Mark C

Hi All, Thanks you very much Moriyama san, thats brilliant, I would have never got that lot :? . A gift to Mr. Yokota Seikuro , So the next step is to find who Mr Yokota Seikuro is/was. Again many thanks Regards Mark

Hi All, Picked up an interesting sword, can't tell much about hamon and hada due to the state of polish. There are lots of mei on the nakago. I have managed to pick out a few of them: Showa jyu ku nen san gatsu jyu ni hi (march 1944) Kaneshige kore ? kao All the rest i'm struggling with. Any help would be greatly appreciated. many thanks Mark

Hi Everyone, I picked this nice little Fuchi up this week. Shakudo with what I think are plover birds over waves There is some kanji inside and I think one is Hisa but am unsure on the others. Can anyone assist please. Many thanks Mark

Hi, Thanks for that. After spending many minutes cleaning the thick sticky greasy stuff from the nakago, I think I can just see a seki stamp What do you think Obviously if it is then its a showato sword and doesn't below here. Again many thanks Regards Mark

Hi All, Just picked up this sword and thought it was a normal showa piece, maybe Gendai as it doesn't have any stamps. It is signed Kanemune in the normal "chippy" style of kanji. Sword details are: Nagasa = 26" Sori = 1/2" Hamon = Gunome Hada = unable to see due to lack of polish. Width at hamachi = 1 3/16" Width at yokote = 3/4" It is quite a thick blade being 5/16" at the Munemachi and 1/4" at the yokote. At closer examination of the nakago I noticed a trace of two kanji, or my eyes are getting so bad I'm seeing things I think it is also Kanemune. Any comments greatfully received. Many thanks Mark

Hi Peter, thanks for the clues, this is sword number three I have that used to be yours :lol: Do you have any other info on it ? Again thanks Regards Mark

Hi, Many thanks for that, I knew they were the same but wasn't aware that one was old style. I now must determine which one is right, the papers or the sayagaki :D Regards Mark

Thank you Moriyama San, Thats very interesting, the Tanto has NTHK npo papers with it and I have had the remarks section translated, the translation puts it "The latter generation, toward the end of Taokugawa period" (pictures attached) Another thing I have noticed is that the kanji for Hiro is different on the nakago 廣 and the papers 広 More investigation required I think. Again many thanks Regards mark

Hi All, I have been racking my brains for a while on this sayagaki. I think I have got the top four kanji as: Soshu Ju Tsunahiro The bottom left hand side kanji as: Heisei ? roku nen go gatsu jyu shi hi (1989 ? 6th year, 5th month, 14th day), possibly the year and date the sayagai was done. Any help on the rest would be greatly appreciated. many thanks mark

Hi Michel, Thank you for you answer, I wasn't sure if they where frogs or toads. I looked up Gama senin on the WWW and did some more learning :D Again thanks Regards Mark

Hi all, I recently picked these up seperatly but I think Iwill mount them as a set. Tsuba: 2.5inches across 2.75 inches tall 1/8 thick, reducing as it goes towards the middle The subject being a gentleman (could this be sage?)with a frog sitting in front of him and mountain scenery in the back ground. Menuki: aprox 1 3/8 long obviously two frog/toads but what I have noticed is that the throat on one of the frogs is larger than the other Any information/comments on the Tsuba and Menuki will be greatfuly received. Many thanks Mark

Hi, The motorcycle museum is on the same roundabout as the NEC in Birmingham. (M42) Regards Mark

Hi, All the vendors are fairly good, but always haggle :D The prices range for Japanese swords covers all budgets. I would also recommend a visit to Bills shop, you will be there all day and its good fun, maybe while you are there go to the museum and see the nihonto and related items display. You could try Chris james at medalsandmilitaria.co.uk, shop is in Warwick and he also runs the fair at the motorcycle museum. Regards Mark C

Hi, If you can get to the fair at the Motorcycle museum I will introduce you to various dealers that have Japanese swords, these include Bill Tagg, Michael d Long and Chris James. They all have a vast aray of blades at different quality levels. The next fair is Sunday 16th September. Let me know if you are going and we will meet up. Regards Mark

Hi Guys, I've learnt Another lesson "Always proof read before posting" :lol: All these suggestions for repatina's sound very interesting but I won't be trying any, the previous owner has played with the Nakago and I have no intention of following them :D I will let it grow old gracefuly I intend on getting the sword polished and put into shirasaya as the mounts are crap. I will post before and after pictures, if anyones wants. Many thanks for your comments on this sword. Regards Mark C

Hi All, Settle down everyone, Before I'm hung, drawn and quartered, I got the sword in this condition. I haven't cleaned anything and although I have only been in the Nihonto world for a few years, one of the many things I have learnt is not to touch the Nakago It was as Brian said, just written wrong. Thanks Brian Mark C

Hi Nobody and Nanshoku-Samurai, Thanks for your comments. I have posted a few more pics. As I said, its in a bad state, I have included pics of overall shape, Boshi including general condition of blade and after several hours of finger stoneing, what Hamon there is. Again thanks Mark

Hi everyone, I recently picked up this Katana in a rough state of repair, covered in surface rust and had the nakago sand blasted, anyway details below: Nagasa = 25 1/8" Sori = 5/8" O-Kissaki Dated - Showa 18 (1943), no arsenal stamps I think I have translated the mei correctly as Echigo Kuni Ju Sadakiyo Seitan. Is this correct and what is the meaning of Seitan? Also I have trawled my books and the web for Sadakiyo but can only find Echigo Kuni Ju Kamimure Sadakiyo, this being in the Showa oshigata database but unfortunately this is written is Grass/Soshu script? Does anyone have any additional info on this smith? Many thanks Mark

Hi Franco and Brian, Thanks for that, just I'd never seen one before. I'll put a sharp knife in it and give it to the wife to peel vegatables with :lol: Kind regards mark

Hi all, Picked up this Kozuka a while back and noticed that it's the same on both sides Has anyone seen anything like it before ? I think someone has soldered two fronts together. Opinions/ideas anyone. Many thanks for your help regards mark

Hi, I'll have a go at the mei. Ishido Teruhide Saku. Sloughs page 171 Regards Mark

Hi Mike, Thanks for that. I did forget to mention that the turnback at the boshi is a long one, it returns an 1 1/2" past the yokote. Again, thanks Mark

Hi Everyone, Just picked up this Wakizashi and would like some help on it. Nagasa=14" Width at yokote = 15/16" width at machi = 1 1/8" kissaki = O kissaki (2. 1/2") nakago = 4 1/4" nakagojiri = ha agari kurijiri hada =mokume/itame mix hamon = possibly koshi-no-hiraita midare? The person I got it from said that he thinks it is Echizen Shimosaka school work. Any thoughts greatly appreciated. many thanks regards mark

Hi all, Many thanks for the info. Its a shame its in such a poor state, I will keep it as an example of what could have been Again, thanks regards mark

Hi all, Picked up this rather poor looking tsuba at the weekend, Any thoughts? Many thanks Mark