Humbleshogun

Jean, You made this comment in another thread. Could you please explain your last item, it seems to contradict the opinion here. Thanks..

Sir, Interesting comments on mumei. Other schools of thought suggest and recommend purchasing signed papered blades only (if financially possible). Not necessarily by famous smiths but decent average or above average smiths. I've read on posts here that a mumei blade is a disadvantage since there is no signature but rather an attribution and you can never guarantee who the smith was. However, I do tend to agree with you that mumei does solve a lot of immediate problems. No worries about a false mei and perhaps a more appropriate price for the consumer. However, in my opinion, one of the things that make Japanese swords so unique is that they are signed. This is quite rare in non-Japanese swords and adds a sense of character, tradition and even dare I say, "life" to the blade. But let me ask this: Why would a smith not sign a blade? I can think of a few immediate negative reasons such as flaws, ware, and not up to the smiths standards. Perhps the smith wasn't famous at first and thought that mumei would be more desirible than an unknown mei. Perhaps the reasons are external, limitations by government on signatures, etc. But I find it tough to explain to someone why a sword was not signed. Does anyone know of other positive reasons why a smith would choose to leave the signature blank? Thanks.

Thanks Brian.

Mr. Moriyama, I have not reserved the blade. I inquired via a translation assistance of the web page but have not received a response. It has been more than a week. I am inclined to think that Japanese is a requirement for this site.

I know that purchasing a blade is a matter of personal taste. However, there are some practical considerations that need to be taken into account such as authenticity, flaws, poor school recognition. I was hoping to elicit personal advice on the cons of this blade (if any). Assuming you like the blade are there any negatives of this purchase? Is this a fair and reasonable price? http://www.e-sword.jp/sale/0870_1072syousai.htm Thanks in Advance, Paul

Well said Brian. I was always under the impression that the wakizashi (short sword as they were called) was as a companion for daisho used for indoor fighting. I believe there were even schools that specialized in the short sword. Could be wrong though. Your comments are all valid.

Brian, Thanks for the explanation. I understand but not necessarily the logic behind it. Could you elaborate on where these trends came from? Has it always been in this manner? Thanks!

Rich, Not sure what you mean by your comment? Are waki's that much more difficult to sell than tanto or katana? What is the overall stereotype for these pieces? Thanks.

I circled what I presume to be the ware.

There seems to be a new seller on Ebay, Nihonto Gallery. He's been great thus far and accepted a blade that I returned. What are everyone's thoughts on this blade? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %26otn%3D4

http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/wakizashi/ ... 8023-2.jpg What flaws (if any) do you see in this blade? I see several imperfections near the top on the hamon in the front half. What are your thoughts? Thanks, Paul

Thank you all for the insightful feedback. Now the chapter on flaws will is open and in the back of my head. Now, back to my original dilemma of a good and solid wak. I am open to all recommendations.

Hi All, I think Grey said it best. It all depends on the buyer and their intention for the sword. If I understood correctly, the deal may be fair but whether or not it's a good investment for personal pleasure or potential value is a different matter. Personally, this many kizu is more than I would feel comfortable with. Brian, Thank you for the previous post. Quite relevant and beneficial. This has left me in a bind. I am back to looking for a good wak. I have no preference on time period but would prefer to keep it under $3500 and hopefully finda good solid example by a respected smith. I am open to all suggestions. I am curious what everyone's thoughts are on this sword. I believe the mei is Seki Ju Kanemichi with a hitatsura hamon. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... RK:MESE:IT V/r, Paul F.

Thanks for the honest feedback. I will continue my search for a nice wak. I agree with your comments about value, appreciation and personnal appreciation. Personally, that's too many kizu than I would like in a single blade.

Nagasa: 44.5 cm Sori: 1.2 cm Kasane: 0.65 cm It's a mumei, early edo period wak. NBTHK Hozon Kanteisho. I've attached a picture of the mountings. The Koshirae is in excellent condition with a signed tsuba.

The blade is not being sold as the work of an important smith but simple as a blade. It has a hozon paper and in good polish with a decent hamon. The original asking price was in the low $2,000. I am unsure of the fairness of that price.

I've posted pictures of what I deem to be six kizu on a single mumei blade. I am new to this field and was wondering how major or minor these are and do they detract significantly from the value of the blade. I know that determination may be difficult but all honest feedback is appreciated.

Good Morning, All. I was hoping to once again query the overwhelming amount of knowledge on proper nihonto care. I've read all prior posts regarding uchiko powder (and why we shouldn't use it) but I can't find any concrete conclusions or recommendations on a practical and proper way to store, clean and care a nihonto. The NBTHK care guide appears to be dated and focused more on tradition rather than practicality. On top of that, the pictures are old and do not do modern justice. I am most interested in a practical (although not necessarily traditional) way to care for my new blade. What modern methods work for you and what are big no no's? The blade in question is in good but old polish (90%). The blade is kept in an AC environment, 75-80 F temperatures with low humidity. All suggestions, recommendation and comments are appreciated. V/r, Paul

Thanks for the reply and i'm glad to hear it. This was one of those maybe auctions and I thought it would be safe to double check. Although the shape and taper appeared to be in line with the description, the off orange rust added some doubt. Any idea how a blade can get to this condition? Overly exposed over a long time in a humid environment with no care or attention?

I stumbled across this ebay auction that has brought about some questions. The blade is heavily rusted and almost appears to be artificial. A original rust coating is visible below the artificial one. Was wondering what others thought about this. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... h_SO:SI:IT

Dzien Dobroi John - I think this is one of those things that if there is any doubt, then there is no doubt. I would recommend ordering a copy of the Connoisseurs Book of Japanese Swords by Kokan Nagayama. It has a great introduction and a wonderful section on flaws. This has certainly helped me out and I only wish I read it earlier. I think it's good practice for anyone interested in a real nihonto to read up on fakes and flaws. There is a link on this message board but for some reason the pictures are not available. Any way to get that fixed? Vsevo Dobrovo, Paul

Christian - Looking forward to your website. Please do let us know when it's up and running. I am in the market for my first wakizashi and would be interested to see what you are offering. All the best, Paul

Thanks for the ton of good advice. Let me see if I got it right. Use toilet paper or microfiber to remove old oil (use pure alcohol if oil is very old). Throw away the toilet paper after and wash the microfiber? If so, do I just wash it in cold water? Use toilet paper or flannel cloth to apply new oil. The flannel can re-used several times without the need to wash (since it was clean each time oil was applied)? Avoid uchiko. Keep the blade in a shirasaya. Lay it horizontally. Use a little oil. Clean during each use or 2-3 months depending on environment. Does that sound right? Thank You, Paul

Hi Brian - Thanks for the quick reply and please bare with me as I become accustomed to the etiquette of this forum. It seems that there is no "one size fits all" cleaning manual for nihonto and proper procedure various depending on given circumstances. From state of polish to regional environmental conditions to materials - the theories are numerous. In my situation, I live in D.C. where in the winter it gets quite dry and in the summer quite humid. It would be fair to say that throughout the year, our humidity jumps from 0 to 100%. However, my blades are kept indoors where the temperature and humidity are regulated by centralized heating/cooling. I keep the temperature from 65 to 80 F throughout the year and I think it's fair to say the air is quite dry. At the same time, the last thing I would want, is to damage a blade that otherwise could easily been prevented. I read that unscented toilet paper is OK for removing and adding oil. To me, this seems almost sacrilegious and disrespectful given the value of the blade. I also read the microfiber is an a great alternative for sword care. Does this apply to oil removal or just general wiping? From my limited knowledge, you need a tissue/cloth to A) remove the old oil B) Wipe the blade C) apply new oil if necessary. It seems that machine or mineral are accepted amongst most readers but what about general care? What should I use for a,b,c? Thank you for being so patient with a newcomer. Arrigato, Paul

I was wondering what practical advice people could offer about monthly cleaning. I understand there is a traditional method that may not be practical for today's applications. I've read everything from using gauze to benzene to WD40. I am interested in preserving the blade and reducing the risks of accidental damage. When it comes to cleaning, a lot of websites feature the same old pictures of the man in the suit that appear to have been taken a while ago. Does anyone have a more modern pamphlet or perhaps a personal procedure they feel comfortable with?  And also, some common accidents to avoid? Many Thanks!