werner

...by the way the nakago doesn't have this strange line...must just be on the pics....entirly happy and hoping that I could get his katana brother one day... Jock

Hi Mark & Peter, I received it and it's heaps better than I hoped....and I know now why you love these blades....cutting edge over 50cm wide blade and beefy as with no flaws (small surface scratches in approx 1x1cm at the point that is all) thought you might like some pics... Jock

Hi Keith, Yeap East Coast - we're lucky our house is on a hill but my wife, who's a nurse, she got flooded in 2x and got stuck in the hospital once for 4 days the other time for 2 days.......one of our neighbours wasn't this lucky and his house didn't only get flooded once but 3 times in the last 1 1/2 years - his big fridge freezer was found 400 meters down the road - you can imagine what this did to the rest of the house..... To answer your question - yes it's one of mine and the pitting looks a lot worse on the pic than it really is....there are no nicks openings hagire etc the only thing is a 1.5mm x 2mm blister.....and the nakago problem.... Jock

....kissaki - ladies and gentlemen - kissaki - I meant.....my world was a little bit "upside down" today.... Jock

...thank you all for the input/information above. My sincere apology for the delay in posting pics of the nakago....see below. Thanks heaps! Jock

Hi, Just wanted to hear what you guys think about this one? I had a seperate post discussing a broken nakago - if you look at the nakago you can see why I was interested in starting the other post... Sori: 16 mm Cutting edge: 67 cm Nakago: 20 cm thickness at habaki: 8mm thickness at yokoto: 5mm width at habaki: 32.5mm width at yokoto: 21 mm Silver foil habaki - 1 small blister I don't know what else would be of interest...please ask Thanks for your opinion. Regards, Jock PS: I posted some pics but will delete some after a while...

Hi Andrew, My pleasure....I had exactly the same thoughts....not exactly the average size....guess that no workshop has a setup to do this....heating/cooling/ etc...working on it must be like a marathon...must be about 5 min walking time to go from the nakago to the kissaki.....try to hide this one in a boot when you go for battle... It must have been a lot of work just to prepare for the production.... Jock

....see below....that is the problem.... Jock

Hi, Just came across the "longest Odachi" in (I guess the world) Japan....what would be the purpose of such a thing? Displaying the artists ability? Shrine? http://japantrip.tripod.com/nodachi/norimitsu.html Don't thing that this would be classified as a "consealed weapon".... ) Jock

....thanks Reinhard....is almost exactly what I came up with....only difference in my interpretation was: -"Pass this DOOR and you'll never even know you've been here" - spoke to somebody who thought it might be a Masamune blade on which the artist put a gimei as he wanted to use some more kanji than usually on this blade....you can buy it for $15 + postage $75.000 (learned that of ebay) Jock

Hi Alan, My apology...the previous statement was wrong...there is a mei....see link: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9382&p=77755#p77755 Jock

...please ignore the colour and the square bits...copied/pasted/corrected..... Jock

Hi, I received a sword and it has the mei that you can see in the pic below.....it took me 5 hours looking at it with a torch from all angles to come up with the result below....please excuse any mistakes the mei is so faint that I though first it hasn't got one.... Thanks heaps! Jock

...thanks for your help/opinion! Jock

...at this point I fell on my bed and started crying....... Jock

Well....that is something I didn't consider....I was aware that some swords had a nakago with a wellknown smiths mei added to (obviously) mislead buyers.....I'm not sure if this is only a recent practise or if that has occured in the "olden days" too....if that would be the case that it has been done in times past then "welding" must have existed for quite some time as "soldering" wouldn't have done the job - tell me if I'm wrong here...I'm just trying to imagine how welding could be achieved in a small area if one doesn't have access to modern day welding equipment.....guess I have reached my limitations here.... Jock Thanks heaps for all the input to all of you!

...I came to the above conclusion based on the posting mentioned before - pic & text below are taken of it: Quote: "Special feature : It is said that the Echigo no Kami Kanesada the 2nd was born in Mino or Kochi province. He learned under Kanesada the First at Osaka and later became a son-in-law. Kanesada the 2nd was superior to the Kanesada the 1st and ranked at Owazamono. Excellent workmanship was on the same level with Tsuda Sukehiro and Inoue Shinkai. After retirement, though practically gave the swordsmith name Echigo no Kami Kanesada to his real son Yamada Iwamatsu, the Second Kanesada continued forging sword under the name of Sakakura Gonnoshin Terukane. This blade is typical 2nd generation Kanesada’s work, " End Quote Just to make it clear my sword is not the one mentioned in the posting..... Thanks for your feedback! Jock

Hi, I just bought this one...and would like to ask for your knowledgable opinion: Echigo no kami Kanesada - 2nd one.... if I'm not mistaken made by the same artist as this one: http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/wakizashi/10329-3.jpg Thans for the feedback! Jock

...just found the following: Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a relatively low melting point. Soft soldering is characterized by the melting point of the filler metal, which is below 400 °C (752 °F).[1] The filler metal used in the process is called solder. Soldering is distinguished from brazing by use of a lower melting-temperature filler metal. The filler metals are typically alloys that have liquidus temperatures below 350°C. It is distinguished from welding by the base metals not being melted during the joining process which may or may not include the addition of a filler metal.[2] In a soldering process, heat is applied to the parts to be joined, causing the solder to melt and be drawn into the joint by capillary action and to bond to the materials to be joined by wetting action. After the metal cools, the resulting joints are not as strong as the base metal, but have adequate strength, electrical conductivity, and water-tightness for many uses. Soldering is an ancient technique mentioned in the Bible[3] and there is evidence that it was employed up to 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia.[4] I do understand what you mean with soldering in relation to the much lower temperatures required.....yet stability would be compromised....I really would be interested in how this would be solved by a Japanese proffessional..... Jock

Hi Alan, Thanks for the input.... - no mei on this one. Just wondered about: " would keep the temperature of the nakago at a relatively moderate heat." What is the issue with temperage exposure of the nakago? I understand/know about the fact that it is very destructive for the blade if it is exposed to high temperatures...but what would it do to the nakago? To my knowledge the tempering doesn't go along the nakago? Would the problem be the heat "travelling" from the nakago to the blade - other side-effects? Concerning the suriage/Orikaeshi mei procedure....would that not compromise the stability of the blade - considering the mekugi ana and the crack - that leaves us with approx 65% of the original nakago strength...? As far as I'm aware of Orikaesh mei doesn't affect the nakagos strength as it mainly concerns the end of the nakago not the beginning...right? Does anybody know how the proffessionals in Japan would fix such a problem? To my humble knowledge "welding" wasn't practised too much in the traditional ways.....(I could be wrong) Concerning the silver solder - please correct me if I'm wrong - my understanding is that welding "binds" (using existing material) and soldering is more a "filling process" (solder as a filler) - the stability created with soldering would by far not reach the welding - right? - Just trying to get my head around this one.... Thanks heaps! Jock

Hi, I quite like this one....my wallet doesn't... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT Jock

...who could give me some input about this smith....when/where/what...etc Thanks heaps! Jock

Hi, I watched this one with a lot of interest as I sold the twin of this sword (- same smith - also mint and without a showa stamp - guess special order made...) approx 2 years ago for $800 -- I died a slow death when I saw the bitting.....then again I came across a sword - limited edition (10) based on the "Lord of the Rings" film - made in NZ - single steel - not tempered - not laminated....basic principle (not boasting: I could make one like it) and this one sold for $7,500 on ebay last week.....it must certainly be that value is what the individual's thinks it should be... Jock

...thanks heaps guys! Isn't it frustrating that one can have such a lovely hobby and then be limited due to the fact that there is a single lane into the wallet and a 3 lane motorway out of it....just imagine one could spent the money that Elton John spent on art objects over the last 10 years on nihonto....you could employ a full-time nihonto carer and spend your afternoons on the verandah admiring your treasures.....well I guess I'm drifting... Jock

Hi Steve, Long time no speak....interesting how we meet again...I sent you an e-mail....let's talk tomorrow... Regards, Jock