Grey Doffin

Hi Cody, Here you will find Care & Cleaning, which will teach you proper maintenance: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Your sword's length means that it is a wakizashi, not a katana. Nothing wrong with that; just a different length. Best advice I give out to all beginners: don't be in a hurry to do anything. Forget about shinsa and polish for now; you don't know enough to make an informed decisions and that leads to regret later. Take some time to learn more about your sword and Nihonto in general; your sword is perfectly fine with waiting for you to catch up. Polish doesn't preserve the sword*; oil and proper care take care of that. The more you know before you act, the happier you and the sword will be with the results. Grey * When a Japanese sword is sent by a beginning collector to a polisher it can end in damage, not preservation. Beginners often choose poorly trained polishers and beginners don't know how best to care for the polish.

Hi Julien, Here you will find a Care and Cleaning lesson. https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Unless you know all this already you should read it. I'm nearby in Duluth; if I can help let me know. I'm no authority but I have been studying for 40 years. Grey

The book I tried to buy out of Japan was on ebay and it was ebay that told me I'd have to pay the tariff and service fee up front; didn't think I'd have much luck reasoning with ebay. The new tariff regime is stupid. It isn't going to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US (there has been a decline in those jobs already since January); it is just going to make a mess. Grey

I recently tried to purchase a book from Japan. I was told that I had to pay the tariff up front; that the shipper wouldn't proceed unless the fee was paid. On top of that, the shipper would charge a service fee somewhere between $5 and $30. The deal didn't happen. I recently sold a book to Europe and the buyer arranged with a 3rd party to have UPS do the shipping. I was required to forward an extra $20 to the 3rd party, to cover tariff in case the buyer didn't pay. The buyer wasn't charged the tariff so UPS probably paid it and I'm stuck with it. I can't tell you how happy I am with our current government. Grey

Hi Trevor, I see little to be excited about here. At $120 you did fine, unless you get the tsuka wrapped and all that, in which case you're likely too deep into it to ever get your money back. I wouldn't spend another cent unless someone knowledgeable and honest sees it in hand and advises otherwise, but I wouldn't expect that to happen. My advise is to turn a quick buck and look for better to collect. Grrey

I was thinking the original pictures were of ornaments mounted to the saya, not the tsuka. Knowing now that they are on the tsuka, I agree that these are proper menuki, not tobacco pouch ornaments. Grey

Hi Eric, As these are a bit tall for menuki and exactly the same (not what you expect for menuki), they may be tobacco pouch ornaments. Grey

Hi Jay, I am concerned that this is an iron tsuba that has never been mounted; there are no soft metal shims to provide a snug, non abrasive fit around the blade's nakago and no evidence that there ever were any. Also, the nakagao hitsu-ana appears to be too tall for its width; it looks unnatural. I suspect John is correct in his estimation and 19th century (or maybe 20th) made for export isn't good news. But I can be wrong. Grey

Hi Aaron, Tom would be classified as a tanto (knife length) and looks to be something put together after WWII, possibly from the reshaped end of a broken sword, to sell to members of the occupation forces as a souvenir. It may also date to late 19th or early 20 century, but for the same purpose (souvenir). Shorty is a carpenter's tool - a good sharp knife. Grey

Not commenting on the mei of the fuchi (which is upside down BTW) which may or may not be correct but the work cannot possibly be fake. This is very nice. Grey

To me this looks like a broken blade (business end of a katana) repurposed for sale to souvenir seeking tourist or occupation GI after the end of the war. No idea what the 3 mekugiana are about but this is the most logical explanation for the blade. Grey

Hi Kelly, Here you will find care and cleaning, including how to remove the handle: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ But don't force anything. If the handle comes off easy, fine. If not, wait till you can get someone who knows Japanese swords to help. Your sword is a dagger: tanto in Japanese. The small knife and fancy handle are called kogatana and kotsuka. The signature on the small knife is almost certainly not a true signature; they almost never are. If the tanto is signed it will be under the handle and should be more meaningful. Best of luck and don't be in a hurry for anything, including selling it to one of the sharks who likely will contact you. Grey

Hi David, The Art of the Japanese Sword covers everything in The Craft of the Japanese Sword in greater detail and with better illustrations. Read The Art and don't bother with The Craft. Welcome, Grey

Hi folks, A while ago someone asked me to let him know if I got in a sword by the Ishido School smiths. I have nno idea who that was. Any case - in case he hangs out here and is paying attention - I just listed a sweet wakizashi by Tsushima no Kami Ippo: https://japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/swords/q886-signed-papered-wakizashi-edo-ishido-tsushima-kami-ippo/ This follows a recently listed jumonji yari and there are more to come in the near future. Cheers, Grey

Hi Russell, The person from whom you bought the sword should have supplied this information and more. You, and other beginning collectors, need to find more helpful dealers. Grey