Grey Doffin

Kozuke no Kami Kanesada Grey

Hi Rich, Sorry but I think what you propose can hurt it much. It's also more aggressive than necessary to bring out the hamon. If your stones touch the ha you will bring it back and if the blade ever gets a real polish the whole ha will have to be brought back to match. How about a tiny sliver of hazuya (or is it jizuya) just on the hamon, not touching the ha or mune? A polishing workshop is not sufficient training and shame on Kuzan Oda (whoever that is) for encouraging this. And I know I'll get jumped for this but amateurs (even after a workshop) shouldn't polish. Grey

Agree with Chris; everything is wrong. Grey

And his answer: Hi, If you are interested I want to make the transaction through Skrill. This way you will have the opportunity to inspect the tanto before you actually pay for it. I'm saying this because you will have a maximum 14 days inspection period. You will send the money to Skrill and they will keep the money for us. Payment is held by Skrill until you receive and approve the tanto, I won't have access to the money until you will give them your approval. As soon as Skrill has the money I will ship the tanto to you. Skrill releases funds to the Seller once the inspection period has passed without the Buyer requesting cancellation of the transaction and upon Skrill verification of the transaction information. The inspection period is agreed to by both the Buyer and the Seller and commences once the Buyer has received the item. Funds are released to the Seller the same or next business day after completion of the transaction and upon verification by Internet Skrill Services. As soon as I will have your full name and also your full shipping address I will open an escrow case with Skrill and they will give you step by step details on how to proceed with the deal and to make the payment. Thanks, Walter Wonder what his angle is. Unless Skrill is bogus (anyone know?) hard to see how he gets my money. Grey

I just received a message from the seller: Hi Grey, My Antique Japanese Katana is not on ebay anymore, but it's still available for sale. My usual schedule has been changed and I had to go to Spain to take care of some business and that's why I've ended my auction. The final price for the sword is US $ 1,700.00 including all the shipping costs and insurance. Also I want to let you know that you will have the opportunity to receive and inspect the sword before you actually pay for it. If you are interested and want to know more details regarding the purchase just contact me. Thanks and sorry for delay, Walter P.S: Please check the attachment for more photos. There were pix of the tanto and receipt attached. I think I'll contact him to see what happens. Grey

Hi David, My understanding (others might know more) is that during Meiji, after sword wearing had been banned and during an influx of western tourists eager to plunder the art of a newly opened country, many low end (and some high end) Nihonto left Japan. Tourists wanted trinkets and merchants were more than happy to provide them. After WWII, during the occupation, again there were many westerners who didn't know Nihonto but wanted some. There were also a lot of broken swords available. The nakago on your tanto is so crudely made and not what you'd expect to find on a real tanto; I think it likely was made in Hurry from a sword fragment. Your fittings are low end; again to be expected if I'm correct about what you have. Question for everyone: Has there ever been a high quality shinogi zukuri tanto? Grey

Hi David, I think you have the tip end of a broken sword cobbled together with some lower end misc. fittings to sell to a tourist in Japan either in Meiji or after WWII. Grey

I asked for pix when the sale 1st appeared. Here is the answer I received. If you want to see more photos of the sword please let me know your email address or contact me directly at walharman1 followed by the usual AT then gmail and then DOT com Thanks, Walter Feel free to have whatever fun with his email you like. Grey

Hi Jim, Here is a quick and harmless repair for the shira-saya. Cut strips of paper about 1" wide and long enough to go 1.5 X around the saya. Wrap a piece of paper around about 6" or so below the mouth end of the saya. Tightly wrap 3/4" masking tape around the paper. Place the saya mouth down on the floor or a counter and slide the paper/tape down. Since the saya is largest at the mouth and tapers down towards the bottom, as you slide the paper/tape it will get tighter. Plan it right and you can get it very tight. Do this at 3 or 4 spots along the saya and the whole of it is securely together. Slide the paper/tape the other way to reverse; no residue of tape will be left behind. Do this procedure after applying a bit of rice glue to the seam of the saya and you've done a permanent repair. Grey ps. Shira-saya is beautiful; the Chinese koshirae is the exact opposite to those of us used to the real thing. How about the Chinese rig when you're practicing and the shira-saya for the rest of the time?

Hi Ken, How is it that we've decided that the tsuba is Heianjo? According to Mauro's post, some would call this Onin. Grey

Brandon, Under FAQ, Restoration, I'm new to Japanese swords and I want to get my 1st sword polished and/or have koshirae made for it. Grey

Hi Brandon, Go to FAQ up top and read the one about beginners and their rush to buy, polish, remount, and paper everything they get their hands on and why it usually doesn't make sense. Grey

I agree, and this makes it 100% gimei. Doesn't have a snowball's chance of being right. Grey

When wood shrinks it looses width, not length. If you start with a slab sliced straight across a tree, a full 360 degree circle, when water is lost it will occupy less than the full 360. The loss of length is almost non existent. The difference in length between a new tsuka and the same 100 years later would be so tiny you'd need a very sensitive caliper to measure it. If extra seppa are necessary the tsuka is either made to fit a different blade or the mekugi-ana has been enlarged. Grey

Hi Dan, Go to FAQ and look up the one about beginners wanting to buy, polish, mount, and paper, all before they have enough knowledge to do any of it sensibly. Go slow. Grey

Interesting about the backwards Kuni, which is usually attributed to one of the later generations working in Muromachi. I once owned a Tach that was signed Nobukuni with the backward Kuni. The NBTHK papered the blade and called it "Nobukuni Nambokucho". Grey

Hi guys, I would appreciate having a translation of the hako-gaki. The tsuba and box will go to my website and I don't want to be misrepresenting it based on what the seller I got it from had to say. Thanks, Grey

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The color is off a bit in my pictures. Definitely brass, I think. Grey

What! You expect me to remember everything? Grey

Hi guys, Picked up this tsuba recently; came in a box with Dr. Sato's hako-gaki to Onin. This isn't what I expect from Onin but I'm no authority. 7.9 x 8.4 x .5 cm. The brass inlay is flush to the surface. Could this be Onin or do you think I have something else in the wrong box? Thanks, Grey

Hi Bill, The fact that someone bothered to have the orikaeshi done and that it was done so well is, I think, an indication that this might be better than average. Don't be quick to give up on it. Grey

Hi Scot, Next step should be study; many steps actually. Don't be in a hurry to spend more money (polish) on the sword. Check out FAQ for a bit on beginners wanting to have their 1st sword polished and why it may not make sense. Grey

Hi Scott, This one is easy even without photos. It is better to get the sword to a properly trained polisher and let him decide. Grey

Hi Jeff, My Index of Japanese Sword Literature on the JSS/US website contains Yumei Koto Taikan. If you ask it to search the swordsmith index for YK, copy and paste the results into a word doc, and delete everything that isn't this book, you'll be left with an index in alphapetic English order of just that book. Grey