WTB 1st Nihonto Katana or Wakizashi

[P34]

Hello, 

I am very new and am just starting my journey of knowledge. I’m hoping to buy my first Nihonto to assist me in my learning and to admire.  I currently do not have a preference for a katana or Wakizashi but would like something authentic possibly with papers. Being that this would be my first purchase I’d like to stay between $500- $1500. 
 

If you have something you would be willing to sell please let me know. 
 

email: patmorel15@gmail.com

 

 Thank you for this great page!! 

[ChrisW]

You'll struggle to find a blade with modern papers in that range or in fresh polish, but you can easily find study pieces in that range. Can you give people here a bit more to go on for what you're looking for? Age? School? Signed/mumei? Length? Etc.

[P34]

Hey Chris, 

I wish I had a more definitive answer for your questions. Truely, I probably need to read and research more about the schools and styles of each. My plan was try and find something in that price point these was signed, maybe in old polish that I could research. Was keeping my fingers crossed for something with a nice Hamon design as it might get my wife a little more interested. Then once in it I could spend time researching as much history on the blade as I could. I would prefer something a little longer over 13” in length. I also would not mind sending one out for Polish as well. Sad to say I’m really just looking for real, signed and between the 500-1500 mark. There are a few listings on eBay but I am very hesitant to trust ebay. I went to the show in Chicago but could only stay Friday night for about an hour. Wish I could have went Saturday might have been able to snag one. I did see one with papers for 600 but just didn’t pull the trigger. I attached a photo of it. I can’t remember the seller and I misplaced his card. 

[ChrisW]

Well, if you are patient, you'll find something more along those lines very easily.. sans papers. Papering tends to drive the price up. Old polish in that range is also very doable. So a good wakizashi in old polish, presumed good signature with activity to study? That is pretty reasonable I think. Have you looked through the sales section on the board here or the commercial website links under "Nihonto Info -> Links -> Commercial#" ?

[P34]

I have taken a look at about 3 pages so far of the sales page. I’ll have to take a look at the commercial website. 

[ChrisW]

The links in the commercial list are websites whose owners are board members and are well regarded and seen as upstanding members of the community. There's several dozen websites located in those lists to peruse from! I recommend Ed Marshall and Andy Quirt. I am sure others will have glowing recommendations for the others too.

[O koumori]

The sword you posted a picture of was mine. Unfortunately it was sold during the show.

PM me.

Dan K.

[ChrisW]

Ha ha ha! Why didn't I recognize the tags and black stand?? My bad!

[Nihontocollector752]

If you're just starting then forget the paper issue or polish, buy a few mumei, unpolished blades and go from there.

[ChrisW]

4 hours ago, Nihontocollector752 said:

If you're just starting then forget the paper issue or polish, buy a few mumei, unpolished blades and go from there.

I would say that runs counter to what most experienced collectors here on the board would say. If they're unpolished, then there's not much to study most of the time. You can learn more from a relatively decent in-polish blade than a half dozen out-of-polish blades. Start with books, then blades is the conventional advice.

[Nihontocollector752]

There's also the all round learning curve, buy a few unpolished swords for very cheap, let's then look at identifying the ones with the best shape, worthiness of further polish, send them to a polisher for a window, identify which ones warrant more extensive full polish, identify which might be worth papering, send them for papers, see what they (NBTHK, or other) say. Whilst this is all going on delve into books along the way because the process described can run parallel to books and reading. Once you have the papered swords back enjoy them and then sell everything and begin again from a new benchmark with more knowledge.  There you go, decades of wisdom in a post. You're welcome @Morelp34

[P34]

23 hours ago, O koumori said:

The sword you posted a picture of was mine. Unfortunately it was sold during the show.

PM me.

Dan K.

Sent you a pm 

[Grey Doffin]

Sorry but I strongly disagree with Jimmy's last post. The most likely thing you will learn from buying cheap, out of polish swords and sending them to a polisher for windows and further polish if warranted is that you shouldn't have done it. There is a reason why the swords are cheap and out of polish. Beginners should take serious time for study, and they should resist the urge to buy speculative swords. Save your money for the day when you understand what you're spending it on. There will always be good Nihonto for sale; no need to be in a hurry.

Grey

[ChrisW]

This^

[P34]

Really appreciate all the advice! Can’t describe how hard it is to wait. With so many variables I can see how it takes decades to learn and still won’t know everything. I think I’ll start by finding something that appeals to me then research it before spending any money. Keeping my eyes peeled.  

[ChrisW]

Well, if you like, maybe reach out to some collectors in your area! Wisconsin has more than a few. See if any would be willing to show you their collection or join a Token Kai branch if possible. There's also many events in the community during the year where you can meet other collections like the SFS or Chicago Show or the Show of Shows.

[Nihontocollector752]

15 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

Sorry but I strongly disagree with Jimmy's last post. The most likely thing you will learn from buying cheap, out of polish swords and sending them to a polisher for windows and further polish if warranted is that you shouldn't have done it. There is a reason why the swords are cheap and out of polish. Beginners should take serious time for study, and they should resist the urge to buy speculative swords. Save your money for the day when you understand what you're spending it on. There will always be good Nihonto for sale; no need to be in a hurry.

Grey

Well say whatever but we lose and win as we go, no one is coming into this winning 100% of the time and if thwy do it's 1% of us. 

[Nihontocollector752]

15 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

Sorry but I strongly disagree with Jimmy's last post. The most likely thing you will learn from buying cheap, out of polish swords and sending them to a polisher for windows and further polish if warranted is that you shouldn't have done it. There is a reason why the swords are cheap and out of polish. Beginners should take serious time for study, and they should resist the urge to buy speculative swords. Save your money for the day when you understand what you're spending it on. There will always be good Nihonto for sale; no need to be in a hurry.

Grey

If the starting budget is 1500 USD then i think the educated will soon see that they are well under par and need to up budget to sustain their learning experience. My method has no flaw except Harvard vs street ed, i like street ed

[Nihontocollector752]

15 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

Sorry but I strongly disagree with Jimmy's last post. The most likely thing you will learn from buying cheap, out of polish swords and sending them to a polisher for windows and further polish if warranted is that you shouldn't have done it. There is a reason why the swords are cheap and out of polish. Beginners should take serious time for study, and they should resist the urge to buy speculative swords. Save your money for the day when you understand what you're spending it on. There will always be good Nihonto for sale; no need to be in a hurry.

Grey

Sorry just to add to this annnnnd reiterate the 1% remember the recent Kiyomaro and the recent Norishige 😀 

[JakeNYC]

1500 for something decent with good nbthk papers is .... impossible

[waljamada]

I'm in SE Wisconsin and could sell you a sword in your price range.  I'm actually about to sell three or four blades, couple wakizashi and couple katana to make room for the new ones I've purchased.  Here's some pics of a few. 

 

First three pics are the Nobutaka mumei wakizashi in all leather gunto mounts with nbthk papers, fourth pic is another wakizashi signed Kanemoto (maybe gimei or just a later generation but still 3/400 yr old blade) and last one is a koto mumei over 27" nagasa in great condition type 98 koshirae with aluminum saya.

 

Wouldn't mind helping out a fellow WI collector.  I'm on vacation in San Francisco for another 5 days but can share more pics when I get home if you're interested.

[P34]

1 hour ago, waljamada said:

I'm in SE Wisconsin and could sell you a sword in your price range.  I'm actually about to sell three or four blades, couple wakizashi and couple katana to make room for the new ones I've purchased.  Here's some pics of a few. 

 

First three pics are the Nobutaka mumei wakizashi in all leather gunto mounts with nbthk papers, fourth pic is another wakizashi signed Kanemoto (maybe gimei or just a later generation but still 3/400 yr old blade) and last one is a koto mumei over 27" nagasa in great condition type 98 koshirae with aluminum saya.

 

Wouldn't mind helping out a fellow WI collector.  I'm on vacation in San Francisco for another 5 days but can share more pics when I get home if you're interested.

Hey, thanks so much for offering. That Wakizashi looks really nice. Love that Hamon. I am up in central WI. If you ever want to chat shoot me a email at patmorel15@gmail.com I’m still learning as much as I can. 

[P34]

Thank you everyone who has reached out and given advice. I was able to reach an agreement with Mark Jones on a Wakizashi. Looks to be a great starting blade and I’m looking forward to studying it and learning everything I can. Thank you again!! 

[waljamada]

Congrats and welcome to the hobby!