runagmc

The streaks I was talking about are the faint parallel streaks all over... Either very light scratching from uchiko cleaning, or streaks from oil wiped on/off the blade. Probably the later, so no big deal... Nice swords from all I can see... EDIT-Actually, looking at the first picture in the closeup series of the daito (kassaki pic) it looks like scratches from uchiko, the way it looks going through the yokote into kissaki... Either way, still nice...

I thought the same as Chris... the yasurime almost looks takanoha in one area...

Forget the half-filled van... :D only odd the sashi ura looks so different... any better pics so we can try to make out a date... or whatever is there...

I would describe it as midare hamon, nie and sunagashi, maybe some nijuba... nice sword, hopefully the streaks are oil?

I would guess all their swords aren't made exactly the same... but I can't say for sure... also, I'm sure this isn't the answer you're looking for so...

I agree with the comments made. It should not be seen as a race by new students, OR old students. People should be allowed to hold different levels of interest, but at the same time, some of the more experienced can't be forced, or even expected, to hand over knowledge gained through years of study and dedication. Learn and collect for yourself, and you either will progress and enjoy it, or won't progress and find that you have other more important priorities. Either way, I agree you seem like a smart person, and if you have the interest and can find the time to study, I have no doubt you will know a good bit after 3-5 years... However, the topic is a bottomless pit... especially for gaijin... ... We are at a huge disadvantage from the start... Edit to say, the disadvantage grows the less money and free time you have...

I knew I had seen one somewhere, Mariusz... unfortunately I forgot where... Usagiya, they have it all , plus their's shows how to hold correctly... thanks for posting it...

I'm glad some guys who know what they are doing got to it before I could botch it up any worse... Good thread Jean... Now for the other side... :D

Jean, very hard... for my eyes at least... I see on sashi ura... on shinogiji- Inaba, xxxx, Mimura or Mimori (2 kanji name), xxxx, kore, saku, kore, xxx, xxx, naga?, shi, xxx, Moto, kuni, kore, xxx on ji- Bitchu, Jo (castle), xxx, Jo, Mimura or Mimori (2 kanji), Kii (2 kanji), xxx, xxx, xxx, roku, dai, xxx None of this is coming together ormaking any sense so... , but I'll try to figure some more if one of our experts doesn't help...

Rare indeed, late Kamakura, blade in very nice condition... and papered to Taima no Yamato, no less... Thanks Mariusz Future reference:

Thanks for clarifying, John...

Hi John L., Maybe you have already done so - but there have been some good threads on tricks to removing stuck tsuka... maybe if you search the board you can find them... Also, the tool used in very stuck tsuka is basically a piece of soft wood (poplar, etc.) with a groove on one edge which slide over the mune and butts against the tsuka/seppa... tap on the top of the wood with a soft mallet or another piece of wood (an iron hammer could damage blade obviously)... Here... pitiful sketch took way too long, but anyway...

Firstly, I know zero about black powder, but what if it was wet when ground up?

Like Chris says, this is the effect of queching on different edge steel and skin steel (the hamon over laps onto the lower carbon skin steel). It's not at all unusual in Nihonto. It can be a very beautiful and sought after characteristic, like in Kiyomaro school swords for instance, or it can be less well done and not a big deal really, one way or the other... but I don't think it could be classified as a flaw even when it produces an aesthetically unpleasing look... BTW, your pics are not bad...

Never seen this either

I wouldn't feel so abused... new collectors have done A LOT worse at times... At least from what I can see... and IMO...

If you are not fimilar with the NBTHK Hozon Token standards, you can find them on nihontocraft.com and other places, probably... From memory: if a sword is traditionally made, no fatal flaws (except in special swords), smith is deceased, and sword is either shoshin, or mumei with enough features visable to attribute to a school, it should pass at Hozon. (Someone will correct me if I missed something, I'm sure...) The point is, the sword should pass unless they (NBTHK) doubt the mei... It is weird that Tsuruta san hasn't had it papered, and won't guarantee it, though... You can always say you will only purchase it with a money back guarantee of papering, and if they say no, maybe best to move on... IMHO...

Hi Franco, to help seat and hold the inlay/overlay... or marks left from removing material from the recession for inlay I'm sure...

Can we see the sword?

Yes, I agree the single ana and lack of mei could point to later rather than ealier... I don't think I can really be sure enough to even guess on this one though... Anyway, pretty well made looking sword, too bad the state of polish... Also, Dan, I believe Chris is refering to patina of the tang (nakago) when he says "nakago sabi"... I don't think I've heard the term used this way either, so Chris will correct me if I'm putting words in his mouth

After some study you will recognize the first pic as fake after the first row of pixels :D Also, if you are shopping for swords on ebay... don't. 100:1, fake:real

Still not disagreeing necessarily because I can't call this one... but for the OP's sake here's food for thought... just to explain why I'm not sure...

I'm sure... There are so many variables... some which are constantly changing. It's amazing they can control the outcome as well as they do using traditional methods and materials...

Hataraki have a lot to do with differences of edge and skin steel, different steel folded together to form the hada, structure of hada and tsukurikomi type (how the billet was constructed), forge-welding technique and process may even come into play... the skill of the smith to quench, basically freezing different iron and carbon structures in different states or arrangements, with endeless possibilities according to all these things... Chance, skill, and materials used give us what we see, and appreciate as an almost natural beauty paired with a near perfect execution of knowledge and skill of craft... Maybe to some they see the work of God... I just see things that can, and have been explained through scientific research... except for utsuri maybe... that must be God's hand...

Kanewaka school from Mino to Kaga... I'm not sure how much pure masamehada they did (haven't seen so much from the school), but the few examples I have seen were pretty unusual and attractive to my eyes... but yes, I like Sendai Kunikane school masame, too... it had slipped my mind at the moment. Anyway, I just like pure masamehada. Seems like there are other fans of it here, too...