Grey Doffin

Thank you Steve. Grey

Hi guys, I just got in a tsuba storage box (which will be for sale) with the following written on the outside. Could someone please provide Romanji and translation? I tried but I didn't get far. Thanks, Grey

Hi guys, It is my understanding, and I may be mistaken, that Harry did not have permission from someone associated with Nihon Token Jiten (whether the Fujishiro family or others) to do the translation of the 2 volumes, that he got into a bit of hot water because of it, and that is why the hardbound translations were never reprinted. Harry was selling digital copies of the translation after the books were circulated; I don't know how legit or otherwise that may have been. My other understanding is that Harry did have permission from the owners of the rights to Nihonto Koza to do his translations and publishing of that set. Grey

Hi Alexsandr, No serious smith would have this horimono on one of his swords; it is very low quality. The options here are: a real Echizen Yasutsugu with bad hori added later (not likely) and something thrown together and with a big name signature meant to fool the unsuspecting (more likely). Neither is something you would want to collect. Grey

Hi Chris, To my knowledge, Harry's translations of Fujishiro's Nihon Toko Jiten: Koto & Shnto will no longer be available except on the secondary (used book) market. I occasionally get in copies; if you send me an email through my website I'll add you to my Customer's Wants List and let you know if I get a set. Cheers, Grey

Hi guys, I will be taking possession of a large library at the show and I plan to have many books at great prices on my table. Stop by, say hello, and have a look. Grey

Whenever I get a tsuba box with a loose center pin I toss it in a pile to wait for the day when I finally figure out how to rework the pin mount so it is sturdy and no longer a risk to the tsuba. Any of you come up with a solution yet? I'd love to see how you did it. Grey

You can go from Midway to Ohare on the train for $3 and a cab from ohare to the show will be less expensive. Here's how: https://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/directions/mdw-ord.html Grey

Here is a Yamakichibei with Kanzan Sato hakogaki from my website: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/tsuba-%26-kodogu-over-1000/t354-yamakichibei-tsuba-sato-kanzan-hako-gaki Grey

Hi Barry, I am about 3 hours drive from Thunder Bay on the US side of the border in Duluth, Minnesota. Feel free to put him in touch with me if you don't get a closer hit. My email is grey at japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com Grey

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b568-treasured-swords-uesugi-clan Grey

Since the hole doesn't appear to be all the way through the blade there is a possibility for salvation. A properly trained polisher can move the edge sideways rather than up (closer to the shinogi). In this case, more metal would be removed from the katana ura (inside) than from the omote (outside). Not saying this can or should be done to this sword; only the polisher can make that call. Grey

No photos necessary; this is a fake (signature looks to be upside down). Grey

I agree with Ray and, for sure: what a terrible attempt at a polish. Grey

Hi Paul, Hard shell golf club cases are great for swords but if you'll have only 1 sword a gun case makes better sense. Put a label, "No Firearms Inside" on the case, wrap tape over the latches, and include a note inside that explains how vulnerable the sword is to damage, please be careful, and please retape the latches. I include my cell # so TSA can contact me in the airport if they have questions. Another option is mail, UPS, or Fedex to yourself at the hotel. Grey

Kanemoto Saku Grey

Tanko: Bushu Ito Ha: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b107-tanko-bushu-ito-ha-akimoto Grey

Hi Max, You can't fix the bent tip; only a properly trained polisher can/should take that on. Resist the urge to fix this sword yourself. Without training (which almost none of us have) you'll only be doing damage. It is very easy for a well meaning amateur to ruin a Japanese sword; please don't even try. Grey

Hi guys, A few days ago a new customer in Australia bought a tsuba from me, paid for it with paypal friends & family, and I didn't get an address. Since then I've sent him 3 emails but have had no answer. I'd like to ship him the tsuba but I'm at a loss. Since I don't discuss my customers' business with others I'll list only his initials: E.V.A. (first name and a 2 part last name). If you know a collector with a name to fit, please contact him and ask him to send me his address. Thank you, Grey

And if I may tout my wares: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/swords/k33-wakizashi-papered-tamba-no-kami-yoshimichi Flamboyant sudare-ba Grey

I think it is Musashi Daijo Kiyosada. Grey

Gunto with bullet damage, while not common, do show up occasionally. I would be willing to bet, however, that the majority of them suffered the damage after war's end, while standing upright in a sand pile and being shot at by the GI who wanted his war relic to have a story with it, not in actual battle. Would a GI who captured a sword in battle even have been allowed to keep the sword? What would he have done with it, where would he have stored it while engaged in war? The Gunto we see today in the west were largely surrendered during the occupation, I think. Grey

Hi Scott, My opinion, for the little it is worth, is that both tsuba are handmade and that both are late (late Edo at the earliest). The 1st appears to be silver and of better quality than the 2nd, but both are real and shouldn't be dismissed offhand. Grey

Hi Tommy, Here is a link to care & handling: http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm When you get the sword you can try to get the handle off with the technique in this brochure. If it doesn't work you need to get this to someone who knows what he's doing; these are too easily damaged for an amateur to be messing with (regardless what you were told above). Please read the brochure carefully twice; it's important. Grey

Hi guys, As some of you know, I have been selling a consigned collection of Nara School kodogu off my website. All of the remaining pieces just now had their prices reduced again; there are bargains. You will find these at the top of my Tsuba & Kodogu page, with item numbers that start with an R. http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/Tsuba-&-Kodogu Thanks, Grey