JDinMT

I just did a search on Lulu, but all I see is the e version. Is the print (real book) version available? how do I find it? Price? John D

There is a 9th generation smith, go to hokkesaburo.com and check it out. Information on family timeline, swords etc. John D.

I got the Fujishiro kit (uchiko & oil) from Tatsuhiko Konno a few years back when he had a website. The site doesn't come up anymore but the address was in Kirkland WA, maybe that might be a lead? John D.

Slough's Modern Japanese Swordsmiths has a chapter on Engraving, Stamps and Mei (the differences) and the Niho to Koza, ShinShinto vol, in the chapter on Gimei talks about the tagane makure and such in detail too. Those are two sources I can think of offhand. John D.

I talked with Ben Kaiser a few years back, when I bought some same-gawa from him, as to supply etc. First I would suggest forget about Manta at all, same comes from a common specie of sting-ray from the waters around Indonesia and such (even the Japanese supply) where it's common and on no lists (no longer from the waters off Japan where it's now endangered). I agree yours is most likely antique, but to try to prove that to power hungry beaurocrats with no common sense (USFWS) may be difficult at best. Again, common stingray, not Manta. John D.

Agreed, not Japanese, but a typical junk copy. Also there is plenty there for you to be able to tell. Start by training your eyes, there is plenty of info on the web. At the top of the home page here, there is listings under info, dealers (with good pics), etc, Just go to them and look at swords, fittings and such. Look at how the nakago is on a Japanese sword. The workmanship, etc. Look at tsuba, see how the work is done on the basic level, the way the nakago ana (hole the tang goes through) is done (nice cut vs sloppy soft cast look). Even the low end Japanese work shows more care than the typical fake. It really just comes down to know what and how to look, by comparing some basic things, and you'll be able to train your eye in a very short time, to where you won't be depending on what someone tells you, who's trying to sell junk and a BS story. John D.

http://www.tsukamaki.net/modern_stand.htm http://tsukamaki.net/traditional_stand.htm See if these two links work for you. I'd suggest use them as a starting place of ideas for a stand that you could make that would work for you. John D.

Did you check tsukamaki.net ? There's plans for traditional type or a more modern style that can give you some good starting ideas to make one up that'll work for you. I made mine using 1" pipe and a union (so it can be turned easy) that clamps in my bench vise (rather work standing). John D.

For what it's worth, I could go for that. I think that $ 140. for a set of this quality books would still be quite a bargain and not to be passed up. John D.

Mino-To By Cox and the Teiryo Yogi by Honami Koson, trans. by A.Yamanaka and the Sue-Koto volumes put out by the JSS/US have been very helpful too, besides those books already mentioned. Being limited to English, I'm very thankful there is as much information as there is, but always seeing more books for sale I wish I could read (Japanese text). John D.

The photographs on Ted Tenold's site are at http://legacyswords.com/nihontoCS/crosssections.htm Very interesting I think seeing actual examples in comparison to drawn diagrams. John D.

Thank you from here, for all the work also. Another vote for the silk place marker, very handy and a couple dollars (per set) is well worth it. John D.

I would recommend checking with David McDonald, either through here or montanairon.com. Top notch work. John D.

Thank you Markus, I'll have to order one tomorrow. As someone who is limited to books written in or translated to English, I really do appreciate the work and effort you and others go through to do this. Thanks again. John D.

James, If I may offer a suggestion, I've found it best to do any experimentation with some scrap pieces of like material, and then work on the part that matters. In this case joining buffalo horn together. Get some pieces of horn, it's readily available, and find which glue (lots of suggestions above) gives you the best results and then do the kurikata. I've found it the best approach and saves a lot of gut ache as well as what your working on (even more important). John D.

I bought both the Koto and Shinto/Shinshinto Kantei volumes and the 1st supplement. Yes, please continue, very good info to have. I hope there are many more to come, and THANK YOU for all the effort, it is appreciated. John D.

As far as who can/will issue a COA, that I don't know but what you have is (my opinion) a Japanese made sword for the war. '44 type mounts(,look complete), with what's commonly refered to as Showato blade (non-traditionally made) signed YoshiNao, dated 1945 (Looks like Showa 20 to me) and with a "sho" stamp (mil. acceptance ) John D. Oops, Brian is right, I missed that on the saya mouth, I could be wrong about Nao too, luckily being a married guy being wrong is nothing new, I stand to be corrected.

The poll worked for me just now. Put in my vote for a set, far too good of a deal to let slide by. John D.

My opinion, on the nakago, I read it as KaneRiki too with Seki stamp. 1943 on the date. Surrender tag, unfortunately I'm no help. John D.

I read it as The kanji for Kuni is cut a bit different (inside the box) than normal, my opinion. Maybe peculiar to a certain generation or gimei, I can't say for sure on that. John D. PS I saw that Veli had replied while I was typing (I'm slow) so I tried to put my answer under that spoiler thing so I don't mess things up. Hopefully that'll work

In Markus Sesko's ,very helpful book, Koto-kantei there is a tanto on pg 191 from Bishu Osafune MasaMitsu with the oshigata and write up as well. John D.

On Ted Tenolds site, legacyswords.com, he shows several pics of polished sword cross sections showing different methods that I thought are very helpful. John D.

My idea of decorating is the use of old weapons and dead things on the walls, (I'm lucky to have an understanding wife), but my Japanese swords are never out for display. I don't have a dansu but I do have a couple of gun safes in my basement work shop that stays cool and dry and that's where they live. I can't speak for real long term, but for the past 20 years so far there's been no problem with rust or such. John D.

Unfortunately the fraud isn't just limited to the Chinese. I had a "seller" from California (U.S.) lift the gallery picture from a wakizashi I had listed and use it to try to sell it as their own. They also took pictures from another legit seller (some old folk art paintings) for a fraud listing. Fortunately theives don't want to work hard so they were easy to spot and no one fell for it. We just turned them in to ebay and they got the boot, but they'll probably just reincarnate and come back as someone else, just one of those things to be aware of. John D.

First kanji perhaps, Kane? John D.