So what's a weird deal-breaker for you?

[oneshot onekill]

A bent blade. I've actually bought, and returned 3 swords in the last year that had blades that swept to the left or right when you looked at it lengthwise. I understand it can be fixed. To me it just shows blatant disrespect because I understand the most common reason for a blade to be bent is from trying to cut something when you have zero experience. I envision some Billy-Bobus Rednecksus running around the back yard swatting down cat-tails and tree branches playing Samurai.

[Paz]

Shinto blades which have no significance ie look great but never used or made for art. 

I'd take a damaged battlefield sword over a decorative showpiece. 

 

Signed blades with signatures. Which dumb militaria dealers have a hard on for even though the blade could be a piece of s**t ( mind my language). Lack of signature builds the air of mystery to the sword, and is funny when "experts" get it wrong. 

I'd rather have a mumei koto blade which was built for purpose and has beauty aswell. 

 

I don't care too much for polish. As original polish sometimes means the sword how it was, when it was being used. 

 

Ww2 guntos and gendaito. Just don't care for them and they don't attract me.  

 

So strictly speaking im hardcore koto, only 3 words  catch my attention kamakura, nanbokucho, muromachi. 

 

Regards 

 

 

 

[paulb]

Just a brief point. under ideal conditions a polish can last a long time, someone quoted 100 years but I cant find the reference.. Unfortunately such conditions weren't likely to be adhered to in the Kamakura or Nambokucho period (or much any when else) if as you say the sword was first and foremost a weapon. Therefore you do not see swords of this age in original polish. Also those that have survived have tended to be those that have been treasured over time and therefore less likely to have been used in combat.

 

[Alex A]

If you stick with the hobby Paz you might find that your views change as time goes by.

 

Old swords, those tired with narrow lifeless hamon soon become boring.

 

Has to be some balance, 

 

Wont buy an unsigned blade these days, dont like ?,s, well, maybe at rock bottom price.

 

Horses for courses.

 

 

[Baba Yaga]

I'm well past this, but will impart some knowledge for the meek.

Stay away from the UFO blade, authentic Nihonto, or not. It comes with fuzzy photos and a bloviated description.

Don't even get me started on dealer speak.....Consignment.    

[Alex A]

UFO blade

[Ed]

On 8/25/2022 at 8:00 PM, MHC said:

While not directly blade related, but proper conversation during the purchase process is very important.

 

So when I receive any written conversation {text, PM, Email, etc.}, if there is "Millennial speak" occurring {i.e. no capitalization, no punctuation, non-existent sentence syntax, spelling errors, etc.} they get a very hard pass.

 

Petty, probably...but very annoying and in my mind, instantly eliminates any credibility regarding the seller.

 

Mark

 

A pet peeve of mine for sure. Not limited to dealers, but anyone that writes. 

[Ed]

On 8/30/2022 at 10:08 AM, oneshot onekill said:

A bent blade. I've actually bought, and returned 3 swords in the last year that had blades that swept to the left or right when you looked at it lengthwise. I understand it can be fixed. To me it just shows blatant disrespect because I understand the most common reason for a blade to be bent is from trying to cut something when you have zero experience. I envision some Billy-Bobus Rednecksus running around the back yard swatting down cat-tails and tree branches playing Samurai.

 

It happens, but is not limited to rednecks. Pretty much anyone that is relatively new to the hobby, unknowledgeable or perhaps unconcerned with history, preservation, etc.  I once sold a katana to an attorney in Philadelphia who later wrote to inform me he had bent the blade while cutting mats in the back yard. He even included a video which depicted the sordid event.

[Scott Gunto]

Satsuma Rebellion pieces. I've owned a few..they all had either tired kizu infested old blades or ubu 19th century mystery ones. Fittings were wonky as well...