Gerry

I guess it's a way of gimei-proofing your work too.

Glad to help, but be forewarned...it's a slippery slope!

This is something you don't see every day...a mei carved in mirror writing. https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1142375874

My 2 cents, top to bottom: 1. Kotetsu 2. Magoroku Kanemoto 3. Ikkansai Shigetsugu 4. Muramasa 5. Masamune 6. Rai Kunitoshi

Sorry, my bad...I meant Jauce only ships to addresses outside Japan. They don't ship to addresses inside Japan.

Unfortunately, they still collected on the sales tax from stores that charged it, even though I clarified with Jauce that the sword was shipping to the US. Another thing to consider with auctions that state the 10% sales tax requirement.

Yes, Jauce is a good proxy service to use for Yahoo Auction listings in Japan. Just tack on an additional 20% on top of the winning bid price. I've bought a total of 7 swords using their services. Always prompt on responses. One note though, they only ship to addresses outside Japan. You can't ship a sword to a local sword dealer in Japan for shinsa or koshirae services, nor can you pick up the swords in person. I guess they want to make $$$ on the shipping services.

I've always wondered...how do dealers put blades into koshirae made for another blade? I don't think they can just stuff the nakago into an existing tsuka, and stuff a blade into an existing saya with a different length/sori?

Now, now...let's keep this a family friendly forum.

There's a shinken for sale on Yahoo auctions that has what is seems to be a double length habaki. Has anyone seen anything like this before? I wonder what's the advantage of having a longer habaki? https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1148573473

If you're still in the market for a daisho to go with your katana, this set has nice koshirae at a reasonable price. https://www.toukenko...&katana_A050123.html

"I'm not looking to start an extensive collection" Famous last words.

I sometimes see blades with a hamon that is very unique, almost acid etched; example below: My question is...it looks like the hada is especially pronounced on a blade like this, so is it due to the way the polish was done, or is it because the hada is especially coarse?

Matt, Thanks for sharing the post of the discussion with Chris Bowen, and it was very informative. It's a little unusual that this particular Nobutake blade seems to have a suguha hamon, which is uncharacteristic for Kuniie.

More photos for you.

Hi Bruce, The blade isn't in good shape, and thanks for the interesting link to more information about the RJTs.

Came across a gunto for sale with this signature for the Tokyo 1st Army, with a star stamp. Has anyone seen a similar star stamped tang before?

I've been experiencing an average wait of 6 weeks for my last 6 swords out of Japan since March.

I agree with you on that...kirikomi marks on the mune or shinogi do add to the character of the blade. This sword has quite a few kirikomi marks, but then I'm wondering if unscrupulous sellers add those too since they know it's an attractive quality. https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1124491895

That's a good point, although I how they would prove to the shinsa panel that the chip was from kirikomi. But ouch if the chip was made after the sword got papers! it went for 800,001 yen. Here's another auction for a very nice blade by the same smith, and I'm sure it'll go for much, much higher. https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1145523632

This is an interesting one... A 1st gen Tadayoshi with a big chip almost through the hamon, and yet is has TH papers, and it's going for a pretty high price. https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1145416948# I didn't realize swords with such big chips could get TH.

Correct. You sign up with Jauce, and they bid and handle the product for you all through shipping out the sword to you. The surcharges from Jauce are as follow: 1. 4% Paypal fee when transferring money into your wallent to bid. 2. 8% auction winning fee 3. Shipping fee from seller to Jauce. 4. Shipping fee from Jauce to you. For me in the US, it was about 18,000 yen, inclusive of premium insurance on EMS shipping. 5. 20,000 export customs fee if you're buying a sword. So the total pretty much comes out to about 20+% or so over your bid price.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1145956282 This might be an interesting sword to own if someone's up for a polishing project.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1144758520 For those interested in getting a a gunto in wakizashi sized koshirae.