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Dear Grev. Memory still OK, Ford does have a video about something similar but in that case the nunome zogan iron plates replaced the same beneath the ito. The example that John has seems to have distinct iron strips almost like elongated menuki. It's a first for me but thanks for sharing it John. Ford's video here, All the best.

Dear John. Thank you for sharing some more photographs, really lovely thing. For what it is worth I do not see this as a repurposed yari. It is a relatively simple thing to shorten a yari nakago and mount it as a tanto without reshaping the kerakubi. The way the hamon tuns here, the association with a temple, both suggest that this was made as a ken and therefore, I think more desirable. I have seen that form of nakago once before on a ken though I cannot for the moment remember where, I'll keep looking. All the best.

Didn't Ford Hallams video show something like this - but memory not so good

In an earlier post I mentioned that I was about 22 when I first started collecting Nihonto. In fact, I was younger than that , about 20, though I started collecting edged weapons when I was six, so have been collecting some sixty years now.

Sold

Brisvegas matey.

55, started at the young age of 14.

Not something you see everyday, has anyone encountered these iron strips before? The rest of the sword is unfortunately rather unimpressive and includes a florid story about it being traded for clothes by an Aizu Samurai during the Boshin war....

G’day Mark, thanks for the nice comment on the Tadahiro! .. I’m in Sydney matey where are you based?

Certificates are proof of origin. Tariffs I think applied for country of making. So even worse.

Libby, This oriental gunpowder tester sounds like a precious memento of your grandfather. My feeling is that it is from the late 1800s. If it is not in your way, I would suggest keeping it, and when holding it in your hand experiencing a connection with both him and perhaps a gunsmith or powder quality tester of Eastern Asia. As to whether it is Japanese or Chinese, even if I were to take it in hand I still might not be sure. As a rule of thumb, more decorative objects tend not to be Japanese. I will continue to look for any similar examples... Thank you for sharing it!

67 , I started collecting 45 years ago. I have lived every minute of it !!!

Thanks for the quick reply, Bugyotsuji. It does have a small hole towards the end away from the opening. It is about 5 inches long. My grandfather was in the army Pacific arena during WWII. I assume that is where he got it. I don't know specifically where he was, he died in the early 1960's. Now I'm in my 60's trying to wade through things, papers and such and trying to identify and organize. Not really my forte! Stories have been lost. Thank you, Libby

Thanks Thomas, I actually didn't know there was a requirement to dull them in peacetime.

A peacetime specification versus wartime specification. Sharpening and dulling blades were taken for granted

Selling my Star Wars collection (the collection was known by a lot of collectors in Australia at the time…. Yep was quite big) could have paid for our new Lexus with cash and still enough to buy some of my first swords…… I choose more swords!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

enjoying my title as potentially the only 18 year old on this forum!

Whoopsie..

Let you know after my shipment of Katana's and wakizashi's arrive. Good size shipment, but I'm going by my argument. They're each papered so proof is with each.

You can also search a prior thread titled: who was Toyosuke

Unless you are already at a (very) high level, swords are basically commodity. Question is whether you enjoy it, whether it has (some) resale potential, whether you gain something from a sword (knowledge, understanding). In this sense it is difficult to talk about "good" versus "bad" first sword - it is more about a person rather than a sword. There is nothing per se wrong with your original two choices. The only thing I would recommend is looking first at 50 swords in real life and then buying the one you liked the most in your budget area. With papers. That's all. You are not going to make a horrible mistake, nor are you going to discover a treasure. `Don't overthink it.

I have a 33 inch blade going for polish atm and last time i opened my wallet there was an echo

sure thing, I forgot to actually take the photos of this blade but when I'm back home (i travel a lot) I need to setup my backdrop and take some photos. As soon as I'm home I'll post them here for you

Nice blades I have two posted prior #45 and #34 would love to see more photos if you would please.

And like I said in the other thread. You need a starting point. Any of the swords Rayhan has posted will make a fine 1st purchase. Then start your collection from there and develop your collecting philosophy. EVERYONE has a million different reason for purchasing and collecting swords. This is why you cant go by other proples opinion and bias. For example, I can promise you that for every 1 person who likes that naminohira sword 10 others will dismiss it and bash it for what it is and what it s not. Heck there was a recent thread where people where criticizing a $160,000.00 Kotetsu so imagine for a $4000 to $6000 sword