cuttingedge59

Mark My vote would be coiled dragons . Saw some menuki recently done in a very similar style. Chris NZ

Hi All After some guidiance from the other posters I have managed I think to translate the mei on this yari . I think Yasutsugu Oite Echizen Saku Kore 3rd Gen Yasutsugu . regards Chris NZ

Hi I think you are right in thinking that it is the right size and shape to be a kojiri . The hitsua ana in this case is probably more decorative rather than functional or could have formed some sort of attachment point. just a thought Chris NZ

Thanks Piers , To be honest after Yoshihisa I got totally lost. Not sure whether age has blurred the remaining Kanji or they were never well cut . Any way just could not see any thing relative using the stroke count or the board kanji pages. Looking at your suggestions maybe 越前作之 could fit. regards Chris NZ

Hi all I have been working on this yari mei for a bit and have reached a point of not being able to translate the mei fully . I have found possibly the name Yoshihisa right or wrong but after that have got a bit stuck . Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers Chris NZ

Ron Thanks for posting the photo's , I would think that the yari I posted is in fact nearly identical to the one on the left in your photo . Possibly I am guessing a little longer . neat group of yari by the way . My one as mentioned is one of two that are mounted in what would be described as Ashigara issued yari. Plain wooden pole arms with iron foot pieces. Around 6 foot in length . chris NZ

Hi Thanks for the many replies. Unfortunately at this time these are the best photo's I have .other than a couple of the mei . I would call it a four sided blade as each side has two distinct plains so a MIJIKA Yari it may be . Will start to work on the Mei . regards Chris Nz

kyle , In a word no . Each component ie saya , tsuka etc must be custom fitted to the blade and this is done by trail fitting as they are made . The craft of the Japanese sword by Leon and Hiroko Kapp . Yoshindo Yoshihara has an excellent few paragraphs on each step involved in making koshirae. Chris nz

Hi All A recent visit to my collector friend has resulted in a study project on one of two originally mounted yari he has . Said Yari has a 6 kanji mei which i am going to work on for a bit to translate . My question of the board at this stage ( i suspect there probably will be a translation one at some stage) is what would this style of yari be called. I have searched and failed to find anything similar. Sorry for the not so great pics but only had my phone. As always many thanks for any replies. Regards Chris NZ

Thank you very much for the help . Some great pointers there to help with the learning curve.T the translation came from the sellers listing. Will now do some home work on the smith . Cheers Chris Nz

Hi thanks for the replys. I couldn't grab a picture of just the nakago so have linked the listing for reference. http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d224623134 chris NZ

Hi All , I am looking at a tanto that is for sale and am I little unsure what to make of the nakago inscription . I wouldn't call it a mei as such as is not a name but perhaps more of an inscription describing as to who the blade was made for . I am relying on the sellers translation as my reading skill of kanji is less than basic. However does look well scribed and has age, Hida Mamoru Fujiwara Clan So made for the fujiwara clan but what do the first two words refer to . Have done some research online but have only managed to find resource to the fujiwara family name as such . Any help would be very much appreciated. Regards Chris Nz

Hi All Found this listing today for sale of a daito while browsing Yahoo Japan looking at nihonto for sale . Really nicely done double sided blade carving. Really like the detail showing the bark texture in the tree, http://page14.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/s523579868 regards Chris NZ

Hi Barry Interesting thread as this is something I have looked into myself recently in regards to having a new tsuka made . My thoughts where to have the nakago 3d scanned including the habakimoto and a bit . From this a 3d wire frame can be generated and surfaces applied. A lot of 3d printer software can use the scanned image without the necessary Cad application. I have found a company locally that specializing in prototyping and they have the necessary hardware and software applications. However they do suggest it could be pricey . Also I intend to be present if I go ahead as I don't want a scratched or chipped daito. I would then send printed model and fittings to someone like David McDonald . Would be a matter of finding someone with similar facilities close by. Used to do something similar for a job , making cranial facial implants for hospital patients from scanned and cnc generated models. regards Chris NZ

Mods if this should be somewhere else please move . Hi All , A little story i will share based around a recent experience . About 6 years ago I placed an add in the local paper advertising to buy Japanese edged weapons . From this add I had a small group of replys that resulted in viewing a lot of Chinese fakes and non Japanese items with the exception of one chap who had a genuine collection of 10 or so items . A group of mostly gunto items other than a Shinto katana , yari mounted as a push dagger and tanto .Plus a couple of yari on their original shafts. He wanted to sell the lot as a group sale which really stretched my finances at the time. Anyway we couldn't agree on a price so that was that . At the time I looked over everything but as a novice ( still am ) , I was not moved by the gunto and my goal was to own the Shinto Katana and yari dagger . Recently I revisted this chap who is now 71 and he kindly showed me his collection again , what struck me this time ( and surprised me somewhat) was how more appreciative I was of what his collection detailed.. He still doesn't want to sell anything however he has my details and will contact me should things change. To explain , fittings on the Shinto where very much better and is very much the package deal . Two of the Gunto;s have old blades based on the Harmon and habaki. The yari are probably of the type issued to ashigara with one having a better blade . One of the Gunto has kanji engraved on the kashira possibly the owners name . And it goes on .This is based on a tsuka on view as he reluctant to remove them . What I am saying in a round about way is that if you put in the ground work with books and listen to those with more knowledge there is a very good chance you will learn and perhaps surprise yourself , This forum and the people who make it what it is play a large part in this process , Many Thanks to all and never underestimate how you have influenced and informed those starting the hobby and passion that is Nihonto . Best Regards, Chris NZ

Totally agree , if advertised widely including here in Nz it is possible there might be enough submissions to be viable. Chris NZ

Hi Chris , Here in NZ I have used a well known dealer / collector of Japanese swords ( not just nihonto ) to provided detailed documents including photo's with a current market valuation for inclusion as contents on the household insurance . Usually any item above a certain value has to be listed on said policy. As most of our insurance companies tend to be in Australia as well I would think this would work . As a go to for documents I would sugguest Nihonto Australia might be able to help for a fee . Chris NZ

Hi A positive nod from me . A bidding system works for me as like other sites I am able to bid up to my budget . No having to beat the seller down . easy for everyone. A percentage of sale price to the board would be fair , set by mods. Chris NZ

Hi Dave Yes the sellers have actually mentioned the fact as well as a private seller . Chris NZ

Hi all, Have noticed rubber seppa fitted to some nihonto offered on e-bay lately , also seems the odd private seller has also used these items. Always a bit of dodge going on with multiple metal seppa but this a new one. Would I be right in assuming this a trick to tighten up loose fittings rather than something that was original. Not sure how long rubber has been around but it is a stretch of the imagination to think that this was used by the period craftsman. Any thoughts please . Cheers Chris NZ

regrets no but if things could be different Then I would not have brought the mounted papered tachi with poorly done new mounts by a certain American polisher ( used only as a description not fact ) who turned out to be a fraud. I would have brought the mounted katana that the e-bay dealer had when I brought his listed wakizashi in new polish fully mounted in matched mounts . The wakizashi turned out to be very good as I suspect was his Jumyo katana. Chris NZ

Its a strange one this seller, Dealt with him once and it turned into an absolute mess , had to get Paypal to sort it out. Since then have been very wary of his items , you often see something sell and then turn up again a few weeks later. I suspect a returned item from a unhappy bidder. Every now and then he has something of interest ( a Hichibei Sukesada Wak now ) and then the bidding just goes stupid as in the post . I tend to put a value on an item ie what i am prepared to pay and when it goes over walk away. Entertaining to say the least. Chris NZ

Ken , No , I understand as Florian has stated that long , heavy blades may require additional retention as physics would dictate. What i was looking for was examples of nakago with two mekugi ana where the fitted tsuka used two mekugi to retain the blade. Jussi has posted some nice examples from a book i don't own that show this . Seems to be a little more common to early blades . Regards Chris nz

Many thanks for the replys and examples shown. Regards, Chris nz

Hi All, From time to time you see nihonto with two mekugi ana purposely punched so as to line up with two mekugi 's in the Tsuka. I am not talking about those nakago that have more than one punched due to remounts or new tsuka. I am wondering if any of the learned collectors here have examples of nihonto where there are two mekugi ana punched in the nakago that line up and are used in the tsuka. All fittings are original and in period to the nihonto and not restoration work. I have had a look around various dealers sites and havn't found any examples so if someone here does i would greatly appreciate if you could share a picture or two . With many thanks , Chris nz