Grey Doffin

Hi guys, Some time ago a new collector suggested that dealers at the shows should have something to tell customers about the swords they're looking at. Mark Jones and I share tables at the shows and at this week's Chicago show we will each have short write-ups of all the swords on our tables. These will tell you who the blade is made by/signed by/papered to, the length, and a bit about the smith: who he was and when he worked. Please ask to see these if interested. We will have more than a few swords totally new to the market here in The States: not been to a show, not on my website, haven't been seen by anyone. With 7 tables we should be easy to find; stop by and say hello.. Cheers, Grey & Mark

Hi Kevin, Ittosai Yasutsuna and dated Ni Sen Roku Hyaku Nen (the 2,600th year from the founding of the Imperial line). Grey

What language/s is the text in please? Grey

Hi Joseph, You don't have to purchase anything. Facial tissue or even toilet paper is fine for applying and removing oil. Don't do anything to the sword's tang (the patinated section under the handle) and don't try to fix anything; well meaning amateurs can do serious damage. Just follow the instructions in the care brochure and you'll be fine. Grey

Hi Joseph, If you scroll down on this link: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ to Care and Cleaning you'll learn how to safely remove and replace the handle and a lot more you should know. Grey

Hi Daniel, The paper in the Fujishiro translations isn't a gloss; more a matte finish. Perhaps a different paper was chosen because the Fujishiro translations have no photographs to reproduce, they are text only, whereas the translations of Nihonto Koza contain many illustrations. Grey

Suishinshi Masahide witha kao. Grey

Hi Pietro, I currently have, counting my own that I purchased from Harry, 4 sets of the translation volumes. They are decent quality printing, well bound and on the paper you'd expect in a good book. Nothing photocopy about them. Grey

Hi Mark, Edo period. Neither koshirae is a treasure but neither is terrible either. The 1st one is the better of the 2; the 2nd is less well made. Unless someone else knows different. Grey

Hi Alex, Please tell whoever it is with the sword to wipe the blade where he is holding it in your 2nd to last picture. Acid in his sweat is slowly but surely etching his fingerprints into the surface. Never touch the polished portion of the blade. Grey

Hi James, Try to find contact info for Brian Tschernega, who lives near Seattle. Maybe he is linked above. He should be able to help with the glued tsuka without doing damage. If someone tells you how you can fix this yourself, don't listen; this shouldn't be left to an amateur. Grey

I also will be at the show and, since I drive to this one, I can bring books with me. If there is a book on my site that you'd like and you'd like to save the cost and trouble of shipping let me know. https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/Books Grey

I think Bruce has this right; it is the remains of a broken sword. If for no other reason, of which there are a few, the handle is too long for the blade. Grey

Hi Scott, With the terrible nakago, sloppy horimono, weak hamon and iffy boshi I think this is most likely made from a piece of a longer sword sometime shortly after WWII and aimed at the occupation force or tourist market. But I could be wrong. Grey

Hi Andrew, We will have to see a picture of the mei (nakago) to know if it is gendaito (traditionally made and fitting your requirements) or showato. Grey

Hi Andrew, If you look for a copy of Dawson's book be sure it is the later, Cyclopedia Edition, not the early paper back. Here it is on my site: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b510-swords-imperial-Japan-1868-–-1945-cyclopedia-edition The best of the books by Fuller & Gregory is Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b259-Japanese-military-and-civil-swords-and-dirks Check with abebooks.com or other online book sites; you may find a copy closer to home that will cost less for post. Cheers, Grey

The concept of the Gokaden was, if I'm not mistaken, developed in the 19th century as a way to classify Koto sword smithing. A smith working during Koto times didn't know he was part of 1 of 5 different traditions. And then when Tokugawa Iyeyasu came to power and unified Japan under one government late in the 16th century, he shuffled the country. He realized that if he left Japan as it was, feudal Daimyo who hadn't been as supportive as he would have liked would retain their positions of power with armies, alliances, suppliers, and more, and could be troublesome. So he moved them around, forcing Daimyo who had existed for centuries in one spot to relocate to another. When the Daimyo, who were important customers for swordsmiths moved, many smiths moved as well. This disrupted traditions and forged new alliances in smithing: lots changed. Also, with the unified country and a near total cessation of warfare, swords took on a different significance. They had always been weapons and the best of them were objects of status but, in Shinto, status became more important; swords were made as much to be items that would impress the owners' associates as to be impressive weapons. New styles and techniques developed; there was a significant shift away from tradition. All of which is to explain why you can't easily draw lines from Koto into Shinto. And let me add, This is my understanding but I'm not a historian. I may have this wrong and if I do I hope I will be corrected. Grey

What Dave said and also, you'll have to send the whole sword to get a proper fit and no reason not to get a whole new habaki. Grey

Hi, The smith's name is Yoshimitsu and the 2 characters before that may read, according to Fuller & Gregory, Yabuzu. The paint on the other side is assembly numbers. Grey

Hi Drew, The holes aren't supposed to line up perfectly; they should be offset so that when the pin is inserted it pushes the nakago down and the handle up to make everything at the seppa and tsuba tight against the habaki. I can't tell from your pictures if this is the case or if it is reversed and the offset is making everything too loose, in which case you may be missing a seppa or 2. If the offset is in the correct direction but there is too much offset to allow the pin to enter, maybe there is something stuck in the bottom of the handle that prevents the nakago from seating properly (as was suggested earlier). Reach something like a knitting needle down inside to see if the offending particle or whatever can be dislodged. Do not, as was also suggested earlier, cut wood off the end of the handle. The handle was made to be the correct length when the sword was 1st assembled and it hasn't changed length since (wood doesn't shrink in length). Feel free to call with questions; glad to help. Grey 218-726-0395 central time

Hi Drew, You need to make a new mekugi ASAP. Without this pin the blade can slip down inside the scabbard and damage its point or, worse, fall free from the handle and shatter the point on the floor after passing through your foot. You can whittle a chopstick. Grey

I think this is something put together late Meiji or maybe after the war, to be sold to western tourist or occupation forces. The finish on the saya is suspicious and the ko jiri is klunky at best. It was a bargain only because the price was so low.. But better minds may know better. Grey

Hi Dan, Try taking a picture with a raking light, one coming from the side. It will do a better job of highlighting the strokes of the characters and may make the date more visible. As is, I can't see much of anything. Grey ps. Someone will now suggest chalk dust or talc in the characters (dust the whole nakago and brush off the majority) but I think a raking light is the better choice and leave chalk to last stab.

Hi Dan, Yes, a signature and date; I see hachi gatsu hi, a day in August, in your 2nd picture. Try taking pictures from a bit further out; these are too close up. Also, if you use a raking light the kanji will be easier to see. As is, it is hard to make out much. Grey

Hi Piotr, I think this is a reproduction; sorry. Grey