w.y.chan

Pretty sure it wasn't choji oil that was used 500-1000 years ago.

Yasukuni swords tend to be a little bit more pricier in the US than in Japan. Maybe the interest is higher in the US. Wah

Shirasaya is wood and wood breathes so it is not air tight. A laquered saya in a normal koshirae as far as the protection for the wood of the saya is concern is actually more air tight. Wah

The Fujishiro uchiko ball is the only one I find that are safe to use on polished blades. I don't believe it is actually uchiko, quite possibly powdered deer horn polishers uses at various stages of polishing. The technique I use is alcohol to digest the oil, before it completely dries out use Microdear lens cloth to wipe off then apply Fujishiro "uchiko", which of course is not real uchiko, to get rid of any residue left over by the dried out alcohol. The key is avoid abrasive material and less amount of wiping. Wah

I use mineral oil. It is less likely to oxidise and when dried easy to remove than some gun oil. I've heard choji oil can darken the ji over time and some like the look Choji oil claims to be an insecticide. Wah

Hi All, A blue steel is sometime use as a kantei point for swords by Koyama Munetsugu but with modern polish is it still possible to see this effect or does it require a particular type of light source that are strong enough to view it? Wah

Here is a Miyaguchi Yasuhiro

I've seen a couple of WW2 wakizashi by top gendai tosho both were special order commemorative, seems like they were never made for practical purposes but as gifts.

I would agree Imaizuma Toshimitsu and Kawashima Tadayoshi would both have been made LNT ahead of Akitsugu and Toshihira had they both live longer but it is clear that Japan didnt want too many LNT swordsmiths, they had 2 already when these smiths were active. I thought it was unprecedented when they had 3 in 1997-98 and maybe as you said a powerful figure played his hand for a third LNT. However as I said the earliest living recipient still seem to be the one being made LNT ever since the system was brought in. I don't think it is right but as you said changing the culture of seniority is a hard one. If the authority is not pleased with the potential candidate they could stop naming LNT and wait for that person to retire.

Sorry Chris and no disrespect to you, I understand your point. There is political work going on. With regard to Ozumi Toshihira he was made Mukansa in 1972 the same time as Amada Akitsugu. This illustrate my point in what I have been saying, they were the 2 earliest living recipients of Mukansa rank both made LNT in 1997. That is politics. Personally I would like that change so that the best skilled smith get the chance to be LNT and not down to age or seniority. It dissappoint me that there is some very good smiths who don't win as many prizes compare to others who are associated with a better known school but wouldnt it be refreshing for the first time a smith was chosen as LNT and he is not the earliest living mukansa recipient? Perhaps a Masamune Award can or may change the order? Miyairi Norihiro is currently the only living recipient. BTW I do like the work of Miyairi Kei and Kawachi Kunihira, they would get my vote for pure craftmanship but I feel politiics will get in the way again as before. Miyairi Kei http://www.token-net.com/soldout/201306-4.html Kawachi Kunihira http://katanakura.xb.shopserve.jp/smp/item/1309-K02.html

Good experience with Aoi Art too. If online always look around other dealers websites. Some Japanese dealers don't rate gendaitos as high as it should and sells them cheaper than normally seen elsewhere. A particular dealer sold a WW2 Okimasa 71.5cm special shrine dedication sword for the equivelent of $7.5k and he typically sells big name WW2 swords somewhat lower.

This was quickly sold http://katanakura.xb.shopserve.jp/smp/item/1310-O01.html

Most people will refer to talent and accomplishment but like you I realise there is politics. I would go as far as saying that the politics were in place long ago back when the smiths were chosen to be mukansa their age is taken into consideration as to who will become LNT and who will not. For example a smith made Mukansa when he is in his 70s would most likely never be LNT compare to a smith who became Mukansa at age 36 because the younger Mukansa will likely live long enough to see his turn being the earliest living recipient. The Yoshihara brothers and Gassan Sadatoshi were likely next candidates and all 3 could be, there has been 3 LNT swordsmiths in 1997-98. The next generation of Mukansas that are likley to succeed as LNT after them are Mikami Sadanao, Miyairi Norihiro. This can all change depend if the smith retire or decease early. I don't know if there are those in the sword fraternity that might prefer another over Yoshindo but if there were objection it certainly werent strong enough to prevent him being made Cultural Property of Tokyo a few years ago.

I agree there is politics involved and if you look at the age of the smiths and when they became mukansa and then LNT you see a pattern. The younger the smiths who became mukansa the more likely their natural lifespan enable them to become eventual Ningen Kokuho because they are more likely to eventually be the oldest to becomming mukansa earliest. I've not yet seen this pattern changed. I be more surprise if someone else get chosen before Yoshindo and that based on politics and system they had in place. Of course there is other possibility, Japan stop appointing LNT untill after Yoshinda retires.

Thankyou Peter. An interesting documentary with a popular actor. Of all current swordsmiths Yoshindo is the only one who probably need no introduction. Almost everyone is saying he will be the next Ningen Kokuho and I believe they are still continueing with the system of honouring that based on when the smith became mukansa first.

Horimono of this standard are seldom seen in WW2 let alone Seki blades but from your pics the horimono look remarkably fresh.

This site has been in around for a number of years http://www.d2.dion.ne.jp/~meitou/faqen.htm#6.swordsmith http://pages.infinit.net/natin/samurai/eng/ritsuo.htm Fukustugu appeared on the Discovery Channel a few years ago. There use to be a video online were he is shown working at a forge in China with several Chinese deshi.

Good copies are made and sold to collectors just don't find its way to ebay, but if they are that good you wouldnt know. About 8yrs ago there was a newly made Japanese style swords on ebay from China, it looked every bit as good as a Japanese one, it wasnt a faked mei but one not attributed to any Japanese smith, it was skillfully cut, it sold for quite a sum of money.

Hi Chris, The brief moment I had with the Ogawa Kanekuni some years back I recall it had a noticeable folding line that ran along the middle on the back of the blade which would suggest makuri-gitae or were the shingane and kawagane are wrapped to speed up production.

Agree with Brian. The swords shown on this thread are deliberately made not to deceive genuine collectors. They are low quality replicas not fakes. The best Chinese bladesmiths can make very good Japanese style swords of quality that at least rivals the best comming out of USA and I'm sure some are already trained under at least one Japanese tosho who works in China.

Somehow I doubt the Chinese discover how to make fake Japanese swords from literature in English, western sources or indeed from this forum. I've seen replica nihonto when I was in Hong Kong back in 1997 and I'm sure they were selling them long before that.

Do you mean slabbing swords :lol:

I've seen a WW2 Ogawa Kanekuni that was clearly traditionally made with nie based hamon and not too shabby. Of course it is likely he also made showato.

Thanks Chris. There were a few special order Mikasa blades that were indeed superior to the rest, you could say they are as good as any of Toshihide's best work but these are likely exceptions http://ohmura-study.net/204.html Most does'nt look anything remotely approaching the standard of the katana above. Mikasa blades in general never really got me excited from an artistic point of view but it has a place as a piece of militaria. BTW I believe this book is out of print long ago, a must have if you collect Horii blades http://bbs.findart.com.cn/811795.html