Drago

Hi, just found this on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/230730895999 I currently don't have any free money, but I'm still interested. What is your opnion? Genuine? Condition? Also what I'd like to know: Has that blade been shortened? When I look at the pictures it seems that the engraved flower (or whatever that is) and the details on the other side will be covered by the Habaki... It seems strange to intentionally engrave it so it's hidden... Cheers!

Hm... I might be hijacking the thread here, but I asked this here (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11685) but never got any real answer. I was not aware of this thread, so I apologize. What I'd like to know is: Are the arsenal stamp and "serial number" related? Or are those two completely different things just found next to each other? My sword (traditionally made but still a military blade) has a number but no arsenal stamp. So I was wondering what that might mean... Thanks. @Admins: If you consider this a double post, please feel free to do your job. I am aware I might be walking the line here, sorry for that.

Hi, I wasn't sure whether this belongs here or the eBay section. But since it has been said that everything conerning non-traditionally made military swords should be here... Anyway, I found this on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/220901899954 Seller claims it's a real Murata-To made around 1890. I'm not really interested in buying it, but I'd like to get your opinions on it. Thanks.

Hm... Leather, never considered that. Having a leather cover made oder fining a fitting metal cover. Both seem to be very difficult/expensive. I'd prefer metal, but I'll talk to a restorer that has been suggestet to me first. The tsuka will definitely be replaced by a completely new one with kashira, menuki and ito. One more question. This is a slightly different topic, but it concerns my sword and the eBay offer. If you check the picture (eBay) that has a close-up of the koiguchi. There is a hole and spring there (on my sword too). I know that the hole in the fuchi is for the locking spring, hook and button, but what purpose does that serve in the koigchi? Was there another button so that you could press eihter button to draw the blade? If so, does anyone of you have a closeup of such button? Thanks.

(Just to make it clearer) I fixed the link.

This is the sword I bought: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11396 BUT not from him, he obviously had sold it in the meantime. I got it for half the price. The fittings and wooden liner fit the blade perfectly. Now, check out the eBay link I posted. That is exactly how my fittings (what's left of them) look like. And judging from the item images the saya seems to have a metal cover. EDIT: Corrected the link.

Another Nagamitsu in Type 3 mounts is currently on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/400259368363 The saya fits, mountings fit -> from that I conclude that it all belongs together. That the metal scabbard is missing is obvious form considering the look of my saya and koiguchi as well as those of the images of the eBay item I just mentioned. I don't really want a shirasaya. If it had one from the beginning I wouldn't mind, but oh well, that is just my preference. Currently I'm really considering buying that gunto saya and seeing if I can fit the metal scabbard on my liner. But the saya costs 350 bucks, that's a tad much. Ach, what should I do???

Hi, as I said in the other thread. I bought my first Nihonto, an Ichihara Nagamitsu. Now, there is one thing about it that I don't understand. And I'd be glad if you can help me figure that out. The blade has a numer stamped on the Nakago, namely 1057. But I didn't find any sign of an arsenal stamp... I always thought that the stamp should be right next to the number, but there isn't. Could it be elsewhere? Under the Habaki for example (haven't removed that yet)? I know that "saka" stamps often tend to be far less pronounced than the stamped numbers, but there isn't even a hint of that. Can anyone explain that? Thanks.

Here's a quick rundown of what is wrong with the current saya: 1. The metal scabbard is completely missing. That includes the metal kojiri and the belt hanger. (koiguchi is complete and present) 2. The wooden liner is split about a third from the bottom. 3. The wooden liner might also have been changed to round the end and perhaps take down some of the wood towards the end. But perhaps not, I'm not sure. I'm not experienced with gunto mountings, so I can't tell. Besides, the tsuka is completely useless. I already got a space complete 1944 Tsuka, that only need a new ito and some minor fitting. I really want to get a complete type 1944 mount for the blade. What do you think, if I bought that saya on ebay (given that it is metal instead of just laquered), would the metal fit on my existing liner?

Hi, I just bought my first Nihonto. An Ichihara Nagamitsu with a beautiful blade in probably original polish. I'm so happy. Anyway, the blade is mounted in Type 1944 mounts, but they, well, I'd say they are beyond repair. So I was wondering, if I bought a replacement Type 1944 saya (there's one on eBay right now), would that fit? I mean, with machined blades it almost guaranteed to fit, but for a traditonally forged blade? Of course, I could use that new saya for spare parts to repair the old one, but if the new one would fit right away... Thanks.

Ah, I see. Thanks. What about the stamps?

Hi, this is the whole shikishi. The date is written on the back.

Thank you Morita-san and Chris. Do you have any idea what "kokoro" and "tennen" might mean together? "kokoro" is heart and "tennen" is nature(?), but together? And what about the stamps?

Hi, I've been wondering lately. Is there any special meaning to the shape of the mune? I mean flat/ihori/mitsu/maru... Does the shape simply depend on the smith's whim or does a ihori mune for example make drawing/sheathing or blocking easier? I noticed that on my first "katana" many years ago (these $40 440 steel modern things) with a flat mune I sometimes tilted the blade so that it would get stuck when sheathing it. So I think a differently shaped mune might make it easier not to jam the blade... So, what is it? Pracitical considerations or the smith's preference?

Hi, I checked Stein's JSI but didn't find it too satisfactory... I'd be interested in more personal information on the Gendai smith Ichihara Nagamitsu, like: where and when born, where and when died, where the grave is, family (parents, married, offspring) and especially a photo. I didn't really find anything in the internet, but that is mostly due to me not knowing where to look... So if you have anything please share this information with me. Thanks.

First of let me say: You lucky b*! I was bidding on that too but stopped when it went over 3500 Euro... This is what it says in Japanese "大かりがね両度弐ツ胴大川八右衛門両三度土壇佛是禄" I'm not really sure what most of it means, but something like "??? 2 bodies, Okawa (place in Fukuoka or some river in Tokyo or Kyoto), 8 place guards, two or three times, execution ground (or raised clay mound (where they stacked the bodies)), ???" I can't even begin to figure out what the first and last part means. But this is only my attempt using an online dictionary. There certainly is someone out there who is better at this than me...

Hi, really, I hope it is okay to post this here. But well, this is somewhat Nihonto related. I'm gonna hang this one above my sword stand... The main Kanji says "Kokoro", that I know, so I only uploaded the pics of the parts I can't figure out. Please help me translate this (written text and stamps). I pieced all content together on a single picture. I think the long text (top right) says (from looking at it and item description), "heisei gannen nigetsu kajitsu" (lucky day in February of the first year of Heisei) BUT the Kanji for "gan" and "lucky" don't really look like the ones I found on the internet... So please give me your opinion on that. Well, and the two stamps and the other text, I don't even know where to start. Thanks! (P.S.: In a couple of days I might post two more topics, one for the translation of text on a vase box and one on a scroll box. So please, if this is a problem tell me, because it's not really Nihonto related, only Nihon related )

Hi, recently I watched an Anime ("Kaze no Stigma" to be exact) where in one of the characters house a sword was on display. However, it was not displayed on a traditional hozizontal stand but rather a tilted one (one side lower than the other). Now, of course I know that the topic of Anime/Manga and swords is far far far from realistic. But the idea of a tilted sword stand intrigued me. So I checked eBay for swords stands but didn't find any offers. However, there is one Korean seller (example offer http://www.ebay.com/itm/280769179592) that uses a tilted stand for his item images. What I'd like to know is: 1. Are/were there really tilted sword stands, or is that some new invention just to be cool? 2. Does anyone know shops selling these kinds of stands? (European shops prefered) Thanks.

Hi, I found this on eBay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200667015608 Supposed Ichihara Nagamitsu in Type 44 mounts. With Osaka Arsenal stamp. What is your opinion? Is it real. I checked Stein's JSI and the mei looks similar, but his scans aren't the best quality. Seller is called anzacblade and based in Australia. Does anyone know him? If it's real I might perhaps be interested, but only if it stays affordable...

Oh, very interesting. Well, I hope they get proper funding to raise and restore the ship. If that really is part of an invasion fleet it indeed is an important find for Japanese history. And even if it isn't, it still is rare to find something that old in that kind of condition.

Ah, thank you very much. "nengo calculator" huh? I never considered searching for something like that...

Hi, this is less of a direct translation question, but rather a calendar translation question... I sill hope you will be able to help me. The sword has the following date inscribed: 永正二年二月日 Now, that translates to: "Eishō, year 2, a day in the second month" Eishō was from 1504 to 1521, so year 2 is roughly 1505 So far so good, BUT: That doesn't mean that the second month is Feburary! This date was incribed before the Japanese even had their first contact with Europeans and their calendar system. In other words, the Japanese didn't start their years January 1st and their months propably didn't even have the same lenght... So here's the question: When was that "second month"? Is there any way to determine that? (determine means for example: "second month is between March and April" or "second month was from June 7th to July 12th"...) Although I gave you a specific inscription, this can acutally be considered a general question since this, I think, concerns the translation of all date inscriptions. I found many many tables translating the eras to years, but I didn't find a single table saying on what day (of our calendar) they started or ended. The related question: What is that "day" exactly? Does it refer to the day the sword was finished, the day the blade was finished or what? And how long did it take to forge a sword?

Okay, so what does it read? Still, I'd like to find out more.

Hi, I found this interesting Wakizashi for sale. The seller says it is a Shinto blade, but even that, he says, is his own hypothesis. It is signed, so it seems, Masamune. Can anyone help me pinpoint which of the many Masamunes it might have been? Furthermore, determine an approximate timeframe and plase of origin? (Should this be the wrong place, please move the topic.) Thanks.

Hi, I've seen many (many!) translation guides for NBTHK origami that tell you exactly which column contains which information. Is there something like that for JTK origami? I don't mean the actual translation of any specific contents, but a guide saying: This column contains the mei, this column contains the date, this column contains additional information etc... So far, the only 2 ones I found are viewtopic.php?f=1&t=837 and http://www.shibuiswords.com/papers1.htm but they don't give me a clear step by step guide for both pages of the origami... I've been looking all over the Internet but didn't find anything! I would greatly appreciate any links or guides you provide yourselves. Thanks!