Hector_A

I came across this blade today, thinking of saving/buying it. Would love some info on the smith, the blade is in a terrible state. Owner cleaned it with metal polish...... Thank you !

I'm in need of some nice sword bag's. So my idea is to buy a couple of used kimono's in Japan and turn them into sword bag's. Anybody who has some experiance with this ? Thank you,

Nara kozuka arrived unharmed this morning, Nice and well made kozuka, very happy to be the new owner.

I think it has more to do with a reaction on the previous elaborate koshirae style, tensho koshirae made as simple as possible.

Thank you Guido, your knowledge is impressive. Any info on how it is done, i would love to have a tsuka made like that.

This is a picture of tsukamaki where the menuki are replaced with knots. Does anyone know what type of tsukamaki this is and how it is done ? Merci.

I own these but i have no info on them, i just suspect they are pre 1800 Anybody more knowledgeable here who can tell me something more about them ? Thank you, Hector

I own a pre ww2 kai gunto with a rayskin coverd saya. The rayskin is getting very dry, with leather i would feed it slowely with saddle soap. But before trying that out, i though maybe somebody here can give me some tips on rayskin maintenance. Thank you, Regards, Hector

Thank you all for your reply's, very helpful.

I'm very curious if the inscription has any meaning, the characters look very weird. Only got the picture of the nakago, i'm still waiting for pictures of the blade. Thank you for looking and translating.

Super, thank you 1982 seems more likely

Thank you for your effort, is there a date ?

I would love to know what is written on this nakago. Thanks in advance.

Thank 4 your replies, i do not feel ripped for 40 bucks and i learned something. Starting to look out for a real one now

I just bought this arrow dart thing, probably an uchine for 40USD. It was a bit of an impulsive buy and i know absolutely nothing about these. Some comments would be welcome. Age, use, etc... Thank you

First time i've seen a hada like this but it makes me think of something i read. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/diary.html The first article talks about Aoe's spotted steel or namazu-hada (a rough jinie steel and a fine jinie steel appears as a spotted surface) no pics to compare Just an idea, Hector

I recently bought my first fuchi/kashira from aoi art. Are these big enough for a katana mount ? It fits the nakago nicely but is it big enough for katana tsuka ? Fuchi 3.88 cm x 2.06 cm x 1.01 cm (1.52" x 0.81" x 0.39") Kashira 3.43 cm x 1.61 cm x 0.62 cm (1.35" x 0.63" x 0.24") pictures enclosed made by seller. Thanks, Hector

I bought the sword basically for being kai gunto. It is very difficult to find navy swords in Europe. When i first recieved the sword i was surprised how beefy and well shaped it was. When researching the signature i read somewhere from a google search that Kunimori blades were not made by Miyaguchi, only signed by him. They where made in bulk by a smith named Mitsukoshi Hiromasa, with western steel. On a Dutch forum i found that a sword with Kunimori mei was refused during a shinsa in Chicago with Yoshikawa Kentaro from NTHK. (approx 1970) There the confusion started I found the signature in "An Oshigata Book of Modern Japanese Swordsmiths 1868-1945" by John Sloughs. Also via google. Unfortunately i do not own the book. Hector

Some pics of the nakago and mei, and one of the blade Thanks for the quick reply, Hector

As a new member i would like to say hi to all fellow members. I recently bought a navy gunto signed "Miyaguchi Kunimori Saku Kore Wo". There are two "Kunimori" signatures, one Miyaguchi and one Ikkansai. Are both made with western steel by another smith and signed by Miyaguchi Shigeru ? Attached pic is made by the seller of the blade, it is a very nicely shaped sword with a choi hamon and a very nice kai gunto koshirae. Thank you