At last it arrived !!

[gudis]

At last, with all the nervous thoughts and lot of wait it arrived.

 

This wakizashi is my first buy into this beautiful world of Japanese handcrafted swords.

 

I found it on E(vil)bay, but after many hours on the internet and in books I thought it was time for me to SEE it in real, holding it my hands and so on... bla bla bla...

 

I picked up the parcel and payed the correct tax at the postal office and went home. ripped the parcel and took out a shira saya that was in a swordbag.

My heart was pumping when I pulled out about 5cm, and looked... MMMmmmm nice was my first thought. I pulled out it all about 53cm of pure steel... :D

 

Here is some pictures (damn its hard to take a desent picture)

 

NOW its time to go back to the books and look and compare activities in Ji and just to take the time to study this piece of hardened steel.

[satim19454]

lol, i had the same EXACT feeling when i got my first katana 4 days ago

[huntershooter]

Congratulations.

 

Have you photos of nakago, is there a mei?

 

Enjoy your blade.

[gudis]

lol, i had the same EXACT feeling when i got my first katana 4 days ago

 

I still have those butterflies in my stomach when I look at the blade.

 

Congratulations.

 

Have you photos of nakago, is there a mei?

 

Enjoy your blade.

 

Thanks, I'm going to take a picture of the nakago, and no its mumei looks to be a very shortened blade.

[Jamie]

Congrats man.

[gudis]

Congrats man.

 

 

Thanks !! :D

[Amon]

Congrats Niclas for your sword passed through the ugly Swedish post office....

[gudis]

Congratulations.

 

Have you photos of nakago, is there a mei?

 

Enjoy your blade.

 

Here I just shot some pictures of the nakago.

[gudis]

Congrats Niclas for your sword passed through the ugly Swedish post office....

 

Thank you very much,

 

On the goods declaration it said "Japanese handicraft" so I think thats why it wasnt sent back.

[pcfarrar]

Image HQ2Z0028.jpg appears to show a hagire

[gudis]

Image HQ2Z0028.jpg appears to show a hagire

 

HI, I have seen it but its not a hagire, its a little deeper mark in the steel, but it doesnt go all the way down to the end. And there is no mark on teh other side of the blade.

[Jean]

At a close look, it cannot be a hagire, too thick, hagire is like a hairline and scarcily visible

[pcfarrar]

hagire is like a hairline and scarcily visible

 

Not all hagire are hairline. I only recently saw a wakizashi that during straightening had fractured with a large chasm of a hagire.

 

I've also handled a sword with a hagire that was only visible on one side.

[Surfson]

I see that crack that I think you are referring to, but it doesn't look to me like it is in the ha. Rather, it looks to be in the nakago.

[bone]

Congratulations!

[Jean]

Not all hagire are hairline. I only recently saw a wakizashi that during straightening had fractured with a large chasm of a hagire.

 

I should have wrote most times, There are always exceptions but not in this case.

[gudis]

Later tonight I will try to make a better picture, but it doesn't look like a hagire to me.

[nagamaki - Franco]

NOW its time to go back to the books and look and compare activities in Ji and just to take the time to study this piece of hardened steel.

 

I didn't realize there was a nihonto book titled " The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ", just like the movie. :lol:

 

And another big part of Western collections are blades produced by unimportant smiths, showing lots of forging faults, nondescript in form, Hada and Hamon, or just boring, because "weapons of Japanese origin" were collected instead of "art swords". All the swords of this lowest level are of course not to be classified accordingly, since the marks of schools, times, provinces or even masters can not even be suspected. Certainly many of these blades show a kind of "quality"; it is even possible when looking at and examining the blade intensively certain few details can be called beautiful or perfect, but nevertheless one should be advised against being occupied with blades of low level since bad swords spoil the eyes. - Guido Schiller

http://swordforum.com/vb3/showthread.php?t=4870

[paulb]

Hi Niclas,

congratulations on receiving your first sword. You took a big gamble in jumping in on ebay, many have done the same and come off much worse. A couple of points which have come out of the discussion to date:

1. I tend to agree with Peter there looks to be a crack of some form between the hamachi and nakago proper. Being picky I am not sure this can be called an hagire as it is above the hamachi and therefore not in the ha. I am not sure if there is a specific term for it, also because of its postioning I would suggest (opinion not fact) that is less important than if it appeared in the cutting edge proper.

2. Franco makes the point through reference to Guido's excellent paper about always aiming for the best. This is something that we should all do attempting to improve and refine collections. However I think those who have been collecting for some time forget that we have to start somewhere. 25 years ago when I started my first piece was a considerably poorer example than the blade here. I think many older collectors would say the same.

I was delighted to read your posts and pick up he excitement and enthusiasm from what you said. I wrote recently to a dealer telling him that 2 years after buying a sword from him I still get the same buzz every time I look at it. That I think is the true test. If it continues to excite/enthuse you in months to come it was a good buy.

congratulations and good luck with future purchases (but please dont trust to luck so much and buy some books too!!)

Best Regards

paul

[gudis]

Hi all !!

 

Thank you all for opinions on my blade.

 

Now I have taken some pictures that shows the area in question. It took me about 15 pictures to show this mark as it really looks.

[Mark]

can you post a picture of the other side?

[gudis]

can you post a picture of the other side?

 

Ehumm, I just realized that I posted 2 pictures of the same side. But here it comes of the other side.

[Amon]

Doesn't look like a hagire,

more like a deep scratch or something

[Gregc]

Congrats on your new, and first piece. I am right behind you....

[gudis]

Congrats on your new, and first piece. I am right behind you....

 

 

Thank you !

 

Its soooo good looking, this is the first Japanese sword that I have held in my hands. I think Im lucky to have found a starter piece with alot of activities.

 

Sad to say that as it looks right now Im having a bit of to little time to study this sword ! Hmm, but it will come

[raven2]

Hi Niclas,

 

Very nice blade, I am glad you are so happy with it. Congrats.