md02geist

Thank you very much!

No sir, not in a huff. Just saying I don't know him. But yes it was his suggestion.

You'll pardon me but I do not understand what you mean by "CB." Thank you! If those are initials you are correct but I do not know this man from anyone else; I have no idea who he is (I do not mean that disrespectfully I just mean that I simply do not know him or of him).

"The Army instituted a program around 1943 to produce traditionally made blades through contract smiths and at the same time, hired traditionally trained smiths to make swords and instruct at their arsenals in Kokura, Osaka, and Tokyo. These blades are usually inscribed XX Rikugun Zoheisho and have been, in my experience, traditionally made. Of course there is always that exception, but in general, it is safe to assume blades made at these arsenal forges are traditionally made." What I was told today.

Thank you Greg. I really wish I had a few more blossoms but I only saved three and one of them was damaged when removing it from the paper it was drying on (hence the partial petals). I think 2-3 more would have been nice. Maybe next season I will pull more and add.

Thank you all

http://www.jp-sword.com/files/blade/moritaka/moritaka.htm This was shared with me as a suggestion of smith. What do you all think?

Thank you all for the wonderful information!

Thought I would share with you guys pictures of the Tsuba I won in the raffle. Here is the Tsuba: And here is the display case I made for it tonight. This is a shadow box with a glass front. I used high quality foam on the inside and carved out the shape and depth of the Tsuba box, then lined the entire thing with real silk. The flowers you see are actual dried cherry blossoms from my very own Yoshino tree that we planted in the front yard last fall. These are the blooms I saved from the first flowering we witnessed on this tree, which occurred a month or two ago. I undertook this project with real respect for the item and its past in my heart and treated it gently and kindly, making sure not to touch it with my bare skin. Thanks for looking!

Thank you! I look forward to viewing it.

How is asking for documentaries about Samurai and the like off topic in a forum that includes in the description: "For the discussion of all topics related to Nihonto, collecting, the Samurai, Japanese Art or Japanese history that are not covered below."

Don't see a forum more appropriate to the subject.

how did samurai store their armor both at home and on the move? I assume ceremonial stands at home and in wooden trunks when moving (and not actively in combat)?

Nobody has any? How sad.

I am searching for some more documentaries to watch on samurai and the like. What are some of your favorites?

I saw this on recommendation of a friend a little while ago, I enjoyed it.

Thank you for your input; I did not believe the habaki to be legit. Also if you cannot put them in a display case I see no possible way to show them, and every museum in the world is wrong. I plan on making a display case out of high quality wood, uv resistant glass, and a silk insert.

Excellent input thank you.

Forgive the poor pictures. Also I am aware the blade is not in good shape; I was not responsible for its care until the last six months or so, so please don't start hammering me on the condition.

Will do! I will try to get some tomorrow. My photography equipment and skills are lacking but maybe I can take some that help, at least some close ups. It was a sword my father bought back in the 70s at some antique market for like 70 bucks or something, and he gave it to me for my birthday last year as I'm the only one of his kids who would appreciate such a thing. I plan on putting it in a display box and putting it on the wall in my office.

I wanted to let you know that this sword was now given to me as a gift from the person I initially asked about it. May i ask what other things I should be looking for on this blade other than the mei, if there are any, to more thoroughly identify it? It does not have any koshirae or saya, the tsuba I'm not sure if it is original or not, and the tsuka is a hand made job done with cheap wood and tape to mimic the tsukamaki.

I received my tsuba yesterday in the mail and am very stunned by it. It is wonderful and I look forward to mounting it in a nice shadow box and putting it up on the wall. Thank you both to the generous individual who donated it and to NMB for hosting the drawing!

I was contacted and told my tsuba will be on the way very shortly. Very excited!