moss

Jason, The first bidder is not the important one ,it is the final bidder The bargain bin is called that for a reason ,with the emphasis on Bin. You're keen for sure but need to slow down ,particularily if you bid then sweat it out ,hoping you lose I would really sweat when you are the only bidder,considering EBAY is an acronym for 'Every Bloke And You' Cheers Moss

Rey, Check out this site it will have all the information you are after and more. http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_002.htm Cheers Moss

A cheap polish :? And another will be lost. It would be better if you like it, to buy it,maintain it and just to leave it as it is. IMHO Cheers Moss

Thanks John, I thought I may have missed something somewhere. Looks to me like a ready made 'bring back'. Nice price if you can get it,for the seller that is! Cheers Moss

Gidday John, Are you talking about the 'dirk' featured on ebay?or another. Just it seems strange to have roman script on a ceremonial gift to somone about to forfeit his life for the Emperor. I guess stranger things have happened ,so maybe there is something to be learned from this after all. I felt it had hit a pretty high price even as a wartime souvenir. Then again to the buyer the price was obviously right. Cheers Moss

Hello all, That just translates to me as ...A fool and his money are easily parted. Or is it...engage finger before brain? Maybe there is a more eloquent member with the correct translation. Moss

Eric and all, In fairness to the seller they actually did answer the questions asked. Even down to saying the hard to bit read said "Made in Japan" So I guess this was bought by an "Antique Dealer" who will foist it off somewhere on to someone. I kindly offered $25 as I thought it woulds be a nice gift for a board member in the auction. So I will have to keep looking. Cheers Moss

Hello all, $491, someone out there certainly wanted this badly. Cheers Moss

Lee, Nice spotting , maybe our old guitar hero. Similar topics,similar style of writing........Hmmmm Cheers Moss

Richard, Good move. Moss

Jason, Eric and all, I guess it is a bargain compared to the chinese knockoff for $610. $200 sword from china. $20 Ebay fees give or take Few $ for a little packaging $610 selling price we can all do the math. All that is required is a swivel neck or eyes in the back of your head, rhino hide and no conscience. There are obviously enough fresh punters to keep the trade going. Shame the fakes get better, as I enjoy the really bad ones myself ,you know the ones that just are so bad they are laughable. Cheers Moss

Hello Richard and all, Does anyone know the seller below. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT Cheers Moss

Eric, They may post it up on military swords Hopefully it's not enough to put them off. Cheers Moss

Bruno, Did you get it? Moss

Gidday Eric, The term otsu is the transport officers version of the type 32 cavalry sword. Its longer brother is the ko. I'm not certain, but I think the Ko was made right up to wars end but of course I may and will stand corrected if I'm wrong. The chinese and nepalese also fake these. Revisited the type 95 ...No arsenal mark on the blade to begin with numbers upside down,and too big.Plus at that time of manufacture should not even have reached 100 000 let alone 800 000.The one in front of me is only in the mid 30 000's Same on the throat of the saya ,numbers wrong way up and too big. Rest of the stamping just looks wrong. I feel for the person who bought it,not a cheap lesson,but a lesson indeed. Cheers and hope you learned a bit or at least found it mildly entertaining. Moss

Jason , The first 2 just over $200. The type 95,the one I believe is a fake. $610. I will pull out my books tonight,if I'm right somebody just got reamed. The second one ,the Type 32 went around the right money but I'm bias I always have a soft spot for Otsu. Cheers Moss

Jason, All machine made blades,the last looks like a fake. The numbers from memory are too high ,pretty sure they didn't run into the 800 000's. And the arsenal stamps look dodgy. Cheers Moss

Mark, Was this a common occurance with vet's in the U.S?(Stamping) Can't say I've seen it here. The kanji on the other side of the blade? One would suspect a "bring back "produced to fill a demand ,even the aussies got into it with the jeep spring specials. Cheers Moss

Jason, Please don't bid on this! I know that is selfish, but it is all mine. You find all the good stuff ,you need to share the love around. Even the stamping is bad. Ask the seller a few questions and post them. Cheers Moss

Hello Franco and all, The motokasane measures 6.5 mm. The sakikasane measures 4.5mm Sorry about the boshi pictures,I hope you can see something in them? Many thanks Moss

Gidday Keith, I have done the Kanji for Faketana for you. He was from the chinese line of Crapitana so you were on the right track. The mei tells the story Ha Ha Excuse my primitive strokes. Cheers Moss

Hello Reinhard and Jamie, Sorry for the long delay but finally I have the measurements. Sori 12 mm Nagasa 660 mm Nakago 210 mm Mihaba 27 mm Kasane 5.5 mm Kissaki tip to yokote 30 mm I have tried to get a better shot of mei but it eludes me but added a couple more. Hope the info helps. Cheers Moss

Jason, This type of sword is called faketana. It is only slightly overpriced by $175. Some people will put anything up for the Ebay punters. I think you are beginning to recognise some of the rubbish. Thats good! Take the 1.5 hr drive, you will learn heaps from handling some real blades etc Cheers Moss

Alf, Have a look in the "How Too's" on the Index page of the message board. Your grasp of English seems pretty good and I suspect a sense of humour that is pretty good. Click on the link below to have a look Cheers Moss http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/seki.htm

Gidday Alf, Some photos would be great. Thats why we are all here....swords. Even though I'm told there is more to life than that,I'm a non believer. Rockstar Ha Ha that is a chain of hairdressers I believe. Cheers Moss