Corry Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 I am thinking about getting this sword. I have heard showa22 getting mixed reviews. Any thoughts on this sword (is it put together etc)/what a fair price would be? Thanks again. Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/351909206969 Quote
ggil Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 Very nice looking and quite a large looking katana. What isn't to love about it? 80 year old polish still going strong (a guess based on UBUBA, but this may have had other polishes just not significant enough to have needed to grind deeply at the lower edge). No idea on the value, but we will know in a day or so when it sells. In my experience this seller has decent to good items. They do sell much showa era items, and this can be a minefield as you may never know for sure how traditionally made the piece is. I won an auction from this seller a long time ago, and then in communication the seller couldn't/wouldn't state whether the piece was traditionally forged or not. I balked and they refunded immediately (hadn't shipped yet). I'm a bad buyer or they are a decent seller, or some combination of the 2. I really haven't heard or cant recall hearing too many bad things about this seller. Quote
Grey Doffin Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 Hi Grant, How do you know this is an old, war time polish and not something done yesterday? The seller says in polish but doesn't specify when the polish happened. Grey 1 Quote
ggil Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 seller states ububa, so I thought the polish was original. I will amend my statement above to reflect that UBUBA means unsharpened lower edge, but not necessarily the FIRST polish. Thanks Grey! Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 On 11/22/2016 at 8:26 PM, ggil said: seller states ububa, so I thought the polish was original. I will amend my statement above to reflect that UBUBA means unsharpened lower edge, but not necessarily the FIRST polish. Thanks Grey! Ok, hate to be one of those guys who takes a thread off in another direction BUT: I've got a Type 95 with an edge that feels like it was never sharpened. Since you've brought it up - is this normal? I simply wrote it off to human error, so many swords to polish, sharpen, etc. Quote
BANGBANGSAN Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 On 11/22/2016 at 6:24 PM, Corry said: I am thinking about getting this sword. I have heard showa22 getting mixed reviews. Any thoughts on this sword (is it put together etc)/what a fair price would be? Thanks again. Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/351909206969 Corry Showa 22 sold alot of guntos.NAGAMITUS Sword normally runs about $1800 or more. Trystan 2 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 On 11/22/2016 at 6:24 PM, Corry said: I am thinking about getting this sword. I have heard showa22 getting mixed reviews. Any thoughts on this sword (is it put together etc)/what a fair price would be? Thanks again. Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/351909206969 Corry, that's a beautiful gunto. $1,000 is a minor-steal for that! 1 Quote
ggil Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 Bruce my man, to not sharpen the lower few inches of a blade is standard operating procedure since shinshinto (the only ones left in the first polish). This is the easiest kantei point: if the whole blade isn't sharp its shinshinto or later! I think if the whole thing isn't sharp we are talking about too much sake, just like you imagined 1 Quote
seattle1 Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 Hello: The term "ubu-ba, which literally appears to mean an original ha, can be an unintentionally misleading term. Don't take it to necessarily mean that when present that the blade has only been polished once as if a second polish is required the area our attention is drawn to, just above the habaki, might have ubu-ba left if the togi-shi does not need to remove metal all the way to the hamachi. A blade that has been only slightly corroded or rusted may retain ubu-ba after several togi. Further on some old and perhaps fragile blades one will sometimes see ubu-ba that most certainly is not original but reinstated by the togi-shi, perhaps to avoid chipping when a new habaki is made. Arnold F. 4 Quote
Corry Posted November 22, 2016 Author Report Posted November 22, 2016 Thanks for all your replies. Bruce, $1000 would be a steal! I think it will go up quite a bit near auction end. Quote
Daniel Posted November 23, 2016 Report Posted November 23, 2016 A new polish is expensive. The pics are aren't exactly high resolution but have a look at photo No. five and six. Also please contact the seller with the usual questions. Are there any flaws I should be aware of, Do you know who polished the blade etcetera. Oops, if you placed any bids they are withdrawn and you're blocked. So if you're not a VERY experienced buyer stay away. I advice you to keep an eye at the for sale section on this very board instead. If not finding what you're after well just post your own WTB ad. Wish you a good hunt! Kind Regards Daniel Quote
Corry Posted November 24, 2016 Author Report Posted November 24, 2016 On 11/22/2016 at 8:45 PM, Bruce Pennington said: Corry, that's a beautiful gunto. $1,000 is a minor-steal for that! Bruce, it sold for $2500..about $500 more than I was willing to spend on this sword..I think I will check out the for sale section here, where I don't have to be as concerned about reproductions..but I will still do my due dillegance (sp?). 1 Quote
BANGBANGSAN Posted November 24, 2016 Report Posted November 24, 2016 On 11/24/2016 at 5:11 AM, Corry said: Bruce, it sold for $2500..about $500 more than I was willing to spend on this sword..I think I will check out the for sale section here, where I don't have to be as concerned about reproductions..but I will still do my due dillegance (sp?). Corry I've told you it will sold for $1800 or more.But $2500 is little high though. Trystan 1 Quote
ggil Posted November 24, 2016 Report Posted November 24, 2016 27.5" is on the longer side isn't it? Would that drive the price up? Quote
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