md02geist

Sai Jo, thank you, I will look them up! K morita, ありがとうございます

Certainly is a good start, thank you!

I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction to find actual information regarding animal/insect/plant symbolism in Japanese history? I would love to see what popularly represented creatures/plants meant (things like dragonflies, sakura blossoms, etc) if they had a special meaning attached to them. I've done lots of searching the net but find lots of conflicting or totally different information from one site to the next, so I'm wondering if there is a book I should be looking in.

...with your nihonto? Do you put them in a special safe to maintain their value and condition? Do you display them in some sort of secure case? ....do you hang them on your wall? Just curious.

Haha that's something that happens everywhere. What DOESN'T happen is all these people coming out of the woodworks to give you advice without going "LOL UR A NOOB" and such haha

Hello again all, I want to thank those of you who have come forward to assist me in learning, and to give me good information. Already this has been one of the most welcoming forums I have visited (I have posted on many) and I thank you for your help. I see that this community is very tightly knit and I am glad!

Seen that happen but thankfully nobody was injured. Bad stuff.

First let me clarify that I would NEVER use an antique nihinto for chopping things up! Second while I appreciate the concern, I am ex military, took various martial arts, grew up in the SCA, and have been collecting various blades for 20 years. Right now my collection is mostly busse, swamp rat, and bark river. High end outdoor knives mostly, no true swords to speak of. I am not saying I am some expert warrior but I am capable and careful enough with blades to know precisely how dangerous they can be. I do however thank you for the cautionary words! But please don't think I'm going to take a 500 year old blade out back and whack trees with it, I did not mean to give that impression. I'm in Richmond Virginia.

Thank you all for the advice. I both appreciate modern day and antique blades as well as militaria, so modern day high quality blades have an interest for me. HOWEVER I am far more interested in true nihonto and am simply anxious as they say "the bug." Thank you for the welcome and I look forward to learning much here! I am in Richmond Virginia by the way.

Hello all, I am brand new and happy to be here. As I save up my money and gain KNOWLEDGE looking at proper nihonto (speaking with Grey who referred me here, he said that the most important thing I can do before I buy a "real" sword is to LEARN so I am taking that to heart), I was wondering in the meantime what an acceptable, semi-traditional modern day blade to purchase would be? I have heard that the Hanwei Practical Plus XL is a semi-traditional blade made with more modern techniques and apparently is a good bang for the buck. Can anyone suggest any more to me? I would like something for display, and possibly some cutting use. Thank you!