tokashikibob

Anything with Colby Bilmore on the mailing tag on the saya would be nice under the tree!

Gents, Headed out after work for a night auction a few hours away last night. I brought this home and it cleaned up pretty nice. Anyone want to take a stab at the bladesmith before I work the handle off? Best Regards, Bob P.S. With my luck it is mumei or gimei.

For some of us this situation is one way on how we acquire our collections. It is of great interest when a collection comes on the market as there are too many pieces usually for the collecting community to absorb in the matter of a few minutes time in the auction crowd or when someone responds to a advertisement.. Guys like me (The newbies) cannot shop at Aoi art often. Best Regards, Bob

Getting ready to carve up the Turkey in a couple days. Stephen says I should cut the bird with this old chow hall Ginsu, I prefer a electric carving knife. I guess I could use this old relic if the bird is juicy. Best Regards, Bob

Hammy, I have many great examples of fine military outfitted blades, I look for the different nowadays. Anyway I liked the look and it's still sharp. I won't have a problem using it next month when the riots start if I'm out of bullets. I'd have reservations on using one of the nice polished blades on out of control liberturds or Trumpers for that matter. Best Regards, Bob

Thanks guys, Especially Bruce, saved me time looking those kanji up. I keep it together even if the parts are worth more than what I have in it. I'm sure we all have repaired & refitted project blades and soon find how hard it is to get a good fit on just about anything on a nihonto. Whomever did this one was pretty savvy.

Steven & Hammy, Here's the Endo Mei. The last inch of the nakago is gone, another mystery. Anyway you may be right but I'm thinking some sort of Navy civilian government worker. Tsuka is good work, Endo Nagamitsu not so much even with the star stamp. I'll get a kurikata for it and put it away for another day.

Gents, You may have seen this before as I spotted it on a few old boards. I was intrigued by the tsuka, as i seem to get excited by unusual in Nihonto and also because I've tried my hand at a few wraps with the help of Thomas Bucks book. Anyway, I bought it. The Tsukaito is gold and the backing is a fine cloth. However, all the fittings are standard Navy. The scabbard is unusual and maybe not original due to theme to the piece but it fits together well and maybe is correct? Has anybody else seen or own odd Navy koshirae blades? Other points of interest are what i believe to be a zodiac date and the Star stamp Endo Nagamitsu mei and a family symbol beneath the tassels on the scabbard. Best Regards, Bob

Koshirae may be a late war civilian base worker put together. Lucky the government employee kept the shirasaya! Nice blade!

Way to go Joe!

I also spent time in Bangkok on multiple occasions 10 years or so ago and would seek out the antique shops. The swords I saw were always rusty, usually used as field equipment beforehand and priced incredibility high. If they actually sell the swords for those prices you would be a rich man soon, shipping gunto there to sell. Maybe Burma would be a place to poke around, whose ready to go?

Vlad, How many Russian bring back swords from the July 45 Blitz are usually at the Kiev antique markets? Stephen and I will fly in by next Friday using reward points, Ray probably will too, but on a private jet in 48 hours. Can you pick us up? Best Regards, Bob

Vlad, Superb pictures & awesome sword! Congrats! Best Regards. Bob

Julian, I know I'm swimming against the tide, but you took a WW2 blade nobody in a 100 years was going to spend 2K on to polish and made it a looker. I'm never impressed with a mint WW2 era polish anyway, I'm sure the girls at the arsenal didn't spend many hours on even the better blades we seek and do we consider them togishi? I'm of the opinion these 20th century blades have many polishes left in them and the geometry is for the most part standard on them. A light freshen by caring hands is no big deal. Best Regards, Bob

Sal, Glad to see I'm not the only rusty project collector! Good luck! Best Regards, Bob

Thanks guys! I left before I got to read this board, and I just got back from looking at it in person. Passed on it. I also thought Chinese fake after handling it. Lack of patina, rough grinding. Missing arsenal marks on fuchi. When I unscrewed the handle the nakago was unfinished ground down and a uneven mess. Pretty good blade copy however. The scabbard was way light too. Too bad but it was only a short drive and maybe he'll find a good one next time!

Gents, Looking at this wooden handled job tonight. Any impressions to share before I go see it. I am not spun up on last ditch anything. Best Regards, Bob

Thanks Dave, Will do!

Gents, I picked up a rusty wak which has a cooper tsuba with water staining. Any wipe down tips? Best regards, Bob

For future reference; Arnold's right on the money. MitsuKiyo it is. I found one other Mitsukiyo on the web, Bottom radical is missing on this one.

Gents, Thank you for the help in all aspects. Definitely not 12 mm, measured it at 7.5mm. Did some snooping around and Sesko's koto meikan has a Mitsusuke blade that was the closest match in which the Suke kanji may be what was on this tanto mei with the center rubbed off. Not much on Mitsusuke on the web, does anyone have a comparable? From NihontoClub Mitsusuke ID MIT255 Province Yamato Era Eiwa (1375-1379) ND Active Period 1375-1379 School Senjuin Source Rating Reference/Page Hawley 60 MIT255 Toko Taikan ¥6M 607 Signatures: 大和國光夫 yamato kuni mitsusuke

Gents, Acquired this tanto recently. Yoroidoshi? After doing some reading I'm thinking it may have a shot at late Kamakura maybe Yamato. 26cm from Munemachi. Masame. Lots of kizu but no fatal flaws. It has a old nimei but no way I can guess what the missing radicals may have been. Maybe something looks familiar to the pros. Reserved copper samurai fittings, working man's blade I guess. I'd think it has one more light polish in her for the tanto collector. Feel free to correct and opine. Best Regards, Bob

Neat, That soldier must have had extra cash and expected to swing it around some in the 40's.

Stephen, any time bro. We can hit the chow hall, do some fast roping and the strip clubs. Semper Fi, Bob P.S. not my boat, I don't have one, buy antiques instead.

Me Likey Likey, Stephen! your always saying your broke, Let me give the grunt some cash or Megalodon teeth! Best regards, Bob