Bazza

Brilliant coup, brilliant. Surely this can be classified as a horidashimono. However, as Jeremiah illustrates, such luck comes with hours and hours of study and appreciation - and lateral study at that. I've seen a very few such finds in my own pond, once myself finding a Shodai Sukehiro (Soboro) katana that is on my polish list. Bask in the glow of your find mate, as we bask with you. Thank you so much for showing and sharing this lovely piece. BaZZa.

Ian, its worth adding a little emphasis here for those not inculcated into machine shop practice. The precise function of the taper is to LOCK the 'fitter' into the 'fittee', so to speak. For example, the purpose of the taper on the rear axle of a car is to 'lock' the axle to the taper of the hub. Those who have tried to get a hub off with out a puller will know exactly the problem. Even those using a puller will sometimes have difficulty getting things to come apart. Similarly, a tsuka made by a highly skilled artisan will 'lock' the tapered nakago of the blade into the tsuka and the tapered habaki then 'locks' the blade into the saya. Thus, a properly fitted Japanese sword can be held upside down without the mekugi in place and the blade will remain secured in the saya. The passage of time, of course, gradually weakens this dynamic. BaZZa.

> (But that will require you to come out west of Hoppers Crossing) TOMORROW?????? BaZZa

With those cracks the tsuba looks more like a casting to me. BaZZa.

Well, I've heard it said that to a dealer if buying it is a wakizashi, if selling a katana!!! The point about it is, I believe, that in their day of the 16th century they were considered katana and should still be so today, IMHO. BaZZa.

A further point for discussion: George wrote; > Blade needed finish polish. From my life's experience I opine there is NO such a thing as a 'finish polish', believing I understand what George means by this. Not even the occasionally vaunted 'needs finger stones only' stands up to scrutiny. OBSERVATION 1 Maybe 20 years ago a friend showed around his 'as found' near mint katana in impeccable polish, so much so most collectors looking at it might say it didn't need a polish. A polisher visiting from Japan was at the gathering and observed "Hmmm, the polish is fading - I would start on the second stone." No such thing as a finish polish here. OBSERVATION 2 A Togishi told me he had never polished a sword that he didn't need to first straighten before beginning the work. But that's an aside. A sword that may be thought to only need a 'finish polish' in the hands of a togishi may in fact first need shitaji, a foundation polish where the 'shape' needs re-setting due to past errors in polish. These can be very subtle and need the trained eyes of a properly qualified togishi to make the call. After shitajii comes the shiage, the finish polish. etc etc etc Regards, BaZZa.

Rivkin wrote above: > Which is more than can be said for very many western properly trained polishers, unfortunately. I do not take exception to anything Rivkin said, However, I should point out for those newer to the Board that our resident Australian togishi Andrew Ickeringill is properly trained and credentialed. See his website and Facebook pages: http://touken-togishi.com/ https://www.facebook.com/toukentogishi And on our own NMB see this thread: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/11751-2013-nbsk-competition-results/#comment-121567 And while polish is being discussed this thread is a timely re-read: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/35486-a-word-about-amateur-polishing/#comment-367040 BaZZa. aka Barry Thomas.

I seem to recall a shumei RAI KUNIMITSU or KUNITOSHI that made some USD 12K or thereabouts. Went JUYOU in Japan as I recall. BaZZa.

Do I correctly recall that Nagahama is also the seat of a castle from Hideyoshi's day?? I recall a katana I once had (SEKI SHU?) NAGAHAMA JU KIYOTSUGU (SAKU?)??? BaZZa.

Mr Tsuku, can you share a photo of the kozuka itself, please, both sides??? BaZZa.

Gimei. BaZZa.

My sediments exactly!! BaZZa.

Here is a blade in a cane stick/walking stick koshirae I saw on ebay in November 2009. It has a quite straight blade. BaZZa.

Could also have been used for a shikomizue (cane stick sword). I have seen a quite reasonable one or two such blades in interesting mounts. BaZZa.

Agree with ray. Definitely NOT a shoshin 3rd generation. However, for a grand it might be a halfway decent sword!! BaZZa.

Hi there Guys and Gals/Blokes and Sheilas, here is something I just stumbled upon FYI, or FYA: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?comment_id=10158783163101819&v=884462375714328&notif_id=1642586694481518&notif_t=comment_mention&ref=notif I was interested to hear of a Takahashi Naganobu as I have a katana by him. BaZZa.

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G... In the West Australian desert!!! I know a bloke who found a saiha Kotetsu in Marble Bar 40-ish years ago. There might once have been a modest collection somewhere 'out West'. BaZZa.

I have put this one up quite some time ago, but here it is just for this thread. The blade has a short, wide groove with gold characters in it. It is not polished, but on that side I can see the ko nie of a hamon with a full-tempered point area. BaZZa.

The very, very straight bare blade is interesting only because I have a wrecked, beat-up blade just like it. No mei, no nothing, it has been a puzzle. BaZZa.

Bruce P wrote: > I have the nakago photos of yours, Barry, but not of the whole gunto. I didn't know where to find the thread I got the pics from or I'd have posted the link. Here's what I have: Bruce et al I'm beyond shamed as I completely forgot I'd uploaded those photos!! Standard territory for this auld bloke ... I've put it closer to the top of the 'to do' pile in what passes for a brain ... BaZZa.

sugu-midare?? Not mimigata. BaZza.

Well, while this is active I'll simply say I have a Tanrenjo blade in Shingunto koshirae with a mei similar to the one I illustrated back in 2020 (above). The sword is somewhat of a wreck and I've been 'gunna' write it up for some time now (there is a story!), but a certain teppou write up comes before that, so patience Ladies and Gentlemen... BaZZa aka Barry 'Gunnadoo' Thomas, Melbourne, Australia

Nicolas, a good buy indeed. Time and your collecting future and direction will tell you when the time is right to release it back into the world. It took me 15 years to release my first buy, a mumei Sue Kotou blade in a very nice Shinguntou koshirae. That the time was right was decided when a top-level ubu Shintou Hizen katana came into my orbit, also in a good Shinguntou koshirae and with a photo album and letter from the Japanese major surrendering it. I still miss my first, more for nostalgic reasons than anything else, though it did exude a feeling of its time and place in history, and it was a real sword that was deemed worthy of taking to war. Congratulations on your journey so far, but its a long and winding road... BaZZa.

Just in time!!! Jamie better like it heaps as my finger was quivering on the trigger. Now I can put the money back towards my sword 'n' teppou bin!!! I enjoyed this chawan very much. Good one Evan. BaZZa.

Sorry for a slightly off-topic comment, but I thought Ken would enjoy it. I've just heard from a mate in Tasmania who is helping on Old Gentleman move out of his early 19th century Country Mansion to down-sized accommodation. My mate is the Mansion-sit guard until settlement and in his words: "An occasional visitor to the (Country Mansion) shot 16 bunnies with this the other night. Claimed head shots at 40 - 60 metres. He was cleaning them when we arrived." You can see a bunny at the top of the pic "in preparation for dinner". Here is a pic of the implement. Nicest piece I've ever seen in that line! BaZZa.