Dr Fox

Hi lou Have you decided where your polishing will be done, and at what cost for each sword? Just trying to see from your post, what your expense is likely to be to reach the value estimates you posted. Cheers Denis.

Hi all I have a feeling there are fingers, hovering over the locked button once again. Before that, may I just say that this subject on broken tips (which has been covered before) I felt bad the last time we visited this, and I feel even worse now on the second visit. I recalled a gent showing me a splendid looking sword, he had dropped on to a tiled floor; the tip was a clean break. Asking for an opinion, I said at the time I was not sure that the sword was repairable, or if it were the cost would be substantial. It is to my regret that I didn't know then, what I know now, bad advice given without expertise. Denis.

Adrian No retaliation from me ok? Here is where you lost me: Room full of antique furniture, which needs a stable environment in regards of humidity. Add aquariums, which will add water vapour not good for furniture. Reduce the adverse effects, with the use of a power de-humidifier! I will say no more, in case if fires you up again. Point lost. Regards Denis.

Grev My friend I have to apologise to you. The thought of a polisher, who on this board has to meet a strict criteria, worked in a car factory, and got his grubbies on your sword, just curled me up. Its for my sense of humour that I offer my sorries. Thanks for sharing that jewel with us. Denis.

Adrian Your reference to a collection room, which you have highlighted, did not impart to me (and perhaps others) that a ‘collection room’ meets certain specifications, could you give us the build of such a room? Cheers. You then further confused me, by stating your experience with humidification is in a room in which there are aquariums, a more water mist-creating device I could not imagine. And that room if full with antique furniture! Point lost on me here, excuse. Denis.

Pete You hit the nail square on the head, 'sealed environment'. At last! I can contribute to something I know some thing about . Desiccant is designed to absorb moisture, but is only effective in its contained environment, should you place desiccant in a non contained environment, it will DRAW moisture into the very area you don't want! and will do the opposite to what you are trying to achieve. This also applies to de-humidification devices, in a non sealed containment, you will see the amount of water collected, and believe you are doing a good job! In fact you are trying to dry out the world. As an aside let me relate this, during my time as an explosives officer. The storage of 1,000lb bombs. It was decided that bombs that were stored, would have desiccant placed between the fuse plug, and explosive as an anti damp measure. On the face of it a good idea, The fuze plug was steel, and the desiccant drew in moisture through the screw thread, so when it came time to prepare the munitions for use, the plugs were rusted solid to the bomb case. End of story time. Denis.

Hi Try the search button. Answered 2 Nov 2011. Cheers Denis.

Thanks Chris I went there anyway. Brian, I totally get where you are coming from. Jussi, thanks for the great examples to work from. I have spent a good couple of hours, and must say with the guidance given, started to to make sense. As a total beginner its time to hand in the exam paper for marking. The gimei differs as follows. All the examples I could find shows the mei starting below the ana. In examples of wakizashi, the Tsu Ta was omitted, and left room for the mei to be below the ana. Using the two examples Jussi provided, it could be seen Suke, is no where as fluid and tight. The real mei is written like music, and to me has rhythm. In comparison the gimei, just does not flow, it does not have art. And then I found the Sukehiro mei that was described as 'typical box style', and all the above went out of the window Thanks Denis.

Aha!! I thank you for your responses, what I thought is that a gimei was an exact attempt to deceive, now from your suggestions, it might not be good enough to fool even me! I will do as suggested and compare to references on the web, and see what I can come up with. Denis.

Thanks Chris Done that already, but that only confirms the reading of Sukehiro, not what my enquiry was about. Regards Denis.

I recently purchased a Wakizashi due to the fact it had a toranba hamon, this sat quite well with a katana I have. It has a gimei of Sukehiro. What I wanted to ask was, can a member place alongside this photo, a real mei from this smith, and kindly show the relevant points that indicate, how this mei is obviously fake. I would gain a lot from a knowledgeable comparison, and perhaps others might too. Regards Denis.

Hi Brian It is my hope, that you use these swords to promote a further interest, in collecting. Don't be put off by this experience, its to your credit you wanted to know, and made the enquiry. It would be great to hear from you again at a later date, and for you to say you have caught the 'bug'. Regards Denis.

Do I see Hada showing on the Shinogi-ji? Where has that been copied from? Denis.

I have used Ebay, and I am aware of shill bidding, its called ringing in the UK. For what its worth, I have an infallible method to guarantee a no loss on this auction site, its called 'Valuation' I look at an item on offer, and I and only I, decide what that item is worth to me, and that will be my hidden bid. No more. If I don't get it so be it! When selling, I decide what is a fair recovery, and I offer it at buy it now. I can't be doing with false bids to bump prices, or competing with numpties who don't know chalk from cheese, and bid for the fun of it. I set my own limits, and I have not lost yet. Denis.

Hi Curtis and Jareth, I will pass your comments on to the swords owner, and yes the whole set up is very appealing. No its not mine, it turned up at an arms fair. It was shown to my friend, who called me to look at it, I confirmed what it was, and was then offered first refusal. Not being a collector of gunto I turned it down, my friend then went ahead and did a deal. I have borrowed it on several occasions to show on his behalf, and in truth it is to my regret that I passed on it, its total overall finish is to be admired. As an aside it was purchased from the Tenshozan forge, and was retailed through their store, they produced swords and dirks for Naval officers,who could custom order the sword and fittings. The blade is of rust resisting steel. As a much younger man I admired the twin of this sword (but not as nice!) in the Greenwich Maritime Museum,London. That sword can be seen in the Fuller and Gregory military swords 1868-1945, Page 57, plate 77. Cheers Denis.

Hi Curtis If you want to pass it on, this saya is original, and for reference it shows where the suspension rings are placed. Cheers Denis.

Lol, nice one Roy, enjoyed your web site spent a bit of time there, it seems to be going well, lots thats old, and lots thats sold. I have discovered you too late, being in Wales could have been handy for me. Its always the same, meet nice people at the end of your holiday. Regards Denis

Roy come clean now! You make these for a living don't you? If you don't, then you should, stunning! the flow of the supports, and the solid suggestion in the bases, is to my eyes art in itself. Oh! and by the way, for me to produce what you have done, is indeed rocket science. Denis.

I will be seeing the gentleman again before long, so I will make an effort to see if the offending materiel is avail for examination. Any news I can get I feel would be of use to us all, this friend has been collecting for 25 years, he would just not be careless. Seeing the damage to this blade has really shaken me. The glue clue offered, could be a real start point. And photos of the blade would be helpful, I will get on it. Cheers Denis.

Mariusz K I suspected it was in the felt. The terms, I used were to describe the appearance of the damage. The side thought here of course, is that any rack or sword stand, that has felt or cushion materiel on the support area under the blade, could damage the blade. Would this also apply to fittings Tsuba etc? So what would be guaranteed safe. Personally I set onto bare wood. Denis

I second that 'real eye candy' Denis

During a recent visit to a collector friend of mine, he produced one of his nicer swords, and explained that he had taken it to a show, and the sword was shown blade naked, mune down on a sword rack. The sword rack had felt inserts to hold the blade without slippage, now it was only some days later after getting home, he noticed two distinct areas on both sides of the blade where the polish had gone, but not only gone! but the blade surface looked as if it had been abraded and hazed. There is no doubt in his, or my mind, that this is where the blade contacted the felt in the rack. I cant see a remedy except for a polish of the blade, can you? Can anyone else draw a similarity to this tragedy. Regards Denis.

Why take so many photos? the first is the giveaway, the rest is confirmation. Denis.

Well another vote of thanks is extended from me to you gentlemen, thank you, in view of the photos and time allowed, you all came up trumps. David I'm with you on your point, its gone to another home. It looked right but what do I know? Regards all. Denis.

Thanks for your feedback, I don't know what i expected from such a pathetic photo shoot. Not my standard, but i am on the road and not home. I close with thanks, and decided to give this a miss, err on the side of caution. Regards Denis.