Grey Doffin

If you can't get better pictures stay away from it. It looks very much (99% certain) that this is a fake. Grey

David, By that I hope you don't mean polishing. You can't learn polishing without a teacher; you'll only destroy swords. Grey

Hi Peter, JSL Index on the JSS/US website, searching in the index of fittings artists gives these results for Sorin: JSS/US Newsletter 35,6,30, the Solingen Museum book 206, Compton auction at Christie's 1,172, 100 Masterpieces 300, Nippon-to: The Compton Collection 118, and the Boston Museum book 198&227. Grey

Hi guys, These menuki are mounted across from each other on a tanto I own. I've assumed they are mismatched, don't belong together, but maybe I'm wrong. Opinions please. Thanks, Grey

Hi Greg, The website tells you pretty much what it is; whether it makes sense for you to buy it is a question only you can answer. I just answered your other post about the Chinese fake. If you're at a level (rank beginner) where you didn't know if that sword was right, you need to be reading and studying more than you need to be buying. Take some time to learn, look at all the good swords you possibly can, and then you'll have a much better idea what you should buy. Not saying you shouldn't buy the sword on Nihontocraft; just that study before buying makes sense. Grey

http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-SAMURAI-SWORD-KATANA-SHIRASAYA-YUKIHIDE-/370418772220?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0 He also has a Kiyomaro up for sale. The link above is for the Yukihide. Grey

What causes a nakago to look/degrade like this? Neglect. Grey

Alex, I can top that. Once dreamed that I had spent a bundle on a sword and when I got it home I discovered that it was a tsunagi, a wooden replacement blade. But wait; it gets better. The tsunagi was made of plywood. Any other Nihonto dreams out there? Grey

Ray, No one bothers to take pictures of and post or catalog or publish gimei, except for one exception: Katana no Gimei by Inutsuka & Fukunaga. Unfortunately for you, Yukimitsu isn't included in this book. There is no standard gimei of Yukimitsu. Hundreds of smiths, polishers, dealers, whatever, have signed that name to a nakago in the last 700 years, hoping to fool the unsuspecting. Finding another gimei with which to compare yours will gain you nothing. Grey

OK, here you have pages 602-3 from volume 1 of Shinto Taikan. Grey

Hi Mick, I'm a bit confused by your question. Page 185 of Fujishiro's Shinto-hen has text and oshigata of Musashi no Kami Nagamichi, and text only for Settsu no Kami Nagashige. Grey

Thank you all. Grey

Hi guys, I'm assuming there is a Japanese tale that ties this fuchi & kashira together. Anyone care to help? Unsigned. Thanks, Grey

Good eyes, Chris; I think that's it. Thanks again, Grey

Hi guys, I'm stumped. 2 Kanji, Kuni, and another Kanji. This is an 11 5/8" hira-zukuri tanto that most likely will be for sale. Any and all help will be appreciated. Thanks, Grey

Todd, You have a Japanese WWII Army Shin Gunto signed, "Emura Saku". Others will tell you about Emura (or you can google him); I'll tell you about the bamboo peg that holds the handle in place. Yours look to be broken or nearly so. This peg (mekugi) is very important; it keeps the point of the blade from shattering in the bottom of the scabbard. You need to replace it ASAP. Whittle a bamboo chopstick to fit. Grey

Hi Chris, The sword was on ebay; the seller was fishing for information more than trying to make a sale. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220642407409&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123 Looks to me like a sword made about the same time as the Kendo competition, 1933, or not much before. No idea why it wouldn't have been signed. With the narrow yakiba and the badly broken kissaki it is probably toast, no nearly so. Unless you can see something I've missed. Grey

Thanks guys. There is a date on the sayagaki: Showa 8, 1933. Grey

Hi guys, Someone has contacted me and asked for help with a sayagaki. I'm not having much luck; can one of you please help? I don't know if the sword is for sale, certainly not by me. Thanks, Grey

Hi Joe, Someone with more experience repairing koshirae might have a better idea but I would try rice glue. It is reversible, if necessary, and won't do any damage. Grey

I have owned a similar tsuba in the past and have seen at least one other. I don't know the theme and have no idea which, if any, school this could be attributed to, but there must have been some sort of organized or purposeful turning out of these tsuba. Maybe someone could ask Jim Gilbert. Grey

Hi Joe, What are the kojiri and koi-guchi made of? Grey

CS, When I said no earlier than Shinshin-to I was going by the sharp file line on the nakago above the mei. Seeing that there is a lot more nakago than what I saw 1st, let me change my mind. The blade has been shortened and could be older. Your pictures are too small to see much detail. Any chance we can see larger ones? Grey

CS, You were told correct about the signature, I believe, and also about the difficulty in determining which Kuniyuki it is. More pictures of the blade and one that shows the whole nakaga (tang) with the signature will help. What I can see of the nakago indicates Shinshin-to at the earliest. Best of luck with the Roadshow but don't take their appraisal to the bank. Every appraisal of a Japanese sword they've ever shown on air has been goofy. Grey

Hi guys, Something unusual has shown up (at least I can't recall having seen it before); thought I'd share it around. From Fuller & Gregory's Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks: "Small paper labels are sometimes found stuck on Showa period lacquered scabbards which have been fitted with leather combat covers. They are rare and only two types have been recorded. (i) A circular blue and white label in English and Japanese. The outside reads 'The Seki Cutlery manufacturers Society. Seki Gifuken. Japan. (Passed)'. One has also been found stuck on a blade tang. The use of English and inclusion of 'Japan' seems to indicate an export item which is clearly not the case with a sword. Possibly they are pre-war but were used up on swords after the cessation of normal Japanese exports to the West." I'll skip the description of the 2nd type of label since it doesn't apply here. The sword is obviously Showa-to, unsigned, and unremarkable. The label is interesting, though. Grey