZZa.

Ahhhh, hadori vs sashikomi observation????? A vexed and long-standing bête noire of collectors... BaZZa.

HOSOKAWA? I have a pair of menuki (ex Guntou??) with this mon. BaZZa.

Ken, in the first photo what you're seeing is a tobiyaki, an 'island' of hardening/temper. Utsuri doesn't have a hamon. BaZZa.

HEISEI MOTO NEN?? BaZZa.

Gives me an opportunity to show a pair of mumei tiger menuki I have had for decades. They come with an old paper to Yanagawa. BaZZa.

Study never ends... (Thus quoth a great man). BaZZa.

I have seen shingane in a Kotou tanto with my own eyes... BaZZa.

STUNNER sword... I'm sure the tsuba is by one of the YOSHIOKA artisans, an excellent tsuba. Thanks for sharing. BaZZa.