ROKUJURO

Yaga the blade master (there are not many of these around), is there a reason why you posted this in the military section?

So a NI MAI construction with brass! This is not difficult to solder or to fuse (= MOKUMEGANE technique) together, but all in all, it must have been a heck of work to complete! Very extravagant! Thank you Piers for showing!

There seems to be some kind of gold (?) decoration (?) on the other side.

Congratulations, and all the best for the three of you! All other projects can wait!

Not with these photos.

Hi Mark! Welcome to the NMB forum! Your TSUBA is interesting and looks quite unusual to me. Is it magnetic?

Well, then you should absolutely get into contact with our Ray Singer (who commented above) as he is located in Florida as far as I know.

I agree, it is not a SUSHI knife nor a SOSHU knife! Joel, some details let me believe this could be an older (400 years +) sword that should be seen by an expert. Perhaps you find an NMB member near you to give you some hands-on advice. In the meantime keep it away from moisture and children. There is no 'light restoration'. Having it polished in Japan or by a traditionally trained polisher will cost about $ 1.500.-- I believe. As you have no rust on the blade, this is not urgent if you can keep it that way. Get informed here on the board about this complex world of Japanese swords!

Ian, looking at the NANAKO-JI, I think it is a bit "random". The general appearance puts more weight on the decoration rather than on the basic work, so I would not exclude the possibility that this one is a better quality NAGOYA-MONO item from the end of the 19th century. More good images might prove me wrong, as so often.

Might represent an ink stone?

I liked that one:

This thread should be in the TOSOGU section I think.

Simon, probably not, but not often seen and so possibly interesting for some collectors.

Ryan, it is certainly not bronze, but as I suspected, a soft copper alloy. As sheet metal, it was easy to work with. The decoration was either made in a press-mold or with UCHI DASHI technique. Whatsoever, an interesting item!

Rob, nothing you could do but praying that the corrosion has come to a stop. Thinking of your old car: How do you remove rust? By spraying with clear varnish? No, you take your angle-grinder and scrub it off before starting any preservation measures of the bare metal! Would you like to do the same with you TOSOGU? I hope not....