To Restore Or Not

[PhoenixDude]

I have a nice kozuka with some of the shakudo patina on the side worn away.

I would like to submit it for shinsa, should I have it repatinated or leave it be?

[nagamaki - Franco]

[peterd]

Need to see it to give an opinion 

[PhoenixDude]

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

From what can be seen so far I would lean towards saying yes. Better images might bring a more definitive reply. Whichever way this goes, if restoring I would not mess around with amateurs, go with a true professional like Brian Tschernega or Ford Hallam. 

 

The shakudo looks to be of good quality, given time it could come back to some degree.

[Stephen]

IMHO   shinsa teams wont kick it because of patina loss, its the workmanship judged. 

[DirkO]

Shinsa team can fail it if they notice it has been tampered with, even if the workmanship is there. I'm not saying they always do, but it's their way of saying 'it's been tampered with too heavily'. Shinsa isn't as black and white as we would like, sometimes a pink slip provides a learning opportunity.

[PhoenixDude]

So long story short leave it alone

[Ford Hallam]

The only way a restored patina on shakudo can be detected is if the pre-clean/polish of the worn area is not carried out sensitively. The most common mistake I see in this respect is a too hard or shiny polish that is at odds with the soft and subtly aged old surface.

[TheGermanBastard]

This post makes no sense without any images.

 

So the only valid and accurate reply you can get to your question is: I do not know

[TheGermanBastard]

Ah I see images have been added ...

 

Why would you want to get it papered?

 

You asked me about one of my tsubas sometime ago if it had a paper ...

 

Unless you have some really good Kodugu it makes NO sense getting it papered.

 

You see 50 bucks Tsubas with papers priced at USD 300.00 ... Adding a 250 bucks paper does not increase the value on a lower pile piece.

[vajo]

I agree with luis. I have many very high quality tsuba. None of my tsuba is papered. Why is a paper so important for some collectors.

[TheGermanBastard]

I agree with luis. I have many very high quality tsuba. None of my tsuba is papered. Why is a paper so important for some collectors.

 

I do not know.

 

A paper is good if it servers as a mean of authentication when wanting to sell something. Juyo is again special.

 

If you just want to get an oppinion you can also post it here or bring it to a club, a show whatever ... there are some really good folks out there whp can give a good oppinion free of charge.

 

If you think you got the next Masamune, Kotetsu or Kyomara it is worth the effort for sure. If you just want to believe you have a Masamune you better avoid the Shinsa

 

Now I do not wish to start a debate on Shinsas and organisation versus organisation. Everyone has too choose his own bible / church.

 

But what often annoys me is that while the NBTHK is just the industry standard the papers do contain so little information unless you get to Juyo.

 

Often there will be just a name ... no generation, no school, no nothing. Yes, if you can not for sure pin it down for sure you don't write it down either. This is logical. A paper should only contain information that can be verified NOT falsified.

 

BUT  often you have lets say 10 generations of Kinmichi or whatever. So if you are lucky there is a remark to the Shodei or Nidei ... but if you are not it just says Kinmichi. So the guy who wants to buy into a paper will ask what generation and you have to say I don't know. That sucks and is a dead road.

 

I like the NTHK approach much better here. What I like the least is when I play smart, subkitt it to both ... get two totally different attributions but BOTH suck. I do want a 3rd organization or even more that I can try until I like the oppinion ... just kidding.

 

The NBTHK is registered as a none profit organisation but people paper for profit at cost. This is somewhat a contradiction. Especially for Westeners this is a problem as the home of the Japanese sword is one of the most swordphobian nations. I'm speaking of the police registration. All my Japanese friends are fully uneager to spend their day at the police registering my junk. So I do not ask them to but have to use an agent. Hozon will in the end cost me around USD 600.00 ....so if we have our common medicore blade that is very nice and enjoyable you better do with your wives full understanding by taking her out for dinner or on holidays rather to argue you need to spend 600 bucks on a paper.

 

Sorry for the offtopic and back to the topic:

 

@ Bulletsprinkler: When you had inquired about one of my low cost Mumei tsuba asking if there was a paper I said NO there isn't but that I can happily add one of your choice at USD 250.00 extra- almost doubling the Tsuba price. That was the last time I had heared from you and you no longer cared to respond to my othe rmessages.

 

So maybe this should tell you something about the effect of adding papers to low cost Kodugu and thus "increasing" their value (= price tag) .. teh cost has driven you away.

 

So if you want to keep that Kozuka will it get any sexier when you have a paper? I don't think so. When wanting to sell it, do you think it will get picked up easier at adding 250 bucks on the price tag - wich buys you a quite nice Kozuka these days. I take the Kozuka then, not the paper.

 

So unless you have some great Goto stuff or an early Koto Tsuba it is just burning money in most cases.

[TheGermanBastard]

I agree with luis. I have many very high quality tsuba. None of my tsuba is papered. Why is a paper so important for some collectors.

 

... and those Tsuba do not get any better by adding a paper just more expensive. They are allready great.

[nagamaki - Franco]

1. this kozuka is signed, no? So start there, who is this maker, does mei look valid?

 

2. this may help you decide on restoration.

 

3. shinsa in u.s.a. is far less expensive, no need to send to Japan, especially a signed piece.