I Went To Pawn Stars To Check Out The Sword.

loui · December 13, 2010

Hi Guys,

My wife and I were in Las Vegas on the weekend so to satisfy my curiosity we went to that pawn shop that has put the Youtube video up about their sword. It is a pawn shop so it is pretty crappy, most of the people were just there because of the TV show and there can be quite a line up I am told, we went early in the morning after I shot several machine guns at the Gun Store:)

Anyway, we went in and I asked the joker behind the counter to see the sword, apparently it is one of three other items that "the old man" won't let anyone touch because "it is priceless" and even with "30 years of hands on martial arts training" the guy behind the counter was afraid he might "cut his own arm off". He wouldn't even remove it from the shelf.

I knew something like that would happen so I didn't really care, it was obvious that they just keep a bunch of the junk so people want to go and check the place out - and I did, but.... did so for the board of course:) In the picture I am smiling and pointing at the sword, not because I am a happy tourist doing touristy things, I am actually laughing at the whole experience and the lines of BS the guy was giving to me.

Cheers!

Louis

watsonmil · December 13, 2010

Dear Louis,

Thanks for posting, ... Glad to see you enjoyed yourself. After having being in the Antiques Weapons/Militaria business for most of my life,

one gets to chuckle at these so called ... Antique Treasure in the Attic type programs. Sadly looking at some of the Web Sites devoted to the business I see all too often that the proprieters have taken this priceless nonsence to heart. Regarding the second photo, ... I'd best not comment for fear of waking up the " Politically Correct ", ... other than to say I wish I'd of been along !

... Ron Watson

Eric H · December 13, 2010

Louis, you look much younger than I thought

Eric

loui · December 13, 2010

Hi Eric, not sure if that is good or bad, but I guess being told I look young is a good thing!

Justin Grant · December 13, 2010

According to a friend that is good friends with the "Old Man", and he claims it is a 16th century sword and has it priced at 20K.

loui · December 13, 2010

Ya, the guy at the counter said "this sword was made before the good ole united states of america was even a country".

Mark Green · December 13, 2010

That all looked like great fun Louis.

I humped an m60 for 2 years in the army. Nothing like the power of a 30 cal.

" go ahead, hide behind the brick wall, hehe"

Brian · December 13, 2010

is that an M249 SAW with an EOTech? (If so...would be 5.56 Mark...more fun than .30 )

Well dayumm! Played with similar, but not the same. Not yet. Anyways...I digress...

Wouldn't we all be looking foolish if the sword turned out to be a Juyo candidate made by some high level smith In the video, I did notice the remains of what looked to have been an old horimono..so you never know. Anyways, probably not, but stranger things have happened.

Brian

loui · December 13, 2010

Ya that's the SAW M249 with the EOtech sight, it's a .223 round which I find very small, very good for accuracy, but that M60 would be very nice to take a crack at. Was just a great opportunity to take advantage of when in Vegas, we don't ge to play with fully auto here in Canada unless you are in the forces. The M249 is the same as the Canadian C9 that we currently use. I also shot the Thompson, M4 and MP5, the wife shot an UZI.

Ya no kidding Brian, ya never know what is in that scabbard. I found a local Vegas ritzy gallery selling swords, they had them all wrapped up for storage, they pulled them out for me. They wanted 16K for a gendaito in shirasaya, gimei, 15K for a mumei katana, 12 for an out of polish gimei naginata with no mounts, and so on and so on, no paperwork, just hoping for one of the rich people passing through vegas to come in and pay rediculous money for them - which he indicated happens from time to time.

Brian · December 13, 2010

Totally obscure question here...but from the pic of the SAW, looks like you may be a leftie? (like many of us are I am sure)

If so, and not just the way you had to hold it for the pic....how does this affect the polishing? Nothing different..or do the stones wear differently, force a different polishing setup etc?

Just curious.

Brian

loui · December 13, 2010

The only thing I do south paw (lefty) is shoot rifles, handguns I use my right hand, writing right and so on, polishing is right handed as well. The main problem polishing right handed is that my right arm and traps are bigger than my left - so looks a little funny in a t shirt:)

jason_mazzy · December 13, 2010

I can't believe they didn't let you see it. I am of the mind set that if I bring back some of these junked up project blades before they are polished I might make some money there......................... i know I have a couple 16th century blades, if that is the requirement for value there.

Curgan · December 13, 2010

Regarding the second photo, ... I'd best not comment for fear of waking up the " Politically Correct ", ... other than to say I wish I'd of been along ! ... Ron Watson

According to the ancient Greeks, founders of Democracy and western culture, a citizen should be capable of defending his motherland. Training in arms and ownership of weapons was the cornerstone of Democracy and a prerequisite for political rights. A mass of unarmed citizens can easily succumb to tyrrany. This point of view shared the founding fathers of the US. In Europe other reasons made this point of view "indesirable".

PS I haven't used the M-60, but the FN Mag, MG-3 (7.62) and the .50 caliber of M113 I used during my service at the armed forces rock!!!

Mark Green · December 14, 2010

Yes Brian I knew it was a SAW.

I was just stating how fun big machine guns can be.

Unless your carrying one up and down Jungle mountains, or jumping out the door of a c-130. Then that 30+lbs of steel, and brass, can kinda suck. But, if you have to shoot at someone they can come in very handy.

Very hard to believe they wouldn't show you the sword Louis. What if you wanted to buy it? That's nuts.

The show is fun to watch though. You just know those guys could buy all the Juyo swords they wanted. They are, that rich.

Nothing like national advertising!

drdata · December 15, 2010

Interesting thread. I guess only the owner can put finger prints on it. And, is that a tachi? He displays as such.

On a related note, anyone catch auction kings last night? They auctioned a samurai sword for over 4k. I think owner wanted 2.5k. The expert glossed over the mei.

Looked real to me but seemed a bit high. The buyer was proud he owned signed art. Hope its not gimei.

xxlotus8xx · December 16, 2010

Nice looking blade.

I figure that whoever was bidding on the blade though had to have known a thing or 2 about Nihonto. Most buyers at auctions are either experts or have entirely to much money to burn.