Grey Doffin

Hi Simon, I vote cast and, even if it is unsure that it is cast, it is an iron tsuba that has never been mounted, which is usually a warning sign. Grey

Your sword is signed, "Bushu Shitahara Ju Terushige." Not 100% sure I have the Teru right. If I do this means , Resident of Shitahara (or Shimohara) in Musashi Province, Terushige. There were a few smiths working with this signature in the 16th and 17th centuries. Here is a link to a care and cleaning brochure you should read at least once. https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Cheers neighbor, Grey

Actually, when I relisted the book on my site I neglected to mark it as in stock. The book is still available. Grey

Hi guys, Just took in a copy of the rarest of WWII sword books: Dai Nihon Token Shoko Meikan. Read about it here: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/book/sword-books/b662-dai-nihon-token-shoko-meikan/ If you are interested please contact me by email through my site, not by personal message. Cheers, Grey

Hi Dan, I don't know of competent, properly trained restoration in the Boston area. You shouldn't be restoring this now in any case. You don't know anywhere near enough about Nihonto to make informed decisions and there is no reason to rush into the process (it isn't as simple as saying, Here, fix this please and send me the bill). I am not an authority but I do have 40 years experience. If you'd like to ask questions feel free to call. Cheers, Grey 218-340-1001 central time

Hi Nick, The mei reads Fujiwara Noriyuki. Not a blade from WWII; rather an older blade and likely Bungo Takada School. Grey

Hi Dan, Your sword was picked up during/after WWII by your father but it is much older than that. Not much specific information we'll be able to provide from just the pictures - needs to be seen in hand for a true appraisal - but here is a care and cleaning brochure you would be smart to read. https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Grey

This is not a military sword and it wasn't carried during the war. This is an older, Samurai sword in storage mounts (shirasaya), which has no method to attach it to a soldier. Most likely this was picked up by a US soldier after the war in occupied Japan. Here is a care and handling brochure you should read: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ This will show you how to properly remove and replace the handle. As mentioned, if you can give us decent photos of the sword's tang (nakago) and of the writing on the scabbard, we will be able to tell you more. Take the pictures on a dark background; light colored backgrounds make it difficult to see details on darker objects. Grey

Hi Kyle, As mentioned, rough condition but, if the sword is better quality, which it may be in spite of its condition, it may be restorable and end up more valuable than the cost of restoration, which will be significant if done right by a properly trained craftsman. If you'd like someone to bounce questions off, feel free to call. I'm not an authority but I have 40 years experience with these swords and I will tell you what I know. In the mean time, don't rush into any decisions; take the time to better understand what you have before acting. And this includes the bronze brush which is about to be recommended in the next post; don't do it. Restoration should be left to those with training and rank beginners shouldn't be told how to fix their swords. Cheers, Grey 218-340-1001 US central time

The nakago ends at the machi but the top of the nakago is polished and should be oiled with the rest of the polished balde, if you are oiling. Grey

Hi Tyler, The signature is Kiyonori and I think there is a good chance he was working in Bizen Province in the 16th century. But others who know better may have a better idea. Grey

Brian said: "For example, go to the top of the forum. Select Activity, then Unread Content. Then go to Content Type, and click Topics...then the small gear. Select Narrow By Forums and then the For Sale Section or any others you wish to check. That will then give you a listing of all the unread topics just in the section/s you chose." Which is exactly what I had before you made the change except I didn't have to do any of that and I didn't have to choose the sections I prefer, which I don't want to do because I want to see everything for sale in all sections on one page. I open the forum, read what looks interesting, and mark the forum read so I see what's new when I come back. But I'm not going to win this one, so how about you combine the Tsuba and Kodogu forums? Often sellers have some of each to sell and this way they won't have to make 2 listings and we won't have to visit 2 forums. Your system would make sense if hundreds of items were listed for sale every day. As is, with maybe 2 or 3 items a day, keeping it simple makes better sense. Grey

Hi guys, Recently the for sale forum was split into 5 separate topics: swords, tsuba, other kodogu, books, other art. Am I the only one who doesn't think this is a good idea? Used to be I could click on the forum and the seller's titles told me what was available. If something looked interesting I'd click on it and if not I'd click on mark forum read and I was done: 2 or 3 clicks total. Now I may have to open 3 or 4 different forums and take more time and clicks to see the same information. I don't get what the new system gains me; not like I couldn't tell from the title what I'd be looking at and if I wanted to click on it. Anyone agree? Grey

Congrats on the sword but I don't like the "general advice" to drill a small hole in a tight mekugi. Never heard of it, never used it, and sounds like an excellent way to mess up the nakago with a drill bit. A stuck, brittle mekugi can be removed without resorting to fast moving tool steel. Grey

Hi Jay, The nakago and habaki look poorly done. Can't be 100% sure it is a fake but even if it isn't I don't think it is anything you want to collect. Grey

Hi Vitaly, I would stop where you are now. You have cleaned off dirt and grease and you should let well enough alone. Patinas on soft metal fittings often will heal themselves over time. Even if they don't, the wear on your pieces are where they would be expected with use and you may regret any fix you attempt. Grey

Honoki is chosen for, among other attributes, its little or no acid content. I don't know the acid content of alder. Grey Doffin, furniture maker

Thank you Moriyama-san. So this is a statement of ownership rather than a signature of the smith? Grey

Hi folks, Can someone give me Romaji and translation for the picture below? Not sure if this is a mei or possibly something else. Much appreciated. Grey

Colin, You're on the wrong page. Click on Index of Japanese Sword Literature on the top bar, once there click on Sword smiths, and I'm sure you can figure the rest. Grey

Strange. I get 12 results with a search of iga kami. Grey

Hi Colin, You got no results because you searched for Iga no Kami. Try Iga Kami. Grey

A situation like this is one where the Index of Japanese Sword Literature on jssus.org can be quite helpful. Go to the index of swordsmiths and search for iga kami; the result will be all instances of smiths who signed with that title and made it into the many references included in the index. Grey

The tsuba has an ishime like finish: tiny pebbled or hammer worked. However, the surface doesn't look right for ishime and it appears the finish carries over into the mei, especially into the kao, which wouldn't be the case if the mei were chisled. I'm going to stick my head way out and suggest that this may be a cast copy. Hope I'm wrong and waiting to see what those more knowledgeable have to say. Grey

Cheers, Grey