John C

Nicholas: Just out of curiosity, what does the area around the mekugi-ana look like? Specifically, does the rim of the ana rise above the chisel marks or do the chisel marks cut into the rim? It could help determine if the mei were cut after the mekugi ana was formed. John C.

Jeff: FYI, the two holes at the bottom of the tsuba are called udenuki-ana. Some suggest they were there to tie a wrist lanyard or to secure the tsuka. Others suggest they were simply decorative elements. From a post by Piers on a different thread: 1. Satsuma holes, which are smaller, were called more properly Sayadome-ana or Sayadome-no-ana. This word means 'Sheath-stopper/fastener hole(s)'. I have heard elsewhere that local laws were passed in Satsuma requiring the seals to be unbroken upon random inspection in public places. The Saya was tied from the kurigata or the kaerizuno to the tsuba by a length of twisted paper called a koyori. Every household had an abundant supply of these and people could whip them up on the spot, but I wonder if there was an official type that had to be used? Paper twists could be broken easily, but the owner probably had to have a good reason for making that extra tug. 2. Udenuki-no-ana/kan means literally 'forearm, go-through, hole/ring/loop'. If Satsuma Sayadome were smaller, then these by definition will be generally larger in comparison. Several examples above show one hole, not two, so are we happy to say that Udenuki-no-Kan could have come in either ones or twos? (This is also true for Netsuke which especially in older types often had a single 'chimney' passing up through a hole in the base. On another note, Japanese armour and horse saddles had many places where two adjacent holes were used for stringing.) John C.

Hector: Does it say who these smiths are? John C.

Note the yellow striped stitching on the tassel. Typical of a general grade tassel. John C.

Alex: I give my two cents here since I have been doing some ordering from Japan. As Rohan noted, it can depend on the seller. There are options for them to ship the item having already paid the fees. On the stuff I have gotten, under shipping it usually says something like "includes all duties and fees" etc. Sure it costs more for shipping and I suspect they are charging a little more than necessary, though the transactions have been seemless so far and actually faster than USPS. I've had stuff shipped DHL, USPS Speedpak, and USPS priority mail international. John C.

Teppo was probably the wrong term. Maybe tanegashima is more accruate? This barrel, for example. https://www.ebay.com/itm/168167826408?itmmeta=01KHZ5VS9WFVSV05TZE05ZNZKF&hash=item27279563e8:g:orQAAOSwioRoAjRl Or this matchlock, for example. https://www.ebay.com/itm/168160773447?itmmeta=01KHZ7NB909XBYAJ0XNE2NAT6C&hash=item272729c547:g:cYMAAeSwqixpfXSF John C.

Hello: I was interested in several of their items, namely the teppo and armor stuff they carry. But I know absolutely nothing about that stuff and how to spot fakes. Just as a general opinion, do you all think the stuff they are selling seems legit? I know some folks won't comment on specific items, however I was hoping for a general opinion. https://www.ebay.com/str/basarajapan?_trkparms=folent%3Abasarajapan|folenttp%3A1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l74602 John C.

Steve: Just to expand on what Ray noted, notice the issues marked by the arrows: 1) the blade has been shortened for some reason. Note how the hamon does not taper off but is rather robust at the ha-machi. This indicates it used to be longer. 2) Also notice the notch is not perpendicular to the blade but angled. Probably happened when it was re-cut. 3) Note how the nakago is not straignt. Again, probably cut or ground down by someone. 4) Looks as if the kanji have been ground down and are not as strong as they used to be. John C.

@Scogg Sam: Possibly for your next update, a variation 9 (?) with what looks like the jinsen mark and the extraodinary inspection mark. But it falls just outside your listed serial number range. Could be useful if updating the range (300,107 to 301,799 on page 58). https://www.ebay.com/itm/306773941651? John C.

Anthony: Personally, I think you could do better for 600 pounds. If it's history you are interested in, would that be Japanese history, samurai history, ww2 history? I think once you settle on that answer, it will guide you to a nicer, or more meaningful, blade in your price range. This one is a bit of a mash up between civil and military. Many of us have started out with a less-than-desireable sword, only to do more research and then wish we had spent that money on something better. I only mention this because this hobby is expensive and kind of like a Moray eel - once it bites into you, it doesn't let go. John C.

Steve: Not sure if you still need it but the date, I think, is auspicious day Feb 1939 (showa 14). John C.

Tom: I just realized this one does not have a kiku. Sorry for the mis-lead. John C.

This could be what you are looking for. His description is incorrect (AI generated), however I think it is 23rd gen kanefusa. https://www.ebay.com/itm/147086903736 John C.

I'm thinking maybe a suiteki with the dots in the middle and corner. John C.

Is the scabbard metal or has it been painted? John C.

Nicholas: There are a couple of Hon'ami kao listed in Markus Sesko's Compendium that look similar but not exact. You might start there. John C.

Not so sure about the damage leather can cause, Ed. While I use veg tanned exclusively, the Japanese used chrome tanned or oil tanned leather on their seppa, scabbards, and saddlery. I suspect the chemicals in the leather are not a big risk. John C.

James: Wow. You have some really nice pieces! I don't know enough to give you a specific valuation (something we avoid doing anyway), however I can say that I have seen similar pieces sold on ebay for hundreds of dollars EACH. Individually, you may have some even nicer than that. I think it would be worth your time to seek out an expert - someone who deals with this kind of stuff regularly - or find a Token society meeting near where you live. But PLEASE take you time with this. I think you may be surprised at the overall value of what you have. John C.

Thank you for the info, Nazar. John C.

Sam: What's interesting is that this could be the genesis of why the Chinese fakes have offset machi. I could imagine them taking apart a type 95 and thinking this is how it is supposed to be done. John C.

Steve: I think your method with the foam was fine, just switch out the foam for leather. There is an old weightlifting belt on shopgoodwill that would make a dozen very thick seppa. https://shopgoodwill.com/item/254983331 Just lightly trace a seppa onto the belt using an exacto knife. Then slowly cut through with the exacto knife, which make take several passes. You can then treat the seppa just like wood and sand the edges smooth and even burnish the edges (to smooth and round them) with water and the shaft of a screwdriver. John C.

Honoki is much easier to work with. Almost as light as balsa (hence the light weight of shirasaya). It also tends to have long straight grain, which again is perfect for shirasaya. Maple is much harder, denser, and heavier. And as a consequence, much harder to carve. I had to stop about every 10 minutes and re-sharpen the tools. But the upside is that hard maple doesn't dent as easily. In any case, honoki is nearly impossible to get here in southern California. My local wood suppliers didn't even have American magnolia. I just happen to have some left over maple from another project so I used that because of the grain and color. John C.

Hello fellow woodworkers: I wanted to share this shirasaya I made for a naked Monju Kanesada yari. Mostly because of the saya's unusual shape. The shape was inspired by an existing shirasaya I have on a Inoue Shinkai yari. The wood is aged (i.e., very low to no VOC's left from the tannic acid) hard maple with an ebony inset for the mekugi. What makes it particularly difficult to manufacture are the number of compound angles. There is a central peaked rib that runs the length of saya but only on the top, which makes it easier to index which way the top aligns to the bottom half. From the rib, the width is a flattened oval, widening out just after the mekugi ana to accomodate the extra width on the blade section and rounded on the back side. The rear end is also dome-shaped and the tip is sort of boat or airplane shaped. All of which brings me to the challenging part - this must all be done by hand. No power tools involved (with the exception of drilling the mekugiana to keep it straight). Just a kanna (Japanese block plane), some different sized oire nomi (chisels), a bench scraper, and some files. The finish is a standard woodworkers finish of boiled linseed oil followed by carnuba paste wax. Thanks to the various bench scrapers, the wood is extremely smooth and tactile. The Japanese do not usually use sandpaper so I didn't either. It's tough not to hold it! If you have any questions on the process, I will be happy to answer. John C.

Nazar: I've been interested in this 3-D printing concept for some time to make habaki molds for metal casting. Are you doing this at home with a small printer or at a workshop with an industrial printer (usually used for making car parts)? If at home, could you name the brand and model of the printer and the plastic medium you use? Regards, John C.

Michael: My first impression was that it may be a reproduction. But what is going on with that latch? Could that be holding the tsuka on? Could just be the lighting. John C.