SAS

And some smiths polish their own swords, both in Japan and abroad.

When I was an apprentice carpenter, we started out with handsaws.....once we mastered those, they let us try power saws... Still, once metal is gone, it can't be put back. (old carpenter joke.....he cut the board 3 times and it is STILL too short!)

I can't really tell much from the photos. Do you have any of the blade? Full length without koshirae?

Can't believe I missed this thread.... Anything that can be screwed up by hand can be screwed up a gazillion times faster with a machine. DON'T DO IT!!!!

I thought the seller was being pretty hopeful but did not wish to offend anyone.

Kesho yasuri is present which is atypical; also, no horimono are present which would seem odd for one of the best horimono carvers of his time. Boshi is somewhat atypical. It seems like a good sword, but the price seems hopeful and has been dropped by $2000 usd. I have not really studied the mei. It is said to buy the sword, not the mei. Good luck to the seller and buyer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/201701454586 Sword is described as important

I support the wisdom of the moderators and recommend the thread be closed, unless they deem otherwise.

Someone around here once channelled Yoda and said"When 300 years old, you are, then look as good, you will not!" ......worth repeating

PM sent, Ed....

THAT was unexpected.....!

I agree with Ken, Paulb, and Dr. Brian; also being in the middle of studying Bungo smiths from Koto onwards my opinion of these swords is very high......Suishinshi Masahide went to Kyushu to find the Soshu tradition which launched Shinshinto; also, the Yamashiro tradition had deep roots there

You could have told him to look for the "Mune" to go with his "Masa", Stephen!

Indeed. Were i in the position of running the forum, i would not endorse even professional, fully Japanese trained polishers.....THAT would be a slippery slope as well. I fully support your position. Regards, Steve

You are an awesome researcher!

I would definitely have it under glass; a thin wood backing covered by fabric behind the oshigata and thin glass over the front would do the trick; I am sure there is a place near you but can't remember one right now. Is that art gallery still out there on Kam Hwy, they might have an idea where to get it done. Good luck!

There are any number of professional polishers who are used by the Nihonto community who did not go to Japan and sit in an uncomfortable position on a togi dai for 10 years. Much respect to those who did. Everybody started somewhere; I did my learning at my own expense on my own creations. I had the privilege on a few occasions of being able to observe and learn from 2 award-winning nihonto polishers in Hawaii to get a baseline for my studies. I have 10 years of hands on and academic study in bladesmithing and polishing as well as several thousands of dollars worth of stones. I am not hanging out a shingle and looking for work, nor seeking your or the NMB's endorsement. Nor am i presenting myself as anything other than I am. Judge as you will, but the process and the result will speak for itself. Does your experience as a sword seller, collector, and knife maker give you the right to define my experience as "amateur"? The sword cuts both ways. (Nothing personal, Ed, but I doubt any of us want to be placed under a microscope)

A koa wood veneer frame or maybe bamboo would look pretty good I think; looking forward to the end result!

I am a low volume professional blade smith and polisher working primarily in Japanese style and my work has been seen by a senior polisher with many years of experience on high level nihonto and found to be adequate; I am not soliciting polishing work here. I am primarily self trained and do all work by hand with water stones from Japan. I offered to do the OP a favor without charge; that doesn't make me an " amateur polisher".... amateur polishing is heavily frowned upon by all serious collectors of nihonto, including myself. Please do not let this thread devolve.

Good points Gary, but it sounds like you are trying to sell insurance. Everyone needs to evaluate their own situation....thanks for bringing up the issue. A little humor never hurts in this messed up world.

Additional layers of protection......by terriers Oops, sorry for upside down, we are south of equator and I am on a stupid Mac (ok it is the operator)

Some people need more "love" than others!

Sword curvature is more of an indicator of the period it was made than the smith who made it; kind of like clothes are.....how they are used and fashion to some degree. Sometimes swords have what seems to be a LOT of curvature, then we try to figure out why. The swords don't always tell us though. Google wanted to tell me all about Tommie, though...... I am hopeful that someone will have an oshigata and/or photographs of an authenticated Tomoie, but there seems to have been several different signatures and from neighboring fiefs as well. Anything is a start, but there are few guarantees even if the sword came with a paper. (Many hours of study later) difficult to find definitive information on the specific mei fragment, although the Fujiwara Takada school was doing great things down in Kyushu. Saw some VERY impressive swords from the Koto time frame. I have not found any references for a smith named Tomoie beyond the Hawley TOM 458 who signed in the specified format, but am not limiting my search to him/them; I am looking for any smith/school who used the format. No bingo yet, just Bungo (a little provincial humor )

My opinion only.....if the last properly trained craftsmen left it as is, so should everyone else (who are not), all else being satisfactory.

Looking now for an oshigata of Hawley TOM 458, if anyone has a lead.....thanks much. Also looking for photographs of this Tomoie's work; thanks again. I am coming up with a lot, just nothing useful (thanks Google!)