some sword humour

[b.hennick]

Japanese sword expressions heard at sword shows and in chats among collectors.

A little attempt as sword humour by Barry Hennick

Here are 10 things that I have heard at shows and among friends.

1. interesting blade – a piece of junk that needs to find a new home

2. good study piece – a piece of junk that needs to find a new home

3. interesting – I’ll think about it – price is too high – come down if you want a

chance of selling it

4. is that your best price – I can’t afford it at that price do something for me

5. the mei is close – it’s gimei but I can’t prove it

6. it has not been submitted for papers – no chance of passing if submitted

7. nice piece – good sword but a little expensive

8. the koshirae need work – just put it in shirasaya

9. good buy – I wish that I saw it first

10. buy books not swords – save your money until you can play with the big boys

Please add your own favourites. I would like to work this into a piece for the JSSUS Newsletter.

[Bungo]

school work...... it's gimei and we both know it

interested in trades ?...........the show is dead

 

 

 

milt

[b.hennick]

Good one ! :D I'll add it to the list

[Grey Doffin]

I don't think it needs to be polished.... It's retempered, gimei, or both.

I learned this one the hard way, at the NBTHK in Tokyo. Grey

[b.hennick]

Hi Grey:

Luckily I have not heard that one yet :D

It certainly belongs on the list!

[slavia631]

It's a little tired...at first I mistook it for a filet knife.

 

It's a little tired, but I'll take it...nevermind the rust; sell it to me cheaply so I can go get it polished and papered.

 

my polisher took extra time on the hadori...the traffic on the way to RadioShack was horrible.

[Brian]

I like it, but I'm worried about possible retempering or hidden hagire: I really really want this blade, but I'm going to do my best to get the price down.

That's a bit more than I wanted to pay: Until you start crying, I know you can drop the price a bit more.

I haven't had the mei checked out yet, so I am selling it as gimei: I have had the mei checked out by everyone, and it is gimei.

I am not really interested in the mounts, it is the blade I am interested in: I want the entire package for the price of the blade, even though I love the mounts.

This one look like it might be a sleeper: It's a dog.

It is a mumei Gendaito with muji hada, just needs a good polish: It is a bar stock gunto made from a railroad track.

It would make a nice Iaido piece when cleaned up: It has no traces of collectibility and is only good for swinging.

 

Am I too cynical? :lol:

 

Brian

[Jean]

  Quote

Am I too cynical? :lol:

 

My dear Brian, I am afraid not.

 

A fortnight ago I went to a gun show where there were 3 swordsdealer.

 

One of them had a signed tanto, it was (dixit) mid- Kamakura he has checked the mei by sending a copy to NBTHK (he was not sure or perhaps NTHK) who replies the mei was good.

 

He did not want to put it to shinsa and was selling it for 6k€.

 

The blade was almost brandnew, easily Juyo perhaps more.

 

Who is going to believe him. It is almost your :

 

  Quote

I haven't had the mei checked out yet, so I am selling it as gimei

[Rich S]

I've a few that you may enjoy on my website at:

 

http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/jokes.htm

 

Rich S

[Stephen]

Lol some good ones Doc,

one recent one

 

can you tell me what my new piece is worth,

 

bought it from a respectable dealer of 30 years but want to know if I took him or he took me.

[Walter]

- Blade has some "combat wounds" but no fatal flaws = my grandson used to play “samurai†on the backyard and the blade is one big fatal flaw

- Blade is razor sharp = recently sharpened on wheel grinder by specialist

- The photos are blurry but can’t make them better with my old camera = Chinese fake sold as “Real Japanese Swordâ€

 

The last one have learned in hard way on eBay.

[b.hennick]

Thanks for the contributions. Look forward to a two page article based on the above in the JSSUS Newsletter.

 

For those of you who are not familiar with the JSSUS, (Japanese Sword Society of the United States) http://www.jssus.org, it is the largest sword group outside of Japan. We communicate through a bimonthly Newsletter. We aim to publish scholarly work but will sometimes publish things like the short article I have worked on.

 

We also use our funds to translate and publish works on Japanese swords that will be of interest to collectors. Our latest publication, Kyomono no Ko Meisaku, will be released at the sword show in Chicago in May (if all goes well). Our last publication, a translation or work on Sue Koto blades, was very well received. Members will get a price break on the new book at the show.

 

You can join the JSSUS by sending a cheque to the treasurer or by using Paypal. There is a link on the JSSUS web-site.