machinist

Ebay always has some fine bargains, like this "tanto" http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT Disclaimer: Not to be taken seriously.

You can look at this (http://www.Japanese-swords.com/) site for some info on prices, I have never dealt with this fellow and I am not very knowledgeable about these things. I think it is safe to say you may pay more restoring this than you may get back unless your blade is very valuable and then it should go to a higher grade polisher. There is a strong belief on this site that you should spend your first thousand dollars on books before buying a sword, I did not do that but I lurk this site and several other and search out on line dealers to get a small idea of what is going on and think you will be happier if you save your money until you find one that is all polished up and mounted as you like it. Edit to add Polishing is a serious endeavor so you should get better opinions than mine and show your blade in person to knowledgeable people so you do not send a great blade to a cheap polisher or otherwise waste your money. Mostly just lurk more.

I think this would be a good candidate for sending to Japan for a body cutting test. $20 says three through the hips Donald Edit- (This post is only presented as humorous content and in no way represents the opinion's, policy's or practice's of Nihonto Message Board, the nihonto collecting community or the Emperor of Japan and his mighty Diamyo. Do not cut yourself or others to test a sword. If this had been an actual practice, hippies would already be protesting. Thank you.)

That ebay page says it was listed under the category of "teapots", I wonder if that is why it got one bid. Nice deal. Donald

That is not a sword, it is a spoon. I expected the opposite side to be convex. Pretty though. Donald

Dedication to doing your best and a real master apprentice system so that a craftsman had centuries of accumulated knowledge in his background and did not spend so much time reinventing the basics. Starting the worker off early and not waiting until he is in his twenties before he has saw and chisel in his hand, and even though there is a lot of variety on the surface there is a good basic orthodoxy underlying it as a foundation. I make parts that go into atomic force microscopes and when I look at the work these fellows did I am humbled and inspired to do better.

You want impractical? Try swinging a katana inside the house if you want impractical. All your paper walls and precious art work ruined. Smashed tea sets everywhere. Also I have heard that in some periods long swords were allowed only to samurai but merchants could carry wakizashi. Donald

Nice pics, I enjoyed looking. Donald

Missed a spot. Nah, just jokin'. It is good that you brought it back to beautiful. Donald

Thanks for your help everybody, I think I may let this one slide by me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT So, I am totally untutored about such things, is this an actual weapon or just a display/parade piece? Thanks for any opinions.