Brian

Hi all, I know this is a few days late, but I just wanted to send all of our Japanese members, visitors and their families our sympathies and best thoughts in the aftermath of this large earthquake. We all hope that you were not badly affected by this disaster, and please keep us updated. Our thoughts go out to you all. From all at the NMB. Regards, Brian

My 2c? Since you are asking for opinions, I go with Rich here. The old mountings at least have some history, whereas the new "decorations" would just look cheap IMHO. Gunto mounts may be plentiful, but displayed with tsunagi with the original blade in shirasaya shows its history and preserves it for a day when gunto mounts aren't so plentiful. Brian

Thanks for the comments all, much appreciated. Just out of interest, according to the stats, we have about 24 or more countries regularly visiting here: USA Australia United Kingdom Japan France Germany Canada Poland Netherlands Belgium Italy Denmark US Government Finland Singapore Austria US Military Switzerland Norway US Educational Israel Ireland New Zealand Sweden Brazil South Africa Luxembourg Amazes me too (Good to see some of you are US educational, and I am sure Milt will love the US Military stats too There are some others that are unresolved countries. Thought you might enjoy the stats. Regards, Brian

Scott, One of the top lines of smiths, and one of the most faked signatures too. You only have to do a google search for Hizen Tadayoshi to get more info than you can handle There are already entire books devoted to this line. Brian

Old posts remain on the forum and are valuable info, and can be searched for anytime. The problem with dredging up old posts is that sometimes there are interesting new and current posts, and "bumping" an old and dead topic only to add something totally off topic moves those new posts down the list where they can be easily missed, and serves no real purpose. If there is valid and interesting (not to mention on topic) info, then I don't mind how old the post is, feel free to add to it. This has not always been the case though, and when the banter gets out of hand, it is me who has to field the complaint emails, so I am asking nicely that we keep on topic please. I am not banning the occasional funny comment or banter at all. Logic will tell you when it has gone on long enough. Some threads get back on track and provide excellent info. 6 posts one after the other about nothing relevant is obviously too much though. Just asking that everyone use their own discression, or don't mind when me or the moderators use theirs As for a general discussion forum, I did ask about that a long time ago, and the overwhelming member views were against it. This isn't about me...I go with what is good for Nihonto and what the members want. As was said "there are enough other forums for that sort of thing" This tries to be a serious educational forum, and if you compare it with other non-Nihonto forums (of which I am on many) we are really not that strict comparatively. It also has to be fun, hence the allowance for occasional banter. I think we all love to see Rich T getting un-serious for a second and posting a wisecrack, and would hate to lose Milt's sense of humor :D I made the offer of setting up a general discussion forum that is totally invisible to anyone who does not choose to view it. Only added members would see it, by their own request. The offer did not interest many people. If there is enough request for it, I can make it happen. Input is always welcome, and thanks for the comments. Brian

Your guess is as good as mine :D :lol: No idea...but it is interesting. It's one for the guys who want a one-of-a-kind piece I guess. Brian

Hi Christian, have you ever thought about giving up sales and going into advertising? :D Just kidding..a good introdution. Let me know via email when the site goes live, and I will be glad to add it to the links section. I have communicated quite a bit with Christian in the past, and his only major flaw is to keep sending amazing pics of stunning swords that he acquired for bargain prices through his business (Where is that jealousy smiley?) Brian

Ok, with all due respect guys, 'nuff is enough? One or 2 witty comments is all in fun, but dragging it out just bumps up the post with nothing relevant to add. I will be deleting excessive "spam" posts if they have nothing to add to the Nihonto discussion. I have said before that one or 2 "light banter" posts is fine, but after that, take it to pm or email please. KM...dredging up weeks-old posts just to add nothing relevant is also rather pointless, no? (as seen on other posts) Brian

Hi .. (Please sign with a name) The best to just preserve is to pick up some light machine oil, the type sold for sewing machines. A few drops on a clean and soft cloth, lightly wiped over the blade when it has been handled should do the trick. In climates that are not humid, cleaning does not even have to be done monthly. Less is more when it comes to Nihonto. Uchiko an cleaning kits should be reserved for blades heavily out of polish,and even then sparingly. Search the forum, there is a lot of info posted about cleaning. Try here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessa ... aintenance and http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessa ... aintenance amongst others. Dr Stein also has a great page on care and cleaning at http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/care.htm and that NBTHK sword care guide is still very much valid. Regards, Brian

Just to clarify: There is a smaller and less in-depth book called Military Swords of Japan 1868-1945. This is usually found in a soft cover version, but there is a hard cover version floating around (I have both) This is climbing in price, but should be found for under $100. The HC is scarcer than the SC version. A good book but not as comprehensive as the larger book called Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks. I have only seen this as a hard cover, and is the one going for outrageous prices (over $1000!) Both are by Fuller and Gregory. Although not dealing with Nihonto as such, they are excellent books, and since so many family blades are found in Shin Gunto mounts, have a definite place in the collection. Brian

:lol: We like to be thorough here :D (For those wondering, Bill has a pic posted somewhere on the 'net with a possum? on his shoulder) ..At least I hope that was you Bill? Brian

The sword is a nice one. Just wanted to point out though, that the book is the smaller one by F&G, and not the larger and more sought after Military and Civil Swords and Dirks. This thinner one has been climbing in price too. The hard cover version is much scarcer than the soft cover, but the soft cover version can still be had for under $150. This one is a bargain: http://www.maremagnum.com/index.php?opt ... m=42348881 Brian

W.Y... I think the answer to that is that it was Bill's question that prompted the enquiry in the first post Bill, welcome to the forum, hopefully we will see more from you and perhaps an introduction Regards, Brian

Sorry for the late reply folks. Having major internet problems at work. I have no problems with you posting the pic here. Unless Aoi specifically request for their pics not to be used, I am sure they wouldn't mind in this case, and since they were posted publicly on the website anyways, I don't see a problem. If anyone objects to the posting of any of their own pics under copyright, they just have to mention to me, and they will be gladly removed. Regards, Brian

This might explain it a bit more: http://militaria.co.za/nihontomessagebo ... php?t=1367 On the other hand..reading that..it may just confuse you more :D I think some people don't want anyone to see when they are online at the time, but have registered so that they can post when they need to. Guests can't post. Hmm..there is logic in there to it I guess. Still looking though :lol: Brian

Hi Tobias, Welcome to the forum. The How-To section should answer your questions. Make sure you fully upload the pics before hitting submit. Maybe they are over the file size limit? Check it all out here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessa ... um.php?f=8 Look forward to the pics. Brian

Oops..apologies. I should either get glasses or stop trying to read while my (work) boss is in the room :D Thanks for the clarification. Brian

Thank you all for turning this very educational. Interesting to see this blade turn up now all these years later for sale. I will have to study the Kiyomaru school shape closer. Surprised its history has not been mentioned, but as you all said, it is still a Kiyomaru. I wonder what caused the degradation that led to such an extensive restoration? Was this a sleeper that turned up in Japan unknown, or did it just suffer neglect. Hmm. So are we 100%sure this is the same blade? I am convinced, but would be good to know this for 100% certain. As a published blade, I guess a buyer would like to know its history. Perhaps this is why it is not mentioned on the Japanese sales site? Maybe its history is too well known there? Lots of questions, and some great info. I think Darcy called odd shape without even knowing its history. Good observation and a good insight into what we are studying towards Regards, Brian

I haven't given these stats before, but in the interests of explanation, here are some. So basically, my point is...Out of all those people who visit here every day/month, you want to let a very small minority irritate you to the point that you want to leave? C'mon Guido (and others) Other forums have this problem too..and have an "ignore" button where you don't even see certain member's posts anymore. I certainly don't think we need to go that far. In one thread you post some exceptionally interesting info on Kiyomaru and nengo, and the next one you want to exit gracefully? The same goes for SteveR. There are so many people reading and learning. It just seems to me to be (pardon the offense) but silly to let a tiny minority we don't see eye to eye with, influence us to this extent. Sometimes these forums get intense, agreed. So take a break for a week. Go outside and see the sun (something I never seem to do anymore) and then come back relaxed a bit. Those things you seem to have lost patience with...they are not as prolific as it may seem I hope. Small things build up, but they are not the majority of postings here and should not be our main focus. We can't just get fed up with 2 shinsa judges, and write off the whole shinsa process. We can't have a bad deal with 2 dealers and stop dealing with all of them. And I certainly hope we do not see a few posts that irritate us, and write off a whole forum. Stick around. Otherwise all that knowledge in your head is going to expand and make your head explode unless you let some of it out here Give it some thought (both of you?) Brian

Thank you Darcy for that excellent analysis and the well written note at the end. I am perhaps at fault for not stepping in sooner in this debate, and for that I apologise. I have been trying to come up with the best course of action to take, and have found it extremely difficult to choose a route to take. All I ask of the members is that they remain civil and polite. I think there are ways to say things, and perhaps better ways to do things. I do not want to be accused of running a forum dedicated to opinions. Most of this game is opinions...some more researched than others. But there are a mere handful of experts here, and many trying to advance their knowledge. We have to allow for opinions, and gently nudge them in the right direction in a way that makes it educational. We are all grown-ups too, and if one or 2 members disagrees with you, then hopefully you can look past that and remember that there are a few thousand readers who are not part of the debate. I have been put in my place on other forums, and felt very aggrieved. But once I realised that I was there for my own benefit to learn, I put it past me and chose to ignore it or learn from it. Tough game this. Taking a side alienates the other side, and vice versa. If I appear to be promoting a policy of neutrality or appeasement, it is because controversy does none of us any good. Please, let's respect each other and allow for personal differences without making it a board issue. There is much good info in this thread, which is why I didn't just delete the whole thing. To criticise the forum is sad, seeing that it is free and has good intentions. Rather work to improving it. Running away from it is also not very constructive, and does nothing to further the study of Nihonto. Darcy summed it up nicely when he said "Inbetween we can be reminded to keep our minds open in both directions and it'll help us all learn" Brian

Sorry..but that is pretty funny :D I am sure Lulu will correct it. So they are trying to introduce the younger generation to Nihonto? Very sneaky! :lol: Brian

Ok, I think this topic has been beaten to death already. Brian

(Raises hand) 2 Of them at the amazing Taibundo sale that Ichi took me to. Hence why I didn't comment on the thread. You can't appreciate a blade like this from mere photos and oshigata. As per any top class work of art, you have to see it in person to really appreciate it, as Guido has implied. Brian

Here is (was) my own hagire. I eventually traded the sword. Yes..both sides and very clear. Folks..less bickering and more civil discusion please. Everyone. We are all entitled to our opinions, and all are welcome. Brian

Whether tongue in cheek or not, Max has a point that the seller has a right to do what he wants with his sword. However we have just as much right (and duty) to at least recommend to him politely that he follows the correct course of action. From there it is up to him to do the right thing or not. In this case, at least the habaki is back where it should be. I know that there is more profit to be had from parting out a sword, but as long as we are dedicated to the preservation of Nihonto...we can work towards that goal and make suggestions. These should be polite and explanatory, and in some cases we will have successs. I hate to see this happen, but beyond suggestions all we can do is try and guide sellers in the best way possible. Brian