Alex A

Always find their prices ok Chandler. For the money the tanto seems fair

This aint a sales pitch though, just like what i see

We all have different tastes and budgets. For someone wanting a bang for their buck, for me this would be it.

Yet some would rather spend their money on some unsigned koto pure foggy hamon tanto

Perhaps someone looking to buy a Shinshinto Sukekane, Sukenaga or whatever may see this as a plausible and acceptable alternative, i would

Horses for courses.

On a side note, a blade in choji was sold here some time ago by a modern smith and i was like WOW. Its a case of the blade being intact without many polishes compared to older blades. Its a compromise.

Aye, maybe

Will add  a pic for reference, if ok

I cant say if its a unique feature as cant remember and not looked into it but see it as a interesting blade anyways.

Makes it stand out, perhaps a feature of the smiths work, but not searched.

Cheers.

Stumbled across this blade, think its cool.

Vaguely remember seeing circles within the choji before but never so intentional, 2 near the kissaki and 2 further down on opposite sides of the blade.

Sometimes you just come across something different,  interesting, nice blade.

For those interested.

Japanese sword Touken Komachi, Tanto, Shirasaya Hakushu ju Yoshinaga

When looking to buy old swords i guess one may have to make compromises.

All down to personal taste and what you can live with.

There's always alternatives for those that are picky and want perfect condition....................Shinsakuto.

I like the sword above but I'm not buying it. Point being and i mean this with respect as i used to ask lots of various folks opinions when it comes to a purchase. Unless you are really sure for yourself and not relying on others then i don't think you can truly appreciate what you are buying. We all have varying biased opinions that may influence you. I think to be truly happy with a purchase one has to make the decision alone, based on what you alone like. That, with a good deal of research and time thrown in, so no rush.

Many buy swords then change their minds, find a sword you will appreciate and keep.

Attacked

You set up a ridiculously impossible Kantei ?, to suit your ego and not for anyone's educational benefit.

Just one big contradiction of many

You refer to an inch and a quarter of steel like one is mapping the Atlantic ridge

The thing about this Hobby Jacques, as well you know. Its difficult to prove someone wrong as much of the time things are about as convincing as an airhostesses smile. 

Don't waste your time Colin  Jacques always has an hidden agenda 

Masame, itame, though difficult to see.

What do you want to know?

13 minutes ago, lonely panet said:

never would have thought kymaro

If Kiyomaro could be here today sat at a pc looking at it, don't think he would have got it either

Will just say one more thing Jacques. I have no intentions of being some grandmaster sword expert.

Me or you will never get there, 

Stop the charade, its now boring.

Come here for a laugh, talk about swords and other antiques that i wont see sat at home, that's it.

Jacques, stick to commenting on swords in hand then. 

That way you wont come across as an hypocrite.

Jacques, we are doing this from bad pictures, not clear pictures. What i saw i perceived as could be Tobiyaki. 

Kantei here is just a bit of fun, but fun when someone gives a fair example with good pictures, clearly showing the boshi etc. 

I think of kantei here as different from the real kantei. For gods sake, we are amateurs that have not studied 1000s of blades in hand and we are usually looking at bad to average pics. So as for books, what do you expect. Its just fun trying to find the smith and also educational.

You moan about folks judging blades from pictures then attempt to get your point across using pictures

If you could just listen to yourself and it sank in, you would stay away from commenting on pictures added here, but you carry on regardless being an hypocrite. 

I could put any blade on here made by some late edo smith that reproduced old works and you wouldn't have a clue either, and i guarantee you would have to reach for a book

This whole exercise was set up to make yourself look special, it hasn't worked, as usual.

To be honest, did suspect Jacques was up to trying to prove a point and did suspect it could be one of the late Edo schools that emulate older works. This guy in fact i believe worked in three traditions. Without looking into it i kind of started to think about looking into stuff like the Naotane school but who wants to spend all day on it.

One feature that stood out is that the hamachi appears tired in the bad picture which kind of gets you thinking it was not a later sword.

I've always said if folks are going to do kantei pics here then to give folks a chance then it has to be a TEXTBOOK sword of the type they were known for making. Not someone that made a wide variety.

Not very sporting.

Also, may not be Tobiyaki in the sword but we have to go off what we can see. To me, in the pic (bottom right), appears like Tobiyaki.

Jacques knew no one would get the answer

In that respect, wasn't fun Jussi, just 30 minutes of my life i wont get back

Ok, without spending all day on it.

Cant really work out the sori from that pic, was originally thinking Edo but with what's available as in the jigane i would be thinking sue-seki

Something along the lines of a well known Mutsu no kami daido, though cant find an example with the gunome being this regular.

There appears to be Tobiyaki, which gets a mention for one of his kantei points.

Anyways, something along those lines

Think i need magic powers, as cant see boshi or whats going on in the Shinogi.

Your the one that's always lecturing us about kantei from bad pics ?

Jacques, going around in circles again.

All you need to to know (again) is that i don't spend money without research. That does not make me an "expert" as you seem to think that is what I'm saying, it means I'm sensible and wise.

Even Shinsa teams need info resources, its not all off the top of the head.

I'm now coming to the end of my collecting journey, experiences bad and good accumulated and now my thoughts are forged.

So in that respect, my advice here might sound harsh/hardcore.  Perhaps trying to help folks make better decisions that many are not interested in.  Folks find their own ways.

That's all I'm saying, now definitely finished with this thread.

2 hours ago, NihontoSeeker said:

A comment about shinsa. I've just had a beautiful Shinto sword restored. Togoshi felt Ishido, NTHK shinsa came back as just "Ishido" both the togoshi and I feel the the blade is very high quality a what the NTHK did was un professional with just a school attribution.

it came back as Ishido school. Perhaps the shinsa team was put off by the gimei removel. i no longer have the sword, it was a real chopper found an old pic

Reuben

If they cant narrow it down, then they cant narrow it down.

If you want a more precise paper, then buy a signed Ishido and do some some serious research.

You highlight my points

7 hours ago, Andrew Ickeringill said:

 

I’ve not studied rocket science, but if one can tell the difference between two atoms by looking at them under a microscope then it’s not **** kantei!!!!!!!!!!! Obviously, if you know what to look for then it makes it doable.

Kantei, not some kind of magic power that Jacques seems to elude to, obviously that was the point i was making. If you have studied their blades then obviously it would be easier and doable.

Again, not studied Tadatsuna or the differences involved in their work and i don't have lots and lots of data regarding them. If i was buying one of their blades i would make dam sure i did!.

I get the picture, must be similar work with subtle difference, like you might see in various other smiths, Hizen, whatever.

Luckily for me i never have to split hairs over such issues as mine come with a mei and a nakago, like at a Shinsa which is what the thread is about.

An important point i forgot to mention. This thread is a matter of perspective, its not about picking at the NBTHK et al.  For me its about doing all you can to make sure what you buy is authentic and legit and NOT just relying on other opinions. Folks can make this task simple or difficult depending on the blades they choose. One can be ignorant and rely on papers, they do say ignorance is bliss.

Again, horses for courses.

1 hour ago, Jacques D. said:

Perfect nonsense, we just have to know our limits (i perfectly know mine) and those are far away from expert's ones. If I put 2 swords in your hands, one from shodai Tadatsuna, the other from nidai with the nakago hidden, would you be able to tell which one is by the shodai? No, the experts can. They may be wrong, but you don't have the knowledge to judge. I don't have this knowledge too, even if I know a lot more than you and the majority of the members of this forum. That's why I'd never question their judgment. It's the same thing with climate skeptics: they know nothing about the subject but reject the work of real specialists. 

Ridiculous, for a "scientist", you don't half come out with some crap.

Ive not studied Tadatsuna, but if one can tell the difference between two swords by looking at them in hand then its not **** rocket science!!!!!!!!!!!. Obviously, if you know what to look for then it makes it doable. These "experts" don't have super human eyes like telescopes, we are not looking at stars, they are not X Men

 You cant expect everyone to think like you, very narrow.

Also, you like to put others down, to elevate yourself. Suspect you do this because your have issues, narcistic, insecure or whatever. You need to grow up.

Anyways, as said, said all i need to say, always a pleasure

Look forward to any sensible input from others though.

Think its the old putting stuff in brackets again scenario.

Obviously there are swords that even baffle "experts" and end up with conflicting opinions, old and unsigned, whatever.

Then there are swords that are pretty straight forward.,

Luckily for me, prefer the latter.

Hopefully that makes what I've been saying clearer for anyone confused or those that are not confident to know what they own and rely on someone to tell them.

Horses for courses.

You know your at the end of saying what you want to say when you realize your going around in circles.

If we are to believe Jacques, then we have no business buying books, researching and definitely not buying antique swords.

Its all so pathetic, troll detector has detected a signal.

You sure know how to over complicate things, Jacques

18 hours ago, Jacques D. said:

 

Do you have the necessary knowledge to judge? I don't.

Also, judging by your recent reply here in another thread, you come across as an hypocrite lecturing

us.......

Pretty derogatory really. 

"As Tanobe sensei charges for his sayagaki (one Japanese polisher I know even says he'd do them on umbrellas if he was paid well), he's inclined to "embellish" reality. That said, he's fallible like any human being, and that's why a college of experts is preferable to a single opinion (In science, it's the same thing: there are books and peer-reviewed articles)."