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johnb

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Everything posted by johnb

  1. I've opened a window any everything has become completely academic. No temperline at all! I haven't gone through enough stones to see if there is any grain. Dissapointet ment has caused the tape measure to stay in the drawer. Sorry. Could this have been a non functioning "filler Sword" for presentation? The rust is far shallower than it looks and I suspect that the core steel would have bee well covered assuming there is a core to this little beast. I have attached more pics. Two more pics in the next post
  2. How polite! I would have said positively clunky!
  3. About 3 months ago I'd bought 4 very rusty katana from a funny little shop in Ciputat Raya, the street in Jakarta where all the antique shops are. It's run by a funny old chinese guy and he is very tough to bargain with. Just going off at a tangent for a moment, everyone would love this shop. It's an Aladin's cave. Old Dutch lamps, Chinese pottery and ceramics, in fact you could spend a whole weekend there and still not check out everything. It's a bit of a haunt for Kris collectors as he constantly has a huge supply. Anyway! The sword I'd left behind had gone, but he did have this one...any info as always, is much appreciated. It's signed tachimei and badly photographed (As always) on my arrival home from work about an hour ago. Thanks gentlemen (in anticipation). John B
  4. johnb

    Shirasaya - repair

    I spent some years working part time as a quitar maker and repairer, a lot of the things I have learnt can be applied to our particular past time. The main issue is, is the shirasaya splitting into it's two halves or is it developing a crack? If it's splitting into it's two halves then the idea of warm water worked into the opening to soften the rice glue is a really good idea, assuming that you can squeeze the opening together by hand. A good way to clamp the joint while it dries is to bind that saya with electrical tape as the elasticity of the tape will exert the required pressure. The trick here is to buy good quality tape and to use it upside down. In other words sticky side up. This means no residue from the adhesive is left on the shirasaya. If the rice glue is beyond redemption then a kids PVA craft glue is a good subsitute. Craft glue is good as it is nothing like as strong as the handyman/carpentery stuff and it will still soften with water should you need to split the saya at a later date. If the opening is small then working some warm water into the opening prior to rubbing the glue in with your finger works really well. On the other hand. for permanent repairs you can't go past super glue. The great thing is that if you can squeeze the crack shut you only need to hold it closed for a couple of minutes while the glue goes off...My policy with glue in all cases is... less is more. Don't over do it coz a little glue goes a long way. Hope this helps. Oh, for my gluing credentials I have attached images of a vintage guitar that I have just removed, re-set and replaced the neck and finger board on. (The white line on the heel is a reflection not a crack).
  5. Further to my previous post and in answer to Darcy's inquirey re progress on this sword. I spoke to Bob in Hawaii re a polish and a paper, I also sent him the images. I've not heard back as yet but will follow up later this week if needs be. In the meantime I have attached one more image that gives a little more indication of the activity that is appearing in the window. Darcy, I'm not sure whether this helps you with a possible id. Thanks Johnb
  6. Hi Darcy, I've spoken to Bob and sent him the images also sent them to Mishina sensei who agreed the sword would look very beautiful polished. I'm waiting to hear back from Bob, and then I'll make a decision. All depends on the cost. Thanks very much for the advice. It's much appreciated, I will keep you up to date with the progress.
  7. Just got this one on ebay. I couldn't resist it...pretty big too...82 mm.
  8. johnb

    double kozuka

    Depending on how they are manufactured, it is possible to file one side of these cutlery handles flat. Then you end up with a kodzuka handle.
  9. Sorry Chaps...one more. John B
  10. the last 2 pics
  11. this one measures 77cms to the mune machi an 22cms for the nagako. Choji with loads of sunagashi activity up near the yokote. The signature looks like the same hand as the tachi signed kunikiyo on page 101 of Kanzan Sato's "The Japanese sword". I don't think for a moment that it is the same hand, so I'm pretty sure it's gimei...But then again.....Any thoughts on this one, as always, would be much appreciated. Not a recent find...this one's been in the cupboard for a couple of years. Again I'll have to put the last two picks on a reply. Thanks John B
  12. This is very exciting Darcy, $600 well spent! The Jihada is very tight from what I can see of it and yes there are lots of ittle chikei that you can pick up in the right light that aren't showing in the pics. I will get in touch with the polishers you have reccomended. Thank you so much for you help and advice. John B Do you think the Shinto sword I posted earlier is worth a polish and a paper?
  13. HOW NICE THIS IS!!! Darcy, thank you for the offer but this is one of those things you hope for when scurrying around looking everywhere for swords...and that is that something nice turns up. It came out of Manado and was brought to my office buy a guy that had heard I was looking for swords. He's on the hunt for more. Let's hope the next one is as good. It's not mitsumune, just the light doing that. The similarity to the Omiya Morikage is much more evident when you see the sword in the flesh and you can see what I can't seem to photograph. Where should I send it and how much is it going to cost me is the next question? Any indication of it's value would be appreciated.
  14. More on the sword from asia... more pics and more data...sorry Jean not quite the sheet you hoped for. As I said it turned up in high quality military mounts with a full wrap tsuka and a very nice silver mon. I have very carefully opened up a small window, but not as open as I'm sure you'd all like. Hopefully enough to give more of a clue...again crap pics. It's 66 cms to the mune-machi and the nagako is 18.3 cms. Looking closer at the nagako I reckon it was originally 77 cms which puts the second mekugi ana in a strange spot. Maybe it's been shortened twice. The the motokasane is 6 cms and goes to 5. It's 7 cms where I reckon the original habaki may have been. The question is...leave it as it is or is it worth spending money on? Thanks Chaps. I'll have to ad the last two pics in the following post...they won't load
  15. johnb

    Shinto Katana

    Thanks Rich. Looks like it may even be original to the sword! I had a beer with Ross Tinney the other evening and Ron Sammual from Couch...do you know him too?
  16. johnb

    Shinto Katana

    I'm with you on that Jean...although I wonder whether the kissaki is a little short? Hard to see in my crap pic. Although it may well have lost the tip and been reshaped. With regard to the jelousy(and I'm sorry to rub it in)... this other one cost $650 just this week.. It's straight from Sumatra. It's the hunt I love. It's a real buzz turning up something interesting where you least expect to find it. My best one was 4 years ago when I initially got interested in Nihonto and it was an ebay purchase. It was a "Japanese Officers Sword with Aeroscreen handle" It had had the tsuka replaced by plastic from an airplane which was bolted in place. The tsuba and all the seppa fuchi were in place and the coroded aluminium saya had all the pieces. No one was much interested and I got it for 125 bucks...once the bolt holding the perspex in place was drilled out, I found myself with a very nice Ishido Teruhide. I'll post pic if anyones interested.
  17. johnb

    Shinto Katana

    The other 2 pics
  18. johnb

    Shinto Katana

    My wife hates me. No matter where we go I always manage to find swords. This one while on holiday in England and around 600 bucks. It's a little neglected but seems very original. The tsuba which I really like, is signed as you can see and pretty big. The saya is very nice with mon embossed into the urushi. The blade is Mumei and very badly photographed! The tang has Sujukai Yasurime and very deep brown rust. Shinto?? As always your opinions would be much appreciated. Ill add the last 2 picks in another post...they don't seem to load John B
  19. actually there's a product called plumb brown. It's used to repatinate old guns. Best experimented with before applying to anything of real value.
  20. Oh...and sorry Darcy...I think this one's a keeper. Actually, I hate selling any of them!
  21. As always fast and informed respones. ANd much appreciated thank you gentlemen. I was pretty sure i was koto but somewhat loath to say...in case I was wrong. The rust is much older than it looks in the photo and the sword just has a nice, quality feel to it. I bought a shinto piece in the UK a month or so ago and that also has an air of quality to it. I'm starting to realize that there is something that says "I'm a good sword" no matter what the condition and it's really hard to put you finger on what it is.
  22. Having moved to Indonesia recently I thought the sword hunting would have to stop. I've now turned up 5 swords...this is the latest. It's in very tired Military mounts wih all the seppa and tsubu made to fit the bo hi, it has a full wrap on the tsuka and there is a silver orange tree mon. The blade is now 68cms and unsigned, perhaps lost when the blade was shortned. Any ideas on the blade would be much appreciated. Thanks John B
  23. johnb

    Don't get casual!

    Cutting test!!!! Brilliant idea. Who do you suggest I get put it on the Nakago?
  24. johnb

    Don't get casual!

    Don't worry Brandon, I cleaned it thoroughly before going to the hospital!!
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