ROKUJURO

JINGANG, if this is not your proper name, please sign all posts with your first name plus an initial as is required here. It is generally a good idea to learn from Japanese swordsmiths as they are real masters of the craft. Read as much as you can, and look at photos of high quality blades; you will find a wealth of information here on NMB. But also use every opportunity to watch a master smith at work, and of course, train yourself at the anvil! Make a drawing of the intended knife blade beforehand every time and stay close to it when you work. And: Have fun!

Gerald, la TSUBA est très joli! But what about the DAISHO? Or did you mean DAITO? In any case, remove the HABAKI and try to get rid of the rust underneath! Use a piece of pure (!) copper to scratch it off! And please make better photos without your shadow on them! It seems another TSUKA was attempted to be mounted, and a former owner tried to drill a new MEKUGI-ANA. But I cannot see this precisely, the photo is too small. For cleaning, alcohol is sufficient. Alcool à brûler ou dénaturé works fine, but should only be used outdoors. Acetone is quite harmful for your health and not necessary unless you have to remove a lot of paint, hard grease or wax.

Stephen, is that chocolate or iron? If the latter: very nice patina!

Thank you Ford! I always feel a regret when books are made/written without care for the language and spelling. In this case the photography may be nice, but the English is horrible, at least what I could read in the sample.

The 'artistic' HAMON with elements of KIKU SUI - if not artificially made by HADORI - says SHIN SHINTO to me. But the photos don't show enough for a KANTEI.

Gary, if you look at other signed TOSOGU, you can compare and see, how these are signed with a fine, very sharp chisel and in which place the artist used to sign. MEI are cut, not scratched, and of course never etched. I understand that you wish it was a signature, but I am not confident that more than '44' (Thomas Helm, Mark Jones) will come out of this.

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b653-kaneiye-tsuba-ikeda

Grey, I have seen the same, and it is not found on handmade TSUBA. Also, I am missing definite traces/sharp lines of chisel work. Yves, have a look at the many KANEIYE TSUBA you can find in the internet, and compare (http://www.shibuiswords.com/Kaneiye%20Tsuba.htm). Their design and execution are different.

Alex, the design may be TOMOE (Comma shape), mist/clouds, and water. It is certainly not a TOSHO or even KO-TOSHO, but I think it is a modern TSUBA, independent from a school.

Yes, it is not a file but a rasp. The same tool sold by NAMIKAWA is 15.000 YEN (http://www.namikawa-ltd.com/product/122)

Chris, a photo would help a lot, and then try it in the translation section. Perhaps it is a MAMORI KATANA? (TANTO or AIKUCHI carried for protection. Also first sword for a boy presented at boys' day)

Yes, what Paul said. I have the impression that this feature might come out differently with another polish. This looks as if too hard a stone was used to grind everything flat. With a careful and much longer work on a soft UCHI GUMORI, it might show what it really is.

Galush, (is that your name?) welcome to the forum! The value is what someone is willing to pay. Might be difficult with these, so I guess $ 200.-- for all. At least one does not look Japanese to me, another one is badly damaged, all are in bad condition.. If you want to compare with good TSUBA, have a look here at NMB. You will soon get an idea of what is considered worth collecting.

Ben, an acid treatment is based on the fact that high carbon steels acts differently with acid than low carbon steel. You can enhance the YAKIBA and produce a kind of HAMON with acid, but you cannot bring out the HADA with such a treatment. I think this blade is all o.k., it is either SHINSHINTO as there were many attemps to produce old looking blades, but to me it looks more like a tired KANBUN era or late KOTO. I cannot say anything concerning the authenticity of the MEI, but indeed it looks as if made by a 'drunken master'.....

These are very sad news! I am so sorry to read this! I got to know Thierry personally in September 2014 in Besançon (France), and I will remember him as a very friendly and knowledgeable collector friend. A great loss for our little community! My condolences go out to his family and all who knew him.

Matt, it is good to ask before the action! You will find good advice in the FAQ, Care and Maintenance. Have fun with your blades!

Sechan, if that is not your name, please sign with your first name plus an initial, so we can address you politely. I cannot tell if the MEI is valid, but there was a TOMOYOSHI from KAGA province at the end of the KOTO period. He is listed with the year 1492. The NAKAGO JIRI points indeed to KAGA.

Donald, don't you think that for € 7.550.-- we deserve some nice photographs?

John, is that a NAKAGO your are showing us? Please send some photos of the blade (full length and details like KISSAKI, HA MACHI, full NAKAGO etc.) so we can help you identify what looks a bit strange at first glance!

Tom, we have a special translation forum. Smith is KANESHIGE, I think, February 1945

Perhaps a tourist item, rather new. KOZUKA HITSU is sloppily shaped.

Jeremy, you could send it to me (Germany) for the removal of the paper. I could forge any fine tool that may be necessary, but you may find a skilled smith near your place as well, I hope!

Yes, as Ken says. SUNAGASHI which follow the MASAME HADA.

No, Johnny, the number of layers has not directly to do with the number of folds. You can start your work with a 10 layer package. When you fold it, you get 20 layers with one fold! A lot depends on why you make foldings. If you want to homogenize the steel, you just use the raw material and fold it. Contrasting patterns are obtained by using different steel alloys, and these are then used in form of sheet metal. Sometimes you fold a number of layers and forge-weld them perfectly to a homogenous block so you don't even see layers in the cuts! In forging, there are not many secrets left.....

Johnny, the TSUBA is probably not so old; I don't think KO-TOSHO or KO-KACHUSHI, as these are usually very thin. Did your really measure 9,8 mm thickness? That would be quite extreme! The surface reminds me of several classic TSUBA schools but I think this might be a (well made) revival piece.