Yumso

Two perspectives, I think. Some would think they are just the caretakers of this era, therefore their job is to preserve the blade in the best condition for later peoples. Others would think nihonto is an art but also a weapon, limiting its usage only as an art would be bit of waste. I personally have always thought nihonto as an art AND a weapon, well due to my historical reasons, so I do understand your point. If nihonto is only seen as an art shouldn't fancy shinto or shinshinto have much more value then how they are seen as then now? A weapon, that was made to harm people. An icon, that was made to show gratitude and promise for another. An art, that was made to study and appreciate its form. And a pride, that was made to show one swordsmith's lifetime earned skill. These are all shades of nihonto. If one is going to use it properly(not as a some kind of a joke) I'd say sure why not? The choice is yours. Just remember koto is likely to be weaker than nowaday's steel blades.

Nah, usually it's just a simple wooden tsuba. That's probably for decoration.

Wish I could go to Birmingham Arms Fair one day. They look so great!

$95? Maybe I would try. I don't think $95 is too expensive for about 2 months of joy that I would get from participating the auction and waiting for it. It's not like I won't spend my money at weird things even if I don't buy this one afterall.. But I do think hi near the habaki is too wide. Also, I would think the gamble as success if that is NOT a WW2 sword. Too short for it.

I think it's the cotton gin. You put the cotton ball inside, and it seperates the seed. Inside I believe they are doing the cleaning progress. Cotton ball itself isn't that soft and clean when you first pick from the plant. Maybe you could search something like "traditional cotton yarn making" at Youtube.

https://iidakoendo.com/3140/ https://wakeidou.com/pages/624/ Found 2 sites, think the first one gives better info about the swordsmith himself.

Type : 刀 -> Katana Length : 六四.三cm -> 64.3cm Sori : 一.六cm -> 1.6cm Mekugi-ana : 弍 -> 2 Mei : 無名 -> Mumei There's something written under Mumei but I can't really read it.. Omote zaya?

I believe it's just plainly written "We certificate this tanto, attributed to <Kanemasu(兼倍)>." No gimei mentioned. Don't know why the seller listed that blade as Kanenobu(兼信)'s work though.

二百十一 -> 211 To translate 本 correctly I'll need to know what item this is. Meaning is similiar to "pieces," like 五本 -> 5 books or 筆二本 -> 2 brushes.

Read from right to left, 第二千八百七十三号 -> No. 2873 コクラケン -> Kokuraken https://aucview.com/yahoo/j1140802752/ Here, this rifle also had similiar number to yours.

Well hwando and nihonto does look similiar(both countries have wrote something like "Yeah, Japan's / Korea's sword look similiar to ours" in their history)... but crude katana is just a crude katana. The term "hwando" was actually meant "single edged blade" in Joseon dynasty, just like the term "nihonto" itself means "Japan's sword." For hwandos before Goryeo dynasty we don't have enough relics left, so I'll just pick differences between Joseon dynasty hwando. These are some differences: - Yokote : Hwando doesn't have one. If the sword has yokote but is labeled hwando it highly means that hwando re-used nihonto blade. - Hamon : Both has hamon, but hamon itself wasn't real important in Korea. If the blade emphasizes hamon, that would likely be nihonto(or nihonto replica) than hwando. - Sori : You can't figure them with sori. - Tassel on tsuka : Many hwando had tassel on its tsuka for decoration. - Tsuba : Hwando doesn't have kogai or kozuka on its sheath. Therefore, hwando's tsuba also didn't have kogai-ana or kozuka-ana, normally just a plain plate or maybe one small hairpin hole. There were some hwando tsubas that imitated nihonto tsubas at late Joseon dynasty but still that hwando will not have kogai or kozuka. Also, this is not the significent difference but because of historical reasons hwando became shorter and narrower than nihonto during Joseon dynasty. Blade length is simliar to katana but weight is bit lighter.

Alex you're right. It is indeed a seppa. Why was I thinking that as somekind of real thin & weird looking tsuba?

Found these two tsubas at some site. I think they are both tachi tsubas that seem to be quite old but am not sure. Especially 2nd one's small hearts looks too perfect for me... is it punched? What do you think? Edo-peroid made? Chinese replica?

Did bit of search and still got no clue. Can anyone help me figure if this is Edo or post-Edo work?

The shape seems like the head of naginata. Too thin to be 협도 or 월도.