Brian

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

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?

Man, I hate these "chippy" mei. Can anyone assist with this Type 3/Rinji Seishiki mei? On a Showato that just popped up here. Mei looks like Yoshitada or xx Tada? Thanks in advance.

Agree with Sam. Problem is I don't think there is much more that can be said from the pics. Looks very interesting, and worth getting in the hands of someone with experience. But looks like a potentially good sword.

And yet another excellent article supplied and written by Malcolm E Cox in the downloads section. This one on sukashi iron tsuba, a nice primer on the subject for our tosogu fans. Thanks go out to @mecox yet again for his support and generocity.

Expired certificates on known websites really aren't too much of a risk. Just choose to proceed.

Thank you Chris!

Those uploads didn't work, try again or pm/email them to me to upload.

Looks like the nakago was scrubbed of anything that was there and a new mei added. Or a Komonjo special.

Thanks Michael, appreciate the support. Nice tsuba that should be worth several times the starting price. His work really does fetch good money out there. If I may make a suggestion for the auction, perhaps a link to his Katsuhira's Tiger Youtube video for those looking at the auction, to get an idea of what he was about and what he could do?

Thanks Chandler. Have added that one to the links list above.

I do that because true handmade swords can also be discussed in the Nihonto section since they do belong there too. As do military swords with older blades. It's worked ok for many years, I think we're good leaving it as is, and leaving the mods to make the call if something should be moved.

Did you not bother reading the post he just pointed you to? (Still waiting for that forum support/membership you said you'd be glad to do)

Very, very bad Chinese fakes. There is nothing here really resmbling a real Japanese sword, sorry. Check out the fake Japanese sword link above and you'll get an idea why.

Thanks for the punt Mal After just having to sort out a few hundred for the Japanese Sword Index hosting to continue it in Rich's name, really could use the promo. Thanks for all the info you provide so freely.

Thanks Mauro and Ed. For Tadahisa, Haynes has this to say: F: Shoami W: Kyoto D: ca. 1700 NTs: a classic Kyoto Shoami sukashi style iron plate tsuba with leaf, ink stick, and two brushes in the round, with gold nunome inlay. SCE. R.E. Haynes collection, 1947 So seems to be a tsuba with the same theme by him.

Thanks guys, and thanks Hamish. They/he really did this design very nicely. Nice to see something not gimei for a change. At about $60 each, I figured I was doing ok :-) The other 2 I posted in Tosogu are also nice, I like them and always nice to get new items when your collecting is stagnating a bit

Thanks Tom, appreciate it

Steve, I have NO idea how you do it, but thank you very much :-)

Very lightly done...seems typical of the school. Can anyone make it out or should I try better pics?

Some stunning Japanese art there. @Bugyotsuji Check out some of the netsuke.

I helped someone local here in SA to move a project Koto katana in out of polish condition, and my part of the deal was I kept the spare tsuba that it had, which didn't belong to that sword. It's an average piece...I would say in the "Nobiue style" although obviously not even close in quality. But nice tortoise geometric design. Don't have the size on hand. Pattern is clearer on one side, the other side looks purposefully obscured a bit with hammer marks. Nice glossy patina. Anyways, just a cute tsuba. Then he offered me 2 tsuba for sale at very modest pricing, so figured I'd pick them up since stuff like this hardly ever comes up for sale in SA. Can anyone assist with the translation on the signed one? Very lightly signed, nice little tsuba...I like it. 70mm x 73mm, edges taper slightly to about 3mm from about 4mm. The other I like a lot too. Seems to have a kinpun? mei. Brushes, a leaf and not sure what the other oval emblem is. Can't tell if that is a Tadahisa or..? 75mm Round, about 5mm thick. Just sharing in case anyone has any info on them. Yes...I played with the colours a little but to show the features. All have a decent deep patina with very little wear.