kissakai

Not my field but when I bought my katana from James NMB I specified an ubu blade - a beautiful acquisition It was because I wanted to see the blade as the maker intended One of the recomendations from the board is to view the whole blade to see if the proportions are pleasing to the eye So I would suggest the nakago suites the blade so differing types have different nakago lengths - it just looks right

Hi Barry The only full set of kanji was from the meikan index I copped all the kanji and counted how often they occured So the kanji that occured most often was: 光 at 77.8% So this kanji occurred in approximately 3/4 of every mei This is a guide only but for a beginner they can start learning the most common kanji Not sure what you mean by this: Is there an easy way to get the translation/romanji of that kanji? But if you mean 光 then this = mitsu along with other names If you copy any kanji and paste it into the 'find' option Then open the 'mei full' worksheet and press find it will show all the translation for this kanji Cut and find are the most useful tools within this spreadsheet Please get back to me if this is unclear Grev

Joint me final spreadsheet In my earlier spreadsheet created from the Haynes index although very useful have some drawbacks Using the Haynes Index, Wakayama (3 volumes) and Keiko Meikan I have created a new spreadsheet called ‘Joint me final‘ There are six worksheets as described below Mei Full All the makers names from the Haynes Index, Wakayama (3 volumes) and Keiko Meikan Kanji count – For those that count the strokes used for each kanji Kanji count print – All the kanji used in the three reference books that can be printed on one page Brum mei all – All the signed tsuba in the Birmingham Museum Mei probability – How often a kanji appears in a signature / Handy as the most used kanji can be learnt first Sample Cards – A idea how a simple card system can be created My earlier Haynes spreadsheet Haynes Index – All the kanji used in the index Haynes crib sheet – Explanation on using this spreadsheet On’yomi & Kun’yomi – The main index has been split into two worksheets. These are described in the crib sheet Basic radical used – For those that use radical when looking at component parts of a kanji No asci – Some radical do not have a ascii code so the image of the radical is shown Details – This was the information sent to Mr Haynes due to the kanji stoke differential and the Jisho web page I used as a reference The original Haynes Index was put on the NMB and any member wanting a copy paid $10usd To save Brian’s time PM me if you would like a copy and it would be nice to make a voluntary $10 donation to the NMB ​Screen shot of first worksheet

Hello 'Canada' I have bought many tsuba over the last few years and have asked this question before but not on the NMB I have been content with the advice on the NMB about my tsuba so I've never worried about submitting a tsuba for papers This changed a few weeks ago when I had a Yamakichibei tsuba but when I asked the 'experts' it was a split decision on its authenticity That meant (to me) it was worth putting it forward to be papered I know the papers will tell me very little but I'll know if it is thought to be a copy Paul Martin is the man to contact if you want it papered Why don't you add the link on this post? Aoi are 100% trustworthy and they will give you their opinion which is usually spot on

Hi A couple of my tsuba A late tsuba but who on earth would but this on a sword? Not a very rare shape and I've seen the temple bell shape within a rim. I have seen this design before but no idea where so any links would be appreciated One of my nicest tsuba but the images do no do it justice (memo to me: I must take better pictures) Funnily enough I've only just asked a dealer to let me know if he finds any unusually shaped tsuba

Jealous as I don't have a nerikawa example I do have a nice lacquer tsuba but that was from the NMB

Some very nice examples It does go to show it is possible to bag a bargin from eBay The cauctionary side is (bearing in mind how many NMB members there are) these 'bargains' are few and far between I like many others have sought advice prior to buying from eBay etc and this has saved many members from an embarrassing buy Swords are usually expensive so always it's worth asking before buying but even before this check the NMB for sale section especially the additional comments I thought about adding a new post 'my worse eBay purchase' but it may overload the NMB message board!

Any other offererings?

Thanks Steve That is one step forward

Hi I recently bought these two tsuba from the NMB for sale section and I like both of them. As usual I’d like to find out a bit more about them Ignore the colour as I've enhanced the images to try to make the mei clearer Ex Skip Holbrook collection and was described as Kyo Shoami but feels more like Ko Shoami to me An unusually shaped kogai ana The mei is difficult to read so this is my best guess Shōami - 正阿弥 - Shigetoshi - 重利 Dated around 1580 ------------- This one was described as Tosho style so I take this as an Edo revival tsuba Again another difficult one to read so again my best guess Shigetsugu - 重次 if I’m correct it may be Haynes #: H08521.0 – 1675 or H08522.0 – 1725

Hi Curran I thought it may be a problem post so I understand your comments. If we manage against all the odds to bag a bargain then that is only down to experience that someone may have to pay for With my two I was OK to add the price as they will never be sold, well only over my dead body - the kids inheritance I was keen to show that it was possible to buy the odd good item from eBay if you are careful

Any chance of seeing these items?

Hi I have seen a couple of posts 'Show us your best ........ Looking at a post about an eBay purchase a couple of days ago I wondered if members were willing to: Show us your best Nihonto eBay purchase? Years ago there were good bargains to be purchased on eBay but now you have to be so careful Bearing this in mind would you only show items bought in the last five years I'll start with these two tsuba I've added as much info as I know including the price Other members may not wish to display the price so it need not be shown None of us are looking for favourable comments it's just that I like to see good Nihonto items Fist shape: bougnt in 2015 by Kunisaku (Aizu in Iwasiro) ref: H03648 from Hintendo. Cost £282/$350 Karigane: bought in 2013 school is Umetada or Owari, dated around 1750 also from Hintendo. Cost £82/$105 As an aside by friend was very excited about buying a katana on eBay as he was into martial arts I asked to see it when it arrived but he kept putting me off - strange One night after a few beers he embarrassing told me it was a small letter opener - he hadn't noticed the size!!!!!!!!! Grev UK

Oops Just notice I cut and pasted the image used on the last line so that's why it is missing from the example sheet

]Hi I was thinking about what Grey said about using written rather than printed kanji This image shows the differences betwen the two and using the Jisho web page as it shows the correct method to write the various kanji I will do about ten cards using the most common kanji - I can try to memorise them but also using the above web page also practice the method of writing them With only concentrating on a few kanji I will look into using Markus's book to learn the mysterious Sosho script at the same time One day I may even remember some!!!!!!!

Oops Must wait until I have my first coffee before I answer Sorry for the misdirection

Hi I have one of these for sale on this message board If you have a look it will give you some more on this smith info and you can check the mei etc If I remember correctly I have some how manage to 'mirror' the mei http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/20811-not-a-massive-sword-sale/

Hi Grey I think your cards are great but when I previously tried to buy a set you didn't have any stock left and I agree using written kanji is better than being printed I would recommend buying your kanji set but unless I'm looking at your listing incorrectly they are out of stock In reply to probability I only showed the top of the list (most common) as it 410 lines long This is the bottom of the list of the 410 kanji 頭 0.2% 鳳 0.2% 鶴 0.2% 鹿 0.2% There are well over 100 kanji that only appear once in any mei Probability just means that I could learn 100 kanji that will be in 97% of every mei or I could learn 100 kanji that only appear in 1% of the mei I just wanted to learn the most common As some of you know I've only been collecting for around three years whereas there are loads of NMB members with many years of looking at kanji For me this becomes a learning aid

Hi There are radicals in my first spreadsheet http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/15259-the-haynes-index-transcribed/?hl=haynes&do=findComment&comment=184082 When I originally saw the kanji flash cards they had sold out I think the big help (to me anyway) is the use of probability This is the start of the probability list of a kanji appearing in a mei: Kanji % 光 77.8% 一 62.7% 乗 59.3% 寿 44.1% 正 42.4% 政 31.5% 長 22.9% 宗 22.0% 義 22.0% 友 20.7% 直 20.2% 随 19.5% 常 18.5% 山 17.1% 忠 17.1% 清 17.1% 重 16.8% 次 16.6%

Hi In a previous post someone said his magic power was reading Japanese and I’m sure there were many jealous of this ability As I can not read Japanese my target was to put any translations on to a spreadsheet so it would help as I didn'y have this magic power. Last year I made available the Haynes and Wakayama in spreadsheet form and I am just about make Haynes, Wakayama and the Kinko Meikan also available in a spreadsheet but with additional functions but more about that in another post Last week I visited Bletchley Park which was home to the ‘code breakers’ during WWII I realised that it was not just a number crunching exercise but more about reducing the possible variations to probable variations. In one of the cabinets was a card index showing individual kanji cards as the code breakers had to deal with many languages I tried to apply some of this logic to translating mei and creating my own Index Using the Wakayama spreadsheet I can create index cards with the kanji and their translations. I intend to have two indexed sets: The first set in the number of strokes The second set in order of the probability of a kanji appearing in a mei Assuming my image is clear enough to read you can see where I am going and I welcome your comments.

Thanks for the replies Can anyone give me a translation (the main parts) on the papered tsuba in the link?

WOW Nice reply So I wonder what they actually are and if they are two symbols or intentionally linked

Hi Bazza Maybe Turbo gets lucky

Hi Has anyone seen this shape on a tsuba? I thought it may be like the 'wobbly' toys but they tend to be ore like a gourd A few months ago Marius had what I called a micky mouse tsuba that had a single shape that was similar

Many thanks Steve I thought it to be a copy - When I google the mei it only showed tsuba much better than this one In Haynes Tamagawa Yoshihisa (H11642 - H11646) has multiple entries with the same kanji I've also looked in the Kinko Meikan and Wakayama and can not find a match Is there any information on Steve's link that may help pin it down to a particular maker? Grev