obiwanknabbe

This item is posted for sale on AOI. This is just the strangest thing i have ever seen. Tsuka looks to have a tension spring or something and is very oddly shaped? Huge Mekugi Ana. Has anyone ever seen a set up like this? http://www.aoijapan.com/wakizashi-mumei-in-tachi-koshirae Best regards, Kurt K

Did 198 sell at auction or is it still floating about? Kurt K

WOW.... my $100.00usd buy in is looking more and more amazing.... But im not selling.. Its my Preeeeeeecccciiiiiooooousssssssssssssssseseses..

The one I have is in wonderful condition and it is among my favorite swords in my modest collection. One thing i can say for sure is that the balance is far superior to any of the other Gunto swords i have ever handled. It is darn near weightless in hand. The tsuka have very pleasing shape, and the 2x mekugi-ana speaks to the fact that these swords were designed from the ground up to be cutters (thus the Tameshigiri crowds love for them). I seem to recall that the actual rockwell hardness of the cutting surface on these blades was significantly higher than others. Somewhere in the 68-71 range? As a blade smith, I can tell you that's pretty darn hard to achieve without cracking the steel during a quench. Overall i would say that they are made with quality. They are not art swords.. this much is true.. but what they are is a superior weapon than the vast majority of their contemporary counterparts. I suppose in modern terms we should think of it as being akin to a milled Ak-47. Its not pretty... cleaner than than the stamped ones though. And you can always count on it to work, and work well..... Thus why there is a premium in the market. Its a serious work horse with a neat story behind it. My 2 cents Kurt k

In a world... where we have champagne taste... and beer money. when the flash of polished steel and the blood from a sliced finger is all the separates the men from the boys. this summer... join us on an epic adventure as we show you things... you can never have! Sorry.. i was watching without the sound on and i automatically narrated. Kurt K

Honor... Right there.. My respect is freely given to this gentleman. Kurt

Thats really nice. Simple and clean design. Kurt K

James, what i am looking for is exactly what i received, honest feedback. I make no claims to know much about tsuba so this is indeed a learning experience. Do i like the design? Yes, thats why I purchased it... Did I think I good deal? Yes, but it turns out i was wrong.. Now having learned that it was not a legitimate piece from those who know more, i can move forward with rectifying that issue, as I plan to do, and be wiser for the experience. Kurt

Hum.... I got this from Mr. Le Pelltier who runs http://tsuba-no-bi.com/home/up in Canada. Does any one have experience with him? Known to sell modern copies as this was not advertised as such. He described it as being "Mito" though i admit full ignorance as to what that means other than it being a school. Here is the link to the sold page.. its item T00255 so you have to scroll down. http://tsuba-no-bi.com/tsuba/sold/52/ Kurt Here is a straight scan. That line must be something on the glass.. but no extra lighting or anything.. just a raw pic.

So does it being cast necessarily mean anything other than it was cast when it was made? I know very little of tsuba in general so please feel free to school me. If by saying its cast your saying its a fake, i can get my money back from the seller without issue. I paid 300 usd for it. Did i take a bath or is that a fair price ? on the other hand when you say cast, was that something commonly done in history? Kurt

Buy Tsuba?...Pay Mortgage?...... hum.... hard choice .

Yes Jean.. under a loop i can see fine tool marks around the base of the design. The surface is actually different in hand. The photo may be a little over exposed and it still had some oil on it. I suppose it could have been lost wax cast and then the design refined by tool afterwards? Kurt

just thought I would share this with everyone. I was told it was Jidai period but beyond that I dont know enough to guess at which school it came from. If you know or think you do please let me know. I will go so far as to guess that I didnt pay anywhere near enough for it. 3.25 inch diameter and about .25 inch thick at the rim. Carved iron. Heavy. Kurt k

Well there is something i didnt know. Cool. Thanks guys.

I was curious if anyone knew why kogatana are shaped the way they are? Why the high angled cutting surface? Why only polished on one side and signed the way they are? And why no mekugi-ana to tightly secure it? It seems like an archaic design that never changed. Thanks Kurt k

Brian, I think the doll theory is correct as well.. I have seen these before. Turn of the last century tourist trade item. Scaled down samurai dolls complete with little swords. If i recall there was one of these little blades discussed a few years ago (that was in much better condition), but i cant find the thread. Kurt

very cool guys. Learn something new every day.... and that is as it should be. It never ceases to amaze me how deep this rabbit hole goes and how much fun the exploration of it is. Kurt k

Just an update and seeking opinions... I have just gotten my mitts on this lovely tsuba from Tsuba-no-Bi up in Canada. Let me add that dealing with Mr. La Pelletier was a pleasure. He even offered me a discount because it was my first purchase. I was thinking of adding a Ise Ebi (lobster/shrimp) themed Kojiri and Kurikata as a nod to the old myth of the Great bird and the Lobster. http://www.printsofjapan.com/The_Many_Uses_of_Ebi.htm What do you guys think of the combination? Any idea where i can find such a Kojiri/kurikata set? I know Fred L. has reproductions, but i would rather keep everything original. Thanks guys! Kurt K

No acids... EVER!! Warm water and mild soap. Use your fingers or a super soft cloth... lightly. No abrasives of any kind. Doing so guarantees a messed up tsuba and money down the drain. Kurt K

$5200 for a Mantetsu.. Wow... I paid $125.00 USD for mine... SCORE!!! I seem to recall Mr. Bowen comment in an earlier thread that Mantetsu swords have only been known to paper on rare occasion (like this one has), making a legally owned example a hot commodity... thus the high price. Kurt K

Well he is a KING fisher.. i suppose he can fish wherever we wants... Actually that concept kinda tickles me.. If you guys know of anything that you think would work floating around out there at a reasonable price (ie not thousands), let me know

Is this better?

Hi All, I seem to recall a while back a discussion on the subject of assembling thematic koshirea. I am in the midst of doing just that and I am looking for a little feedback from those of you in the know. What I have in mind is a bit of a fishing them, but in the more natural sense. In keeping with what i understand of tradition from what i remember about that earlier thread, there is a bit of a personal joke behind this. My Iaido sensei has often referred to a certain cutting technique as being akin to surf-casting. Sorry only some pics as i don't actually have them yet but ill try to describe them as AOI deletes photos after an item is sold So far I have: A Gold inlayed Kingfisher sitting on a fishing pole Kashira, Silver inlayed Moon over water reeds fuchi (matched set). Shibuichi Fish menki in which one fish appears to be protecting the other behind it. (pic follows) I am considering this carp themed tsuba as well... What else would you folks recommend? Is there something else i should be considering? Thanks in advance... Kurt K

I actually got a reply from AOI, thanking me for alerting them. They said they would look into it. Nothing may come of it but it wont be for lack of trying. Kurt

Going to agree with Johnny barracuda on this one.. Its off.... i have seen perfectly clean Gunto before and this looks pieced together and fudged. kurt