Chonmage

Hey Thanks for the really quick replies, Josh and Ian. Ian, you hit the mark. Found it on google now. The rifle you mentioned would be the M1853 3 Band Enfield Rifle I take it. Thank you very much for your help. I do find it very interesting this piece could be from the Boshin wars. I actually got it for free since the owner wanted to get rid of it. Will be needing to check with the police here, hopefully they will be in their right mind and not handle this as a WW2 type bayonet.

Hello, I do know this is perhaps not what is usually posted here, but I can't figure it out myself and this board has always been helpful. I usually collect nihonto and fittings, but this recently surfaced. It has AR stamped on the leather of the scabbard. Due to rust I can't make out what the stamp on the bayonet itself is. Could be PO, but it's really hard to see. I tried google and I've checked a lot of sites but I can't see any good match. I saw a cover of "Bayonets Of Japan written by Raymond C. LaBar", and it looks like it could be that one, but I don't own the book, nor do I know anyone who does. To the big question, what bayonet is this? Leftover souvenir from Russo-Japanese War? Many thanks, Anders

Hi Marius, I realize I was unclear in describing the hagire. It's visible on both sides. With the photo bucket link, it should be the first photos.

I'm not very happy with myself missing the hagire. Edit: I had a hard time getting both sides to reflect light properly. There hagire is visible on both sides, yet hard to see on one side. I'm not sure if it is visible to you, but it only starts at the edge on one side. Or perhaps it is so thin that I couldn't even pick it up the end of it with the camera or magnifier. Anyway, thank you for your time and input. I appreciate any chance to learn. For those of you with dropbox (Set1 and 2): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/20dpawl3esv7 ... BJWta?dl=0 If that doesn't work then send me your email and I will invite you to it. Photobucket (Set 2): http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Chonm ... y/Kunihiro The photos are raw, with overexposure and underexposure to bring out the most of the set. Kind regards, Anders Olsson

I'm not surprised to hear that a lot of choji oil might not be the real thing. Something interesting to mention, is that I got a "cleaning set" from the 60s from a friend of my wife, with the more yellow camellia oil as a part of it. I think it is more for cleaning that preserving, but any input on that would be most appreciated. So far I have been going without camellia oil. After reading a few posts here I have realized I know unfortunately little about choji oil and I will need to research a lot more on whats what. I have had no problems with the standard choji oil that is sold on the web. Tested a few. I oil rather frequently due to the Fukuoka weather. I don't think I would dare to leave a blade alone for 6 months though. For that purpose perhaps that break-free mentioned before might be it. Would anyone be willing to ship it to Japan? I got paypal ready

Hello Jeremy. I'm sure more knowledge people here will give you all the help you need. I would like higher res photos. And more of them I can't really say much from what you posted. The little I can say is, The odoshi lacing seem to vary in color from piece to piece on the second batch. Also the general craftmanship seems to differ as well. To me, the Kabuto and the menpo is one of those craftmanship differences. Is that second Kabuto collapsable? Anyway, the second set is a put together affair. The first set too. With more pictures I could give you better answers. Lets wait and see what the others say.

I got the digital ed to begin with. You never disappoint Markus. Thank you very much for your effort! - Anders

Hey Fabian, You already got a load of good advice. Have you heard of Markus Sesko? http://markussesko.wordpress.com/ I read his posts every now and then. Some interesting stuff. Free too. Plenty of books as well. I only had a look at his ebooks over at lulu.com. The writing seems rushed with some text related oddities, but the information is solid. Targets many areas and levels. Good luck!

Hello everyone, First off, armor is not my strong side so be patient with any mistake I might make. One of my Japanese friends here in Fukuoka wanted to give me something special. Since he, as he puts it; "knows I like samurai stuff", he got me a kabuto. I think he got it from yahoo auction, but I thought it rude to ask so it's just a guess. Now, I'm happy, but I have no idea what this is. He sent me the photos I'm posting here. I will post more after he gives it to me. What I can gather is that the hachi looks like koseizan shape. I'm guessing that the shikoro belonging to this piece is gone forever. Hari bachi kabuto? 8 pieces? Age... late edo? Right, I'm done speculating and guessing, any help identifying this would be much appreciated. On another note, the next gift I give him needs to be in the same price range. How expensive could this have been? Around 200 usd?

Brian is asking if someone has a nice naginata for sale. He is thinking of adding one to his collection. All guesses but that's what I got.

Thank you very much! I had a look at the blade today and it's very, very similar to the tang I posted. Yet all other reference provided, and gathered, are just very inconsistent. The way he writes mitsu is not ordinary, could very well be a bit of a trade mark, but then again he didn't always write it "his" way it seems. Anyway, thanks a lot again to everyone. I really appreciate the sharing of the oshigata.

No, as amateurish as it was, I got all that I needed, cheers mate

Guys, much love and appreciation goes out to the whole bunch! I haven't bought any oshigata books that covered this Yukimitsu. I tend to stay with papered blades. The blade I'm thinking about buying is well within the medium range. Aside from needing a fresh polish the price is very acceptable. Again a big thanks to everyone. I got just what I asked for as well as friendly advice. I will use these as I check on the blade next time. Just for my own learning, could anyone give me any info on the tang posted? It doesn't look to me as if it matches the oshigata provided, but I would like to have a more expert opinion on if it is gemei or not, and why. Thanks!

I'm thinking about buying a blade by Yukimitsu (近江大掾藤原行光). The problem is that I don't have any good reference material for his signature. Any rubbing would be nice. The internet provided me with a link to this site as well as another one that I'm posting below. That's two different signatures so I'm not feeling wiser. I'm pretty sure this one below is a gimei. I need something solid to go on mei wise. Thanks in advance! Also, what's up with the tang?

Thanks Alan, yeah that's the thing. The owner bought it for 30 man during the golden bubble, and ever since then he has been its sole owner. When it slides under 2 man I will be there to pick it up. Until then it can wait. I'm soso close with the old bugger, but I just can't get myself to buy it now. Big thanks to everyone, I think we can wash our hands and close this one. If anyone unearths some epic find, be sure to pm me. About the whole kubi kiri thing, I can not say what is what. I personally think that any blade would suffice, and that the blade of this topic was never made to spill blood in conflict. Fat tuna on the other hand, who knows

Not quite so, friend. The blade length and if it is traditionally made or not are the key factors.

Thanks, we think alike on this. I didn't feel like buying it because the curiosity of it does not appeal that much to me. Having a blade you don't really want and can't move on... never putting myself there again.

I will be sure to get a picture of the nakago if I get another chance. It had one nakago-ana and unmistakably ha-agari-kuri-juri. You've all been helpful so thanks for sharing ideas and opinions. I held this and examined it closely, there is no mistake:it was made this way. Even if I would be wrong, the question that I really wanted answered comes up. What is this, and why is it made this way. For those of you wondering if it is traditionally made or not, it had a torokusho issued showa 50. It just seems like a lot of work for a simple tool. Mottainai.

A big thanks for all the help. I will sit down and read through it properly when I come home. The reason for this quick post is that I just got a call from the owner, I have reserved it but I have to make a decision about buying this or not within two days. After that it's back on the market. What could this be worth? Based on it's oddity. Thanks! - Anders

Thanks for the input Brian. but I can't agree with it. This doesn't look like a retempered tip to me. Added to that both the ha and and the shinogi follows the curve: the curve that goes away from the mune. A badly broken tip would be filed reverse don't you agree? No one would file the kissaki to face the wrong way, if you know what I mean. - Anders

I saw this today when I went to a flea market. Sadly I only had the iphone so the pictures are what they are. The reason I wanted to post it here is the kissaki, or whatever I should call this. I've never seen this before, and I thought that maybe someone else here has. I drew it slowly and I was pretty pleased with what I saw considering the cost, but then the wakizashi left it's scabbard completely and I was bewildered, and slightly in chock. The owner told me it had been broken and fixed during edo so I could have it for a sweet price. However, it has never been broken as far as I can tell. To me it seems that the curve is a bit off (The curve takes of rather late only to start tipping forward). Other than that its a nice mid-low range blade (up until the kissaki). But what kind of blade is this? Everything about it suggests strongly that it was made to be in the state it currently is in. Some funky reverse kisakki-grind down. The disadvantages this would give the user in actual combat strongly hints that this was never intended for any conflict what so ever. Glorified magura cutter anyone? Anyway, I'm at my wits end. If anyone has seen something similar before please give me piece of mind. Thanks, -Anders

Nothing wrong stating what you see and understand. You just underlined my own concerns so thanks Brian. I did pay more but that is mostly due to the fact that I know the old fox who sold it. One of the last honest sellers here in Fukuoka. Honest in the fact that he admits he knows little when he does, and that he can agree to what is and plainly is not. Besides everyone needs to make a living Sometimes I know and sometimes I do not. Without my books I would be helpless. A big thanks to you too Chris. I think we are done here. So if there is no major contradiction to what has been posted there is no need to post further. Again, thanks for sharing your opinions. - Anders Consider this one closed.

Thanks for the input! If it is indeed bakamatsu or meiji, what would lead you to such a conclusion?

Hello, and thanks in advance. I've been recommended to join this forum and from what I've read this past few days I should have joined a long time ago. Anyway, I was at a flea market today and I found this piece. Although in need of a new polish, an interesting piece. It was introduced to me as a yoroi doshi which would explain the thickness, yet I'm puzzled by the thinning at the mune that starts where the short groves end. It also seems to angle just slightly forward at the tip rather than backward. Please note the marks and unevenness near the munamachi. So can someone assist me in identifying this, if this is in fact a yoroi doshi, from late edo or perhaps even older, or not a yoroi doshi at all. Judging from the slight unevenness of the tang just before the munamachi. I'm wondering it has been tampered with or remade into its current state. Could anyone give some assistance please? The nagasa is 18 cm. Mumei. I'd be happy to answer any questions or up more photos.