Grey Doffin

Andreas, Looks fishy to me; that isn't how hi are supposed to end. Terrible polish also. Wonder what the nakago looks like. Not sure this is real Nihonto. Grey

Hi Simon, If you already own the kodogu and blade this might make sense financially. If, however, you plan to buy the parts and pay to have them assembled, you would do much better to look for a sword with koshirae that you like. It will cost much less than what you plan. Grey

Hi Jon, Here's a link to a care & etiquette page, in case you haven't already read one. http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Grey

I just searched all of ebay for "Japanese sword" and got 4,579 hits. Next I did the same search but specified that the item be located in China: 2,068 hits. Nearly half the Japanese swords on ebay are being sold out of China and 99.9% of that half are fake. Sorry Lee, but I wish ebay would let me search excluding items located in China. This isn't a few bad eggs; it's an industry. Grey

I've never heard of an Owari sukashi (open work) tsuba in soft metal; I think they're all iron. I guess cast. But what do I know? Let's hear from some others. Grey

Alaen, No one will be able to tell you much if anything from a few pictures. You should show the sword to a competent polisher, or at least a knowledgeable collector you trust, to have your questions answered. Grey

Hi Dave, Here's a link to a sword care and etiquette web site that will show how to remove the handle and reassemble after photos. It shows also what else you need to know about your sword, so read the whole thing. http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Because a large chunk of your handle is missing and also because there might be thick rust on the tang of the blade, the method shown might not work for you. If that's the case feel free to contact me by phone (you're in the States, right?) and I'll talk you through the process. 218-726-0395 central time. Let me repeat, do not under any circumstances try to clean or fix ANYTHING; you'll only get yourself into trouble. As for restoration: this will be expensive and the value of your sword may not warrant the expense. Let's wait till we know what you have before any decisions are made. Cheers, Grey

Paul Davidson, AB President, just sent me contact information for the group. Try pdavidson@cox-internet.com Grey

M. Lee, No one is questioning the honesty of the last owner of of yourself. Signatures of important swordsmiths have been added to later blades (forgeries) ever since swords have been signed. Much like with important signatures on oil paintings, signatures on swords have to be considered carefully. Grey

Just my opinion, but I think you should hold off on the restoration until you know more about Japanese swords and how to care for them. Polishing a sword removes some of the skin of the blade (left behind on the stones) and after too many polishes the skin is gone and the inner steel (lesser quality) starts to show through. We call such swords "tired" and consider them seriously defected. Beginners tend to screw up polishes. It's not that they're purposely careless; it just happens that way. Eventually the sword passes on to someone else, who wants to have the blade polished. Take some time to learn something about Nihonto in general and your sword in particular. Bone up on sword care and etiquette (here's a link: http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Eventually you'll get to a point where you'll either want to get in deeper and have the sword polished or decide to leave well enough alone. This way the sword won't have to suffer too many polishes. By the way, the polish isn't necessary to protect/preserve the sword; it changes the appearance only. A light coat of proper oil properly applied is all that is necessary, whether the blade is in polish or not, to protect it. Thanks for hearing me out. Grey

Hi James, Could you tell us more please? I recently received the FTK Newsletter and there was no mention of the shows coming to an end. There was a rumor floating around the last San Francisco show that there would be no Tampa show in 2010, which turned out to be false. What specifically have you heard? Grey

Which tells us that the cutting test results were added to the blade recently. I think we have ample evidence that the test is a fake, added to increase the sword's value. Grey

The cutting test looks a bit wrong to my eyes also. There is a way to tell if the test was done long ago or yesterday. When a gold inlay is done the gold is finished off flush with the surface of the nakago. Since steel oxidizes and gold doesn't, over time the surface of the nakago around the inlay will expand ever so slightly while the gold will retain its original surface. If the inlay was done during the Edo period, you should be able to feel the different heights of the gold and steel. If the inlay was done recently there will be no difference. Grey

Oshu Aizu no Ju Masanaga. Hawleys list 6 smiths who signed this way between 1626 and 1804. Grey

Hi Jan, Unless I'm looking at a sword in my collection, it is tucked away. Too many things (the kid, the cat, the wife, visitors, and uninvited guests) can go wrong to leave a good sword out. Grey

Hi Paul, I stayed at the Ramada, Long Island City, just across the river from Manhattan. 3 1/2 blocks from the subway, $110 a night on hotels.com. Nice place and a good price considering it's NYC. There are deals to be had in New Jersey also but most anything I looked at on Manhattan was pricey. Take a flashlight to the show and if you can, plan to visit twice. The first visit will be overwhelming; the 2nd will be more valuable. If possible, get and read the catalog before attending. Grey

Very good Nihonto at very reasonable prices occasionally show up at gun shows. Very bad Nihonto (and even out right fakes) for way too much money occasionally show up at gun shows. Knowing the difference is why taking the time for study is so important. Grey

I don't think there is any reason for the JSS/US to stock the catalogs. They're easily available from the Met and other online dealers; no need for us to tie up funds in inventory. That said, let me add that the catalog from this show is definitely worth the purchase price; it is a very well done book. They're in print now and going for what will likely be the lowest price they'll ever sell at. After the show ends and the catalog goes out of print, the value/price will increase. Word to the wise: buy your copy now. Grey Doffin, JSS/US Publications

The mei on Brian's naginata is slightly lower on the nakago than the one on the Juyo naginata, but I think it is possible that Brian's naginata is slightly machi okuri (notches have been moved up). Even if this isn't the case I'm not bothered by the small difference in placement of the mei between the 2 naginata; the mei looks very good. Dotanuki blades are expected to be thick and wide, heavy for their size, and to have ample hira-niku (meat, clam shell cross section). Is this so with the naginata in question? Here is another Matahachi mei, from a blade that hasn't been papered but which I'm convinced is correct. Grey

Hi Brian, Here are some oshigata. The 1st 2 are from Yumei Koto Taikan by Iimura and the last 2 are a naginata from Juyo Token nado Zufu, #26, by NBTHK. Grey

Hi John, Why would you want to prevent 95% of the people on earth from bidding on your sales? I sell on ebay and better than half my buyers live outside the US, and they are no more likely than US buyers to cause trouble. Shipping is always priority mail so the post office gives me the boxes. I spend an extra minute or 3 filling out a customs form and paypal nicks me an extra 1% for their fee; otherwise there's no difference from selling to the US only. That said, if you want to sell something I'd like to buy be sure to limit your sale to US only; I don't want competition from other bidders. (Does ebay let you limit bidders to West 4th St. in Duluth, MN only?) Grey

None of the references in my index have the 3rd or 4th. Grey

Yes! Exactly. The rest of the nakago has been refiled as well. The dark spots are from the original nakago and the coarse file marks to the left of the mei are new. Grey

The nakago does look like it has been altered somehow; not sure exactly what. The mei reads, "Something Ju Masazane Saku". I'm sure somebody can supply the something. Grey

At the top of this page you'll find a link to a fake vs. real Nihonto article. There's also this one: http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=greyguy0 which I put together for my ebay "me" page. But neither of these guides will be enough. You need to look at lots of the real thing; study. Grey