Brian

Can you try it without the VPN engaged? I'd like to see if the server is blocking you because it is detecting a VPN. Also worth trying a browser like Firefox or Chrome. But I suspect this may be a conflict with the security software and your VPN if you are using it all the time. Or try change the location of your VPN to the USA or elsewhere and see if that changes anything? If you aren't using the VPN, try switching it on, choose one of the other countries and see if that changes anything? It's not happening in most other places, so has to be between the server security and your ISP. You can also open a command prompt and type ping www.militaria.co.za and see if any of the packets are not making it through?

Guys..seriously. If you are going to mention access issues, there is zero I can do about it unless you are VERY specific about what the issue is. I need exact error messages, screen shot if that is easier. What browser, phone, pc or mc etc etc. It is extremely difficult to know how to address issues if I don't know exactly what the error is. Some have zero issues accessing, others have a problem, which to me suggests it is overseas lines or related to cables somewhere, but I can't look into it unless I get as many details as possible. I would suggest starting at places like these, and see if the site is down for everyone else or just your location/country https://pulsetic.com/is-website-down/ https://semonto.com/tools/website-reachability-check https://www.websiteplanet.com/webtools/down-or-not/ https://www.site24x7.com/tools/check-website-availability.html

Assisting a collector to sell his 2 papered swords that he has owned for while. He is not confident enough to do the listing and asked me to assist. He got into it during Covid, purchased them in 2021 and is no longer collecting. Both were imported from Japan, purchased from Samuraimuseum, with a lot invested in the shipping, vat, duties etc etc. He is in Basingstoke, and would prefer to keep the sale within the UK for now. Both in full polish, and both papered Toku Hozon. All the details are in the sales flyers below. If anyone has any interest, you can comment and I'll put you in touch. These have both been reduced significantly below what was paid. Izumi no Kami Rai Kinmichi - (Still as purchased) - £5,250 (reduced) Tango no Kami Kanemichi - (With additional papered tsuba) This sword has a stunning sudare-ba hamon and lovely fittings - £7,995 (Reduced) See pics and details in the pdf's attached. Gorgeous sudare-ba on the Kanemichi and interesting habaki... Kanemichi also comes with this additional tsuba which fits: https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product/antique-tsuba-for-samurai-sword-with-nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-certificate-t-366/ Kinmichi: Izumi no Kami Rai Kinmichi-2.pdf Tango no Kami Kanemichi.pdf

His location was the give-away Work on about 17.3 ZAR to US$1

Quite an interesting and nice take on the "tiger and bamboo" theme.

I explained that in my post above

You can find a decent write-up of Zohei-to in Mal Cox's article here https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/files/file/118-showa-period-swordsmiths-of-fukuoka-prefecture-kyushu-and-the-kokura-arsenal/ Basically a machine made higher end sword than the Type 95.

Awesome gesture Justin! Really appreciate it. Current bid $850. Shipping is free within the USA folks.

Quick bump, this one ends tomorrow at 8mp EST. @Justin Grant currently in the lead at what is still a great price of $700

Mark, You'll need to post pics of the tang to get any interest. It's a vial part of the sword. That said, the blade almost looks like a Type 95 arsenal/mass produced type. Not showing any hamon or hada in that polish. At R55k (about US$3165) that is waaay out of what something like this would go for. In SA, you'd be expecting something like this (assuming a Showato) to be closer to about R15K-R20K) and less overseas.

Jesta's Vesta :-) Sorry...had to say it. (Vesta is the name of these matchbox items, as Piers mentioned)

Whoever the winner is, I'll also throw in a year Gold membership. If you are already one, I'll extend it by a year

Nice job, looks understated and elegant.

Guys, before we get carried away, I have no plans on charging for listing or buying. It's tempting, but that is one of our strengths and I think it generally works well. Maybe I can look at a system where a person gets a badge if they have done X number of successful sales, so that they have somewhat of a "verified" badge that sets others at ease, but that we'll look at later. I've just bumped up the hosting with more webspace. Just means the bill in a week or 2 will take all of the Gunto proceeds that is up for auction currently, but at least we won't run out of space. Advertising will likely happen, nothing too intrusive. Guys who take advantage of the services here like translations...well the board is self regulating, and as you can see they get called out. Nothing I need to do...you guys handle it for me :-)

Indeed, sorry but story not withstanding, this remains a Chinese fake from what we can see

I have looked at advertising, and have been playing with placement and it is ready to go anytime. The problem is twofold. Would dealers be willing to pay for it? And #2...the logical thing is to say that Gold membership exempts people from having to see ads. That is easy to do. But if many of the Gold members are serious collectors and the target market, would advertisers not be against a system where paid membership exempts the very market they are trying to reach? It's a problem in my mind. As far as charging a small fee for some translations, my issue with that is that I am indebted to the members here who do those translations. We have many skilled, helpful members here who give of their time and effort to do these translations. The problem is that if we were using this as a revenue stream, from my own morals, I'd want to give back to those guys. They do this largely without any reward at all. But if the forum is making something from it...however small, I would feel obligated to try and give back to those guys. And how do we do that? How do we judge who puts in more effort or who is more accurate or who spends more time on them? It's a morality issue for me, and I already battle with feeling like I don't give back enough to the guys who assist here with info constantly.

I am always hesitant to make changes that affect others that aren't so..."oblivious" But seems something may need to be done in this case. Hmmm. A membership would at least have been appropriate a while ago. Especially considering the hosts just advised me now we are almost up to our 125 GIG allocation, and I'm going to have to buy more server space. Sigh. Still....125 Gigs of images here is quite something. Try publish THAT as a book

Because it's not a wartime blade, it's earlier and remounted, and guys are treasure hunting/hoping.

It's a Chinese fake, sorry. Inscription has no purpose. This is a bad one. Next one will be better

Marc, Probably best to post a pic so that guys don't have to go Google it.

Just a bump for this. Current high bid is Michael's at $600, still a steal for a nice WW2 sword.

Regular high grade isopropyl alcohol. Wipe as many times as necessary, then a light oiling on a soft cloth or tissue. Minimal is fine.

I have been getting some contact from members saying they are unable to access the forum the past few days. Oddly, some of these are via pm's, which mean the members were on the forum at the time. I also don't have an explanation of what exact problem they are having, but I'm looking into it. I think there may be some attacks on the server lately, flooding with hacking attempts...maybe DDOS or otherwise. But if anyone is experiancing issues and can describe exactly what the error is, it will help. I have no doubt it will be temporary, and we'll get it sorted. Just need to identify exactly where the issue lies.

Bruce, so far I have seen no stamps on it at all anywhere. I I have looked quite hard.

Thank you very much Moriyama san. Quick question, wouldn't Showa 23rd be 1948? Far too late for them to have been making military swords?