Lee Bray

I think you should contact this chap, Andrew Ickeringill - http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/user/49-andrew-ickeringill/, who is a recently qualified togishi/polisher based in Melbourne. He can provide you with that info at a local level and would be a great pair of eyes to look your sword over if you're prepared to ship him the sword or make the journey across the Nullabor.

I wouldn't even trust cutting watermelons... If the tang fails or the loose fit tsuka and chop stick mekugi(I'm presuming) fail on a swing or in a cut, then 3 ft of sharpened steel is flying through the air with no planned flight path...those stories are out there and they're not kiddy bedtime stories, either. Spend a few more dollars and buy a purpose made martial arts blade from China which are reasonably safe to cut with and cheap enough.

It's an easy check for sharpness, Guido, I'm sure you could manage. Not that I use it for checking swords but for general knife work it is handy. Hold the blade so you're looking directly at the edge; any dull spots will reflect light and these are easy to see whereas a sharp edge will reflect nothing. A torch shone directly at the edge can help. Handy if you're sharpening a knife and need to see if you've missed any bits on the coarse stone.

It may be something to do with the recent new laws(?) regarding non antique swords. This thread, especially Darcy's posts, might shed some light. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/1860-importingexporting-and-customs-queries-and-advice/?hl=%2Bgendai+%2Bpaperwork&do=findComment&comment=14557 Just sounds like you need to do some preliminary paperwork. I'd second Barry's recommendation to contact Paul Martin.

Probably just a whim of the maker. It's a common enough feature on modern knives but certainly a rarity in this field...something I've definitely not seen before.

Hong Kong Zero/zero A nice, round number.

I'd stop looking if I were you. Looks to be a Chinese fake.

Hong Kong shipping is generally very, very efficient. Big hubs, small country and no import taxes on antiques. Do you still have the contact details of your receiver, Brandon? Perhaps you could pass along my details to them on the basis of a meeting?

Have you tried Roger Robertshaw at Hizento.net? Nakago jiri looks good, as does the yasurimei and the overall look of the nakago. The mei itself perhaps looks weak at first glance without referencing his papered works but that's just an impression rather than a firm opinion. The tight hada and active suguha would also support Tadahiro's work. Give Roger a shout and get his opinion then think about shinsa based on that.

As far as I know, it is illegal and 'cannot' be done. I use the quotes because in China it seems not to hard to buy your way around the law. I've heard that it is possible but it is against the written laws, which I seem to recall posting somewhere in here before. It is legal to ship to Hong Kong, then tell your buyer he has to make his own cross border arrangements. At present, there is a big local outcry regarding blatant goods smuggling through the Sheung Shui border crossing so it would be very easy to do but probably not the wisest course of action.

Just throwing this out there: there are direct flights between Hong Kong and Japan and direct flights from HK to most other destinations. Theoretically, that would make EMS a feasible shipping option provided there was a middle man in HK. I wouldn't object to forwarding parcels if anyone wanted to go that route, bearing in mind that the shipping would be approximately twice as much and I wouldn't mind a couple of quid for my time and effort. Not putting this out as a 'business' idea, just maybe to give someone peace of mind.

Just for an update, this has proven to be not possible. Roman tells me he has no experience in shipping blades and Pavel declined to answer either myself or the Czech owner. So, unfortunately, the sword will stay in the Czech republic on butchering duty.

I have a very similar shaped kojiri in iron that is certainly genuine. https://plus.google.com/photos/10838600 ... sGU8vnx4gE I considered it(and the other matching fittings) to be early to mid Edo period but no particular school.

My friend came through with the pictures so adding them here for reference. As I remembered, the menuki are exactly the same as Mike's. You can't see how thin the ana is in the tsuka and fuchi but the ana of the seppa shows it well enough. As can be seen, the 'blade' is not functional and merely holds the koshirae together.

Their wealth may be new but their postal system isn't. You cannot ship a sword into China as it is a restricted weapon to them. Hong Kong is the only part of China that you can legally ship to. Ship a sword to mainland China and you'll lose it.

I think no more needs to be said. Interesting to see these two tsuka as my friend's is the only one I've seen like it. Although not great quality, they are still well made, as the little reinforcing strip soldered inside the fuchi seam on Mike's shows. It is the same with my example. I get the impression Mick's is in the same league but has utilised a 'proper' fuchi and kashira. Certainly doesn't look like a real blade could be mounted in that tsuka. I get the impression they are movie props which would hold up to reasonably close camera shots for period correct costumes. Or possible re-enactment activities...anything where a proper blade or koshirae wouldn't be allowed or wouldn't make sense to use in case of damage.

The fuchi ana on yours looks regular but the hole in the tsuka itself is similar to what I was talking about. Both the tsuka and fuchi have thin holes on my friends replica. Is it from an actual mount? If not, try inserting something that will measure the length of the hole and see if suitable for mounting. The depth of the recess in my friends tanto would not allow a genuine blade to be mounted. If I get over to my friends soon, or can coerce him into taking pics, I'll post them to this thread. I could just be talking nonsense if Mike's ana is regular size...

Hi Mike. Is the ana in the fuchi/tsuka unusually thin? I ask because I have seen a 'tanto' koshirae that was a replica and utilised pressed/stamped fittings. It housed a tsunagi of thin metal in the very rough shape of a tanto but with no heat treatment or really any effort to be a real blade. A collector friend of mine uses it as an armour embellishment - tucked into the sash on a suit of armour it looks the part. It's been a while since I've taken any note of it but I swear the menuki are a match for yours. I don't think it is intended to deceive but is meant as a prop or ornament. From your pic, the ana looks thin and that is what prompted my memory and this post.

Thanks, Brian, and co.. I forgot Roman is in the Czech Republic, thought he was in Poland. I'll send him a message today as I'm on speaking terms with him; don't know Pavel Bolf although I've seen his work. Fingers crossed.

After hearing back from both Fedex and UPS Czech branches, it looks like it's impossible. Great. Nice shakudo tsuba from the Yoshioka school with superb nanako and gold kirimon on the mimi. Reasonable looking, long wakizashi with bo-hi one side and futasuji-hi on the other...and is currently used for butchery on a farm... Oh well...

Anyone have experience or knowledge on shipping swords out of the Czech Republic? I've potentially bought one there but the owner is now saying that swords are classed as weapons and cannot be exported, though he has found one method which will cost $500, possibly more. Thanks for any help.

He is not in the book, I'm afraid. Good book nonetheless.

Cody/Cory/Corey/Colonel(?) Barrymore/Baltimore? I've heard enough dodgy translations of my own name here in China to realise you may as well open the phone book and pick a name. Be it through their understanding or lack thereof or my own inability to speak in an accent they can comprehend.

I think it is called a Kuwagata habaki and is styled after some old maedate on kabuto. Here's a pic stolen from ebay, with a link to the maedate for sale since I stole the pic... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-OLD-MA ... 3f3e45562c

Thanks, chaps. Much appreciated.