Brian

Steve, Not a lot to go on, without pics of the hada and any real defining characteristics that stand out. However I would guess it is a generic shinto. Doesn't look to have enough age to it to say a Koto, and nothing that screams shinshinto either. I doubt you'll get much closer without a shinsa. The blade does look ubu (not shortened) but am I seeing traces of a hamon going through the nakago? The ana (hole in the tang) also looks drilled, so it may have been a much longer blade that was shortened, but I am not sure of that. Clues to the school might be that long turnback. Soten was a school of fittings makers, with varying quality. Search the forum for soten for more info. A lot of fake signatures too. Your fuchi looks reasonable quality. The fushi, kashira and tsuba don't match, so I would think the fittings were changed over time, as most were. Unfortunately sometimes we come to a dead end where nothing can tell you more about the blade without a costly shinsa process. Not saying this is the case here, but there isn't a lot to tell the whole story. Regards, Brian

Marcel, Chill. Your question is very specific, and relies on someone who has experience actually ordering a shinsakuto, and then also ordering it directly from the smith. Not many, as most go through an agent or dealer. I personally see no problem. You will get an invoice when it is finished, and swordsmiths don't mass produce, so they wouldn't necessarily have a need for lots of paperwork. If it makes you feel better, ask the smith if you could possibly get a receipt as you pay your partial payments. Is the smith one of the members of the All Japan Swordsmith Association? (Link on the links page) I assume you are in contact with the smith and can follow the progress? Either way, it si just a waiting game now until it is ready. I don't think there is any need for any concern. Post pics of the sword when you get it. Brian

Take this from a tsuba amateur, but is that a Bushu school tsuba? Brian

There are also some other good articles on the main page: http://home.comcast.net/~colhartley/index.html I particularly enjoyed the one on watching retempering. It shows that there are levels at which this is done that would be extremely difficult to detect. There are articles for everyone including the armour guys. Brian Edit: Did anyone pick up the comment on the one article where he writes: ...and an even briefer visit to a small shop in Zushi, where they had for sale a certified dolmen sword with Tsuba (no saya or mounts) - for about Y36,000 ($100)... Aahhh...the good old days. $100 for a dolmen sword..and it was worth 36K yen! :D

All, Not sure if this one has been posted before, but I found it while browsing. It is a very nice exhibition page by Dean S. Hartley, Jr from 1964 and has a good section on the various tsuba schools with some pictorial displays of each school. A good section on swords too. A lot of good info in there, and well worth a visit. Link is here Brian

KAN1608-1612, signed 兼 基 ? Brian

A year later, but at least it got polished, and good to see the results :D Very nice! Brian

Martin, These 2, which I am sure you have seen, aren't all that helpful since as far as I know the signatures aren't authenticated, but maybe they are of some assistance. the first is from the Boston museum: http://www.mfa.org/collections/search_a ... e&id=12488 (The mei can be enlarged) and the other is here: http://www.arco-iris.com/George/omori_tsuka-a.htm I'll try and hit the books tomorrow. Regards, Brian

Agree with Peter and Grey. The ones I have seen often go back to the war, and are of low quality. Seems they were more of a symbolic use, and sometimes have famous names or patriotic sayings engraved on the blades. Oil quenched usually ina sanbon-sugi style, and always have that rough nakago. Probably a general purpose soldier's knife. Maybe those who didn't have rifles with bayonets for this use? The nakago and hamon are the give-aways, and the shape of the blade is always odd, usually with a shinogi line making them look like the front end of a katana. Brian

Louis, Bet you are the only modern firefighter carrying a Tobikuchi Take it easy with the health, speedy recovery. Good to hear you are still out there and doing your thing. Regards, Brian

Sometimes called a "headcutter" sword and the myth (is there any truth to it?) is that they were used for taking heads in battle. However I am more inclined to believe one of the other explanations on Dr Rich S's site: http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/unji.htm Interesting item. I wonder if the mune has been reshaped to give it a point, or if it was made like that? Brian

No mistaking what that is :D On a sword..hmm. But on a small little kogata I find it quite cute, and very skillful. I like it. Brian

I think that may be illegal in a number of countries. Maybe not in the UK, but I wouldn't advise it at all, especially publicly on a forum :? The correct way is to pay your excess duties, and then put in your claim for incorrect duties, which will take a few months, but usually succeeds. That is the recommendation here. Brian

I also came to the conclusion that it was Fudô Brian

Lawrence, I am not sure exactly what you are asking. Are you asking about the use of family crests (mon) on tsuba, or tsuba that have their design based around mon? This isn't all the common of course. Mon are found on tsuba, but they are in the minority. Or is your question more about the tsuba themselves? Regards, Brian

http://www.nihontokanjipages.com/bonji.html There seem to be a few possible ones there? Haven't got time to check them all out, will try a bit later. Brian

Hi Thomas (Please remember to sign posts with a name) That one looks quite interesting, and all I can say for now is that it really begs for more pics. Do you have any access to further pics showing more detail? Regards, Brian

Yep Piers..that one. :lol: We understand that sometimes people ask for help with ulterior motives or commercial reasons, but it is in the minority and usually from new members. But from someone like Barry who is a true gentleman and a major part of the JSSUS, I never have a single fear. Fascinating mei, I prefer a translation that leads to a good discussion. I look forward to hearing more about this one. Regards, Brian

Nice pic. Just need to get rid of the edge..(what is the name for that streaking?) Shows everything very well. A nice well forged blade there, and a good hada. The hamon seems well controlled suguha, so can't be an average smith. I am wondering from the nakago if this couldn't be a late shinto instead of a shinshinto? I am lost as to the smith. Not too much turnback there in the boshi? Brian

Thank you Martin for getting me back on track. I have split the topic and created a new tsuba related one here:http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3301 That one shall be only for the tosogu of this sword. As for this oil-soaked thread, I don't have much high hopes for its survival much longer. Regards, Brian

Thanks to Moriyama san Here is another Asai Toshihide: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2562 Brian

Thanks Guido, I have been looking for an explanation of the various oils, as there has been a lot of confusion lately. One of my acquaintances recently told me too that mineral oil can contain slight traces of acids, and said to use vegetable oil. However I also don't agree with that. So basically Mineral oil is a petroleum product, and vegetable oil is an agricultural product. That would lead me to think that there are varuious grades of mineral oil. I know there are light and heavy mineral oils, and the one that we use is light mineral oil? The thin "sewing machine" oil that I use is a light mineral oil? I don't see any reason for that to have any traces of acids, so I go with your thoughts on this. The confusion must come in with all the various forms that vegetable oil and mineral oil can come in. Pharmaceutical grade etc etc. I assume normal cooking oil is a vegetable oil..but you wouldn't use that on a sword. Vehicle oil is a heavy mineral oil? (called petroleum oil?) Sorry to steer off topic like this, but I'll likely strip these from this thread into a new thread on sword oils so that we can finalise the subject once and for all. Regards, Brian

Just a quick one before dinner. I won't hide it, as it is just my observations and shouldn't influence anyone Whole blade looks quite fresh and healthy. From the machi and sugata, it doesn't look like it has seen too many polishes, and looks to me to be late shinto to early shinshinto. The horimono and nakago patina also leads me to this period..I would be looking at early shinshinto I think. The jigane also looks a little hard, but quite nicely done. Yasurime not higaki as I would expect on later shinshinto, although this isn't a rule, just a hint for me. I can't quite decide between late shinto or early shinshinto. Will have to take more time before I can take a stab at a smith, but not easy on these (maybe) post koto. Brian

Give it a chance for the weekend crowd to take a look. That's when most of us have a bit of time, and can hit the books a bit Brian

Am I wrong in thinking it is a very stylised dragon chasing the pearl? Could be he is looking back over his shoulder. Or maybe it has just been a very long day Nice looking blade. Brian