Jim P

Hi Eric, Mark,( my thinking is: the sword passed Juyo so it is Juyo) how can it be? the NBTHK will not stand by it. As is probable if it could they would do it. (the dealer) I am not just speaking about this sword you are seeing swords that are billed as juyo but are not seen as such by the NBTHK if they did they would back the paper they issued ? what do some of the members think do we need a new Shinsa standard the X Juyo :lol:I tried not to mention the dealer but Someone picked it up and put it on the board it make it a lot harder to speak about a sword when its on hold no one like to s**t-can Someone’s else’s buy its interesting to see how people still see the old papers as valid but the NBTHK in many cases will probably not pass them now? It’s probable that a lot of people have blades with old papers and don’t wont to think that their sword may not make it now so its a touchy subject thanks Jim

Hi mark, The problem is the sword will probably not pass now if the standards have changed is it still a juyo sword ? As its being listed as such thanks jim

Hi all, So the question becomes do the old papers have worth? maybe one of the more knowledgeable members can help ? thanks Jim :D

Hi Eric, Thanks I did not pick up on, the paper indicates a nagasa: 2 shaku - 3 sun - 2 bu = 70.3 cm, on Aoi's site are indicated 70.89 cm. but I think if it was possible (Zufu is not complicated to get, I suppose, for they are all recorded in the Juyo Token Nado Zufu register. ) Like a good friend informed me NBTHK is up the road from Aoi's they would have done it ? thanks jim :D

Hi all, I came across a page that had 2 Juyo listed swords, that had their papers lost ) Can someone tell me, if the papers are lost is the only way to get Juyo papers is To resubmit it ? this sword had passed (the 13th NBTHK Juyo Token) but the(Juyo paper has been lost, and so this blade has Juyo Shomeisho paper and copy of Zufu) only now I know that NBTHK will not OK old papers so where is the middle ground ? as we all Know the papers add much to the price. It seems strange that we have X Juyo swords that the NBTHK now say no to ?thanks. Jim

Hi mark. Its amazing that Colin makes a regular trip to Sydney to change the display, but lives in Melbourne ? Please keep us informed as to how its going in Sydney, and maybe someone in Melbourne will take note. It give all of us hope as you noted it is exceptionally popular. :D Regards Jim

Hi Chishiki I too have come to believe that presenting them as art is the only was to save them. Do you know if there is a prospect of the exhibition coming to Melbourne some day ? There must be collectors in Melbourne who would support a exhibition as a lot us don't get to see a lot of good swords up close. Not just photos,also just to clarify when you are speaking about Art level certificates issued to swords, you mean NBTHK type papers ? A lot of the time It seems that price makes people have a look then move on to the fact its art. Bravo to all,you have achieved much At some point I hope to see it thank you Jim :D

Hi George The "new breed" of curator is also in Melbourne as a boy I was captivated by the Arms and Armour Collection its also gone I would have thought the right thing to do is to show ALL the Museum Collections by rotation I remember one of the swords on display was donated to the Museum they must be turning in their graves its sad that people will not get the chance to see what the past was like this is the age of the selective Museum it shows only what is politically correct Jim

Hi Ken :D Thank you for this link ( http://www.arscives.com/bladesign/swordphotography.htm) very good article it gives some of the basics, now all we need is a bit more on the closeups of hada and hamon .One of the best hints he gave is (Katanas have very reflective surfaces, both in the blade and in the saya. The steel tends to reflect light evenly if not directed in a proper angle so that it is illuminated yet it does NOT bounce the light back into the camera) and ken I will try (stretch stocking or pantyhose material over the end of the light box so that I don't get those harsh streaks from the light-source) with a tungsten light source that's one type of light I have not tried so we have tungsten,fluorescent,incandescent and LEDs which is the best for closeups? the photos that I was experimenting with had 2 different types of lighting the ones that have a gray look I used a led type torch and the others incandescent but LEDs maybe a better source because (leds will not yield high CRI (color rendering index values) and less color in the closeups of hada and hamon maybe a good thing. Keep Well Jim

Hi James! thank you for your thoughts Its funny how we all see things differently I thought 1 and 2 showed more detail in the hamon so I was leaning to the grayer ones over the brighter ones what do some of the other members think ? and to Malcolm thanks, and a big thanks to the members (you know who you are :D ) that have taken the time to help me in my quest for the best photos thank you jim

Hi peter, :| It’s not that easy to send to Japan I don’t know if you have done biz with Japan in the last few months but it’s getting hard to ship swords I just had to wait just under 3 months for a sword because you can no longer ship by air(maybe still a few?) I tried a lot of the shipping co,s and japans just as bad Then say 3 or 4 monthsif you are lucky to have it polished and on top of that we have customs Japan and aust, and if you live in Melbourne Customs want to see a exemption from vic police to import it back in if you live in Melbourne (you need an exemption to own in vic) to go through all this it better be something special ? I hope it go's well for you jim :D

Hi amazing! to see such swords in oz fills me with pride well done! :D jim melbourne

Hi all! Wondering if you could help me with some experimenting I am trying with varying light and what is best for getting a good photo of a sword and the hamon and the different shades of gray and trying to bring them out in color photos and can someone tell me the type of photos ?that I am seeing at Japanese Dealers sites e.g the full length ones that you can zoom in on and see good shades of gray in the color photos are they taken with a camera or some sort of scan of the sword ? eg,as in using a scanner as it is important to me to understand what i am seeing in photos of swords for sale and how the photos are taken. I have some photos to show that I have taken and how can i make them better ? it seems that you either get better detail as in pic 1 or you get less as in pic 2 trying to pick up the polish but hard to get both and at some sites i am finding it hard to judge the polish from the pics this is my first try with a better camera and a big thank you for the help with my last post thanks Jim -Melbourne, Australia. sorry pic 4 has a bit of a fiber on the hamon

Hi all ! what do some of the members think of the chances of this changing in the future as the pool get smaller ? thanks, jim

Hi all, I was still a bit cloudy on it so a big thank you to Barry Hennick for this (For a shinto sword an orikeshi mei will mean that it cannot attain juyo status. I have never seen a Shinto blade with an altered tang getting juyo.There are so many to choose from that they can be picky.The Messageboard had it right - if an older blade by a high status smith yes it can get juyo and higher.) thanks jim

Hi I just had a email from someone saying just that and you are correct ! I will post the email as soon as i get the ok from the sender thank you. :| jim

Hi all, I did get a answer to this question tsuba is "Heianjyo" from Muromachi era. thank you jim

Hi all, thanks Dirk,I had a look a http://www.nihontocraft.com/Nihonto_Shi ... dards.html and after spending 2h looking at the posts on (NBTHK vs NTHK)and shinza I have learned a lot. I was trying to understand what the shinza team looks for in a Tokubetsu Hozon to Juyo sword and found out that you cannot define it like that, each shinza team will be different and as for Orikaeshi-mei its up to the shinza team on the day if its a factor in their judgment and Edo-period swords that are Orikaeshi-mei are not precluded from Juyo am I going in the right direction ? jim

Hi all Can I get some thoughts from members on, if a sword is Orikaeshi-mei, and it is well done, and has past one level shinza will it be much a consideration if you try for a higher level I tried a search but did not get much thanks Jim Sorry all, It was not explained well if a sword is say tokubetsu hozon how much of a consideration is Orikaeshi-mei in a Kanbun era sword compared to say a Koto Era sword in a shinza. thanks Guido,for your thoughts. thank you. Jim

thank you for your help, reverse has no text jim

also the back is the same (no signature) its on a katana thanks jim

hi mark will post better pics as soon as i get a chance sometimes its hard to get it just right

Hi all can someone help me with the age of this tsuba and the school or makers big thanks for all help Jim

Hi all would like some help with a inscription, I have a 1st gen Hizen Tadakuni with a Sayagaki on the shirasaya i know that the first part is his name but thats all i can work out as its was not a mei translation thought I would ask thank you Jim