Bazza

A vague memory popping in here from my long ago target shooting days - after shooting .303 at the range with military ammo, scrupulous cleaning was an absolute necessity because of (I believe) mercury in the primer formulation. It was also done to remove copper residue from the bore, though that of course isn't corrosive in itself. I do remember old hands pouring boiling water down the bore, same as for black powder guns. BaZZa.

A very worthy necropost Krystian, though I felt like a goose realising I had 'liked' Morita san's post of some 10 years ago... BaZZa.

Gaslighting raised to an art form... Much ado about nothing... BaZZa.

You good Ffolke want scary, try this: https://www.msn.com/en-au/health/medical/trypophobia-why-did-doja-cat-s-dress-make-people-physically-ill/ss-AA178gbk?cvid=ddfafde85b7747fca1b1824bbb22b207 BaZZa. (Apology for wildcat post, but I thought it 'sort of' fitted the scary theme!!)

You're a bit rosy-eyed there Ferry as well as tad holier-than-thou and need to come down a bit to the Land of Reality. I wouldn't have replied were it not for your statement I'm just surprised to hear that assuming gimei is the norm, and I find it hard to rhyme with Japanese honor. Jeez, spare me!! You would do well to read this study of a book Musui the Samurai before responding further. https://www.supersummary.com/musuis-story/summary/ BaZZa Melbourne, Australia Collector and student for 60 years.

UNOBTAINIUM - new word of the day. Love it. BaZZa.

I thought it would be interesting to slip Ford Hallam's Hikozo utsushi here. Having seem a (maybe) genuine one in Sydney some 50+ years ago I had always liked the work and when Ford's tsuba was offered for sale I jumped on it. I never regretted the decision and I love it even more these some years later. Bestests, BaZZa.

"copper-iron mix hardening" refers to dendritic hardening. This has been written up in Nihontou literature sometime over the last 40 or 50 years, but see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrite_(metal) for an explanation of the principle. Sorry I don't have time to explore further. BaZZa.

From the shiny nakago I presume this is a WW2 sword. Question: What's the story with TAKEYASU and higaki yasurime?? BaZZa.

I had a lengthy correspondence with Willis Hawley over many years and echo Ian Brooks' sentiments. I tips me hat to Ian's near instant recall of where information about Willis can be found. It would take me 'forever' to find that in my own resources. Willis had a niece who collected stamps and I would send him Australian stamps from time to time. He was an amazing gentleman with an extraordinary generosity. His stories about collecting and the things he acquired stick in my mind. A gold mounted tachi for $200 was one of them. Even so long ago it was a stunning price for an incredible sword. I bled for him when his collection was stolen. Vale Willis who did so much for the English speaking world of Nihontou. BaZZa.

Ummmmm... Do you need some kind of license to have this?? And how hard is it to get for something that falls into your hands, so to speak?? This one looks very nice, bronze I guess with that lovely, old patina, unless it is a very old 'fake'. BaZZa.

It could be a lacquered tsuka imitating a silk binding. I have personally seen such work, but an in-hand inspection is warranted if bidding on this one. BaZZa.

The last pic above is, I think, one of the 47 Ronin cleaning his sword after the attack on Kira's mansion. BaZZa.

CHIN CHIN CHO CHO - Tanobei sensei's mark of excellence... Steve, hat off, low, low bow. This will help me with one of my Tanobe sensei sayagaki. Thanks also to Chris for his sterling effort at translation and for putting it up here. BaZZa.

John, If you have the English set of To-ken Bijutsu read Han Bing Siong's series of articles on studying at the sword museum. Jifu utsuri is discussed in one of his articles. BaZZa.

What a gem, once upon a sword... I bet it has a nice 'ring'. BaZZa. EDIT: PS: Where are the bottle openers???

Yes, but like the answer '42', what does it MEAN??? BaZZa!!!

Somewhere in my mind comes this little echo - "whale bone" carved to resemble "emperor nodes". As to the functional purpose of these 'lumps' vis-a-vis the tsukaitoI, I'm not entirely sure if there is one, but it must have something to do with the quality of the same being put on show front and centre, as it were, an aesthetic use of the principal feature of a quality same skin. BaZZa.

Gentle Folk, I collect because my wife lets me!!! BaZZa.

And does the dragon have one dragn on the ground??!! The name of whom we shouldn't speak!!

'SINGED' with a laser???!! BaZZa.

Gentle Ffolke, give yourself a treat: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/cat-mouse-armor-jeff-deboer And/or google Jeff de Boer Keep an eye out for 'Samurai Cat'. BaZZa.

WOW!!! VIVA STEVE M...

Dan C wrote: > A few pics of my Shichibeijo Sukesada. Taken in a dark closet with 2.5x zoom and flash with a I-Phone 8. Need to do it again with my 11 and see better results. Could you please post a pic of the mei full tang and closeup??? Thanks, BaZZa.

Methinks nijuba. Inazuma means 'lighning' and in my recollection is blackish and zigzags from yakiba to jigane and back and forth. BaZZa.