Grey Doffin

Not that I think it is the case with this sword but mune yaki can also be an indicator of retemper. Grey

Hi guys, Anyone can return anything at my website. I don't feel the least bit put out; it's just business. Grey

Thanks yet again, Grey

Just so I have this right, will someone give me the correct Kanji and Romanji. I'm a bit confused. Thanks, Grey

Thank you. Grey

Hi Jhonny, What you paid for the tsuba with paper is about right, I think. Grey

Hi Tom, Ditto to what Mariusz said. Never try to polish a Japanese sword yourself unless you 1st have a proper training (many years of study with a teacher). Untrained polishers destroy blades. A straight hamon (suguba) is more difficult to do than the wavy ones; they are more valuable. Grey

Hi guys, This book came in and I can't read much of the title. Kusanagi to begin, I think, and then the next Kanji has me stumped. If someone could provide both Kanji and Romanji I'd be most appreciative. The book will be for sale. Thanks, Grey

Or possibly the cut was added purposely to justify the ware' ("The force of the cut caused the steel to open") I think the ware' was there before the cut and the cut is bogus. Grey

Books. Grey

If any of us are registered on Youtube (I'm not), please post a comment below the video. Grey

A.J. Search FAQ above for an article on new collectors wanting to get their 1st sword polished. Grey

Hi Gregor, I think the blade is Japanese, late WWII production, not true Nihonto, just tool steel with a sharp edge. The koshirae are either older or WWII civilian mounts, or a mixture of the 2. The tsuka has been rewrapped by someone who doesn't know how. In current condition a retail price might be about $400 or so, plus whatever the tsuba it comes with is worth. The tsuba are all real and seem to be OK or better. I can't put a value on them without better pictures and more information. If you'd like individual advise contact me by email next week (after the San Francisco show) and I'll help if I can. Cheers, Grey gdoffin at cpinternet.com

Hi Mike, If your wife is a woman (seems likely since she's having a baby) this is no wheres near realistic. My wife would brain me if I even suggested such a thing. Speaking from experience. Grey

I had a window polished by Mr. Ikeda at last year's show and I was very pleased with the results. This is a great opportunity. Grey

Not to lead this thread astray but 200 year old polishes are being redone on a whim. In Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords, Nobuo Nakahara rails against polishers who repolish swords that don't need a polish so they can enter polishing contests. Pity that it happens. Grey

Hi James, I don't think the problem is finding the right glue; I think proper technique is what's called for. I would guess super glue or epoxy would have worked well, but the problem now is, due to the residue of the different glues you've tried already, you no longer have pristine surfaces to work with. Glues usually work by forming a chemical bond between 2 mating surfaces; they don't bridge gaps. Your surfaces have been messed with and the glue won't work. The proper glue applied properly and clamped properly the 1st time should have fixed this. Chances are that your only option now is to have the kurigata replaced. My original profession was furniture making/restoration. I've often said that you should have to be licensed in order to buy glue; I've seen so many botched, amateur glue jobs that couldn't be put right. Hope I'm wrong and your kurigata can be rescued, but I don't think so. Grey

Hi Antti, 1. Don't know about the book but wish I did. 2. Kodai means undifferentiated later generation. Godai means 5th generation. Ubu, when applied to a tsuba, usually means that kotsuka and/or kogai hitsu-ana haven't been added to a tsuba that originally had none. It may also mean that the tsuba is original diameter (some have been cut down, made smaller). 3. No idea how many people collect kodogu or whether the number is more or less than it used to be. I lost count. 4. I think prices/value for quality items hold through time regardless; a great tsuba will always be valuable. Low to medium grade pieces are more likely to fluctuate with economy and #s of collectors. 5. The tsuba you've picked is very nice; I like it a lot. I don't know the price, of course, but if the price doesn't seem outlandish to you it probably is a smart purchase. But I'm not an authority. Grey

Your name, for one. Grey

Thanks Chris. Grey

My opinion on the original question, for what it's worth (not much). The 1st tanto has seen too many polishes. The 2nd tanto is OK but nothing to get overly excited about. The 3rd tanto can't be found. The 4th tanto suffers with the badly altered nakago. I would save a bit more money as I was studying more. A budget closer to $2K, added knowledge, and the patience to look further will lead you to a better tanto to collect. Grey

Hi guys, Just got in this book about Gendai smiths and swords, which will be for sale. Before I list it on my site I'd like to know the title in Romanji, and the script has me stumped. Thanks, Grey

Look for koi-guchi-gaiba near the mono uchi. If you find it you have a Tegai blade. Koi-guchi-gaiba is when the hamon acts like 2 parallel and opposing dead end streets. Coming from one direction and stops; coming from the other direction, passes the stop of the other, and stops itself a few paces beyond. This is the classic tell for Tegai work. The pictures, from Nihonto Zuikan, explain it better than I can. Grey

Hi Patrick, Looks like the current polish was better quality when it was done that you might expect from Lohman & Company. If the only problems with the current polish are a few nail catching nicks maybe you'd be better off leaving the sword as is. Mint koshirae and nearly intact, well done war time polish sound better to me than mint koshirae with a 2nd class modern polish. But others might disagree. Grey

Hi Arnold, I used to get paper very close to traditional oshigata paper from Aiko's Art materials in Chicago, but your question led me to check and discover that they have closed (terrible news). If you google Aiko's you'll find other suppliers who claim to carry some of their stock. Aiko's carried hundreds of hand made papers from Japan and some were white, thin, and large enough for full length oshigata. I'll miss them. Grey