Not sure if anyone is interested but........

[xxlotus8xx]

I'd though I'd share anyways...

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/1848365719.html

I'm on Nihonto purchasing restriction so I'm passing along.

[Brian]

Ray,

Ok..so take everything you have learned so far about Japanese swords here, and the particular care they take with finishing off and perfection. Then take a look at that tang (nakago) and tell us what you think this blade is?

 

Brian

[xxlotus8xx]

A test?!?!

SWEET! NOONE reply until I post the answer.

[sanjuro]

Oh, I dont think theres any danger of that! :D

[xxlotus8xx]

Well for starters the nakago looks all wrong. There is a possibility of iriyama-gata nakago but the mekugi-ana is placed about as wrong as can be.

Also the ad states 1600' (Pre-endo era). WTF is an endo era? Is that exactly after Edo right before Meiji? I think not...

Ummm...Hard to make out blade characteristics but if it is in fact Nihonto maybe the shape tells me late Edo.

But the Tsuba looks nice

 

Now I better get some sleep before NOC calls me again. On-call sucks.

[Brian]

Ray,

At least you are looking closer. However you are still missing the main and glaring fault:

Compare these 2. I think it will become obvious.

 

 

 

The shape gives it away even before you start looking at anything else. It is a Chinese fake, and not even a good one.

Btw..the tsuba is terrible too

You need to see more good swords and tosogu. After a while, you can tell these in half a second by instinct. It seems the fakes-peddlers have moved over to Craig's List lately..I have seen many listed.

 

Brian

[sanjuro]

Ray

 

Like the man (Brian) says, You need to see more good swords and tosogu. I dont really feel the urge to drag you from the brink of disaster, but sometimes its worth a try, and you may be worth saving.

Stay away from crap sites that sell cheap swords! I cant say it any other way. Look at the sites that have the real thing. Theres a links page on this forum that you really should take notice of. Once you have seen the real thing you wont go near ebay or craigs list again because they sell rubbish! Save the bucks and buy quality. Ownership for its own sake is not collecting.

[Stephen]

Ray

 

After the SF show you'll laugh that you brought this up, awaiting you are many fine swords, Enjoy, take pix and share the experience from your new guy eyes some of us forget the rush of seeing so many good swords in a few days time for the first time. Hint just don't do it on chemicals,

[Jamie]

I went and looked at a sword advertised on craigslist recently. The guy told me his grandfather brought it back from WWII.

It was a chinese fake. The Damascus looking ones with Cheap cotton wrapping. It was also dry as a bone and had no rust, staining or any sign of deterioration.

 

I told him I wasn't disputing where it came from- but that it was a chinese fake and absolutely not made in Japan.

 

 

I have found a couple of niihonto on craiglist locally. They were not in good enough condition for purchase or the person was convinced they owned a treasure-but they are out there.

[xxlotus8xx]

Ray

 

After the SF show you'll laugh that you brought this up, awaiting you are many fine swords, Enjoy, take pix and share the experience from your new guy eyes some of us forget the rush of seeing so many good swords in a few days time for the first time. Hint just don't do it on chemicals,

 

Yes Shinsa is coming up quickly. There will be pictures there will be jaw-dropping looks of awe and ooooo's and ahhhh's. I will be bring my Soshu Yukimitsu Waki for opinions and for comparisons to try and validate my own research as well as seek opinions on polish. It's funny I actually had a dream about shinsa and my blade which was VERY bizarre. But to not go on chemicals? I guess that would eliminate fast food . Hmmm...do you think it would be OK if I show up in a Star Trek costume?? j/k I know it's not ComicCon.

I am also looking forward to possibly meeting other board members and officially the cocktails are on me. Natural ones of course..

 

And Brian:

Ya when I posted that last night I was really not paying very close attention and I actually feel kind of stupid. Because looking again at the picture that was posted it is very clear that the blade is ANTI-Nihonto.

But oh well..Live and learn yes??

[Tcat]

It's funny I actually had a dream about shinsa and my blade which was VERY bizarre.

 

The dream itself was bizarre or the fact that you had a dream was bizarre?

 

I somewhat ashamedly admit that nihonto have penetrated deep enough into my psyche that I am occasionally prone to the odd nihonto related dream... my latest was that the tip of an okissaki on one of my shinshinto blades was broken off by some careless handeler... woke up in a cold sweat!

[Grey Doffin]

Alex,

I can top that. Once dreamed that I had spent a bundle on a sword and when I got it home I discovered that it was a tsunagi, a wooden replacement blade.

But wait; it gets better. The tsunagi was made of plywood.

Any other Nihonto dreams out there?

Grey

[xxlotus8xx]

It's funny I actually had a dream about shinsa and my blade which was VERY bizarre.

 

The dream itself was bizarre or the fact that you had a dream was bizarre?

 

I somewhat ashamedly admit that nihonto have penetrated deep enough into my psyche that I am occasionally prone to the odd nihonto related dream... my latest was that the tip of an okissaki on one of my shinshinto blades was broken off by some careless handeler... woke up in a cold sweat!

 

The dream itself was bizarre. But I am a vivid dreamer so dreaming is not so bizarre.

They synopsis is:

I'm in NYC in what seems to be the Chelsea district with a child. We are in a building on about the 4th flr looking out the window and see a HUGE tidal wave approaching. Next we are on the street looking for cover.

A door opens and a finely dressed Japanese woman steps through and coax's me in. I pass through the door into a small room where there are tables with Nihonto displayed and several elder Japanese men are doing Kantai. The woman takes my blade and disappears. She returns to inform me that the Mei has been authenticated.

Now I have been told 1000 times that this is impossible due to the fact that the waki that I possess was not even invented yet when Yukimitsu of Sagami was forging. Interesting though that there are other blades that are attributed to him that have no mei....

Whatever. I'm just a noob.

Shinsa cometh!

[Tcat]

Alex,

I can top that. Once dreamed that I had spent a bundle on a sword and when I got it home I discovered that it was a tsunagi, a wooden replacement blade.

But wait; it gets better. The tsunagi was made of plywood.

Grey

 

Lol Grey, I can just imagine how thrilled you were with the raggedy wooden burrs along the edge.

At least it was a "sanmai" blade

 

A door opens and a finely dressed Japanese woman steps through and coax's me in. I pass through the door into a small room...

 

This part sounds familiar to me at least!

[xxlotus8xx]

A door opens and a finely dressed Japanese woman steps through and coax's me in. I pass through the door into a small room...

 

This part sounds familiar to me at least!

 

Dude. It was not like that!

LOL