Jacques

Hi, Smiths named Kanefusa are numerous and worked in many periods, without seeing the whole blade (and some details such hada, hamon, kissaki), it is impossible to determine whom. There are Some scholars on this board such Guido or Clive, but for all that, they are not soothsayers. :D

Hi, I'm wondering what you can learn from the other stuffs you own. Maybe you will be more happy collecting pins or camenbert boxes.

Hi, Mantis were respected in Japan as they are predators and protected ricefield from pest insects. You will often find their image engraved on dotaku 銅鐸 BTW Mantis cannibalism is not systematic :D

Hi, Oops! Sorry, i'd forgotten to quote the title. Modern Japanese swords and swordsmiths (from 1868 to the present) by Leon and Hiroko Kapp and Yoshindo Yoshihara.

Hi,

Hi, This blade is gimei at 99.99%. Wrong location, lack of skill in the engraving, lack of atari. Wrong yasurime. An absence of kiku-mon will confirm it.

Hi, Just to add; there were only eight saijo saku swordsmiths during Shinto era, Inoue Shinkai was one of them.

Hi, A very big name

Hi, This smith's blades are extremely rare, so rare that Fujishiro cannot show one in his book and the Nihonto Koza just shows an oshigata extracted from the Koto Meijin Taizen. Some clear pictures should be savoured. :D

Hi, Because off yasurime, not Shinto.

Hi, As already said i find some strange things on this blade and the following ones make me wondering. First, look at this origami, the sanko doesn't match those on the blade and the zone framed looks odd like this picture has been photoshopped. Second, the first ji of the nengo OEI has been hammered, why? Moreover, the mei does not look good.

Hi, The sankozuka/vajra does not correspond with those of Morimitsu. Some others things seem also odd such a text about this blade which is only kanteisho

Hi, This sword was overpolished and it is quite tired. More, if you look at the picture "Yasuhiro, Part Blade 6" It seems to be a collection of hagire or, at least, shinae. Personally, i find 500$ is expensive for a blade like this one.

Hi, Sorry to tell this but this sword is dead. Too much forging flaws which should increase with a new polish.

Hi, There were also three generations of Bungo Tomoyuki in shinto times, pictures would ve helpul.

Hi, Concerning the origami, this wakizashi mumei is attributed to Sukemitsu 祐光 Please, have a look here

Hi, Below a blade made the same year. In my opinion, it is shoshin but im' not an expert.

Hi, My guess

Hi, That was suggested in my first reply about who will die, but that needs some understanding of kenjutsu. To take the line and to take it again is one of the most important point in kenjutsu. Why not your mistake? Now i will let you alone with your belief.

Hi, As already said you don't understand, i spoke about fighting technicals. I never said the tsuba is made to protect hands, i say the risk that the right hand slips on the blade is near zero. Above you talk about holes in the tsuba, there are udenuki-ana/ quoted from: http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/tsuba.htm

Hi, Off topic on once again Partially protected only, the internal side of the wrist is only protected by some mattress, below just under the skin there are nerves,tendons and arteries (it is one of our favorite target). I don't think you know/understand any thing about katori shinto ryu technicals. Now you can believe all that you want, it will not make me worry Off topic of definitely.

Hi, To to speak seriously, the danger of a hand slipping to the blade is near zero, you could more throw the blade away. Look at this vidéo of katori shinto iaijutsu, you will see a hand slipping along the blade (wait for the slow motion). http://www.akban.org/wiki/index.php/Kus ... ken,_TSKSR Otake sensei is Shihan of the school.

Hi, Off topic on: Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu 天真正伝香取神道流 was created by Iisaza Choisai Ieano (1387/1488). This school teach Ken, Kodachi; ryoto (both together), Naginata, Yari, bo (wood stick) and others such fortifications, ninjutsu (espionage) "these two ones are not teached nowadays". this Ryu is the oldest registered in Japan and became Intangible Cultural Asset in 1960. This ryuha was developped for armoured warriors groups not for duel (i would say a battle is nothing else than many duels at the same time and at the same place at least untill the use of firearms). Off topic off. Iron is not hard steel. if i'm not wrong, iron tsuba are made in the same metal than the shingane verily less carbonised. Broken tsuba = unusable sword Do you know what means the term *progress*? Paris ne s'est pas fait en un seul jour

I practice kenjutsu (Katori Shinto Ryu) since some decades and i have always learned that the one who attacks is the one who will die. I have been told the main purpose of a tsuba is to to make the different parts of the tsuka interdependent and ; this is why they are made of soft metal so as to be unbreakable; and also to balance the sword. Slipping to the blade? I don't think, you forget the shimeru which is the action of gripping the tsuka like we wring a floorcloth. A nice "fighting" tsuba below:

Hi, Echizen Nobuyoshi, He is the third son of Yamashiro Shinano no Kami Nobuyoshi. worked in Kanbun/Enpo. Genuine? lack of kiku mon, wrong kanji spacing...i'm not sure.