Robert C. Walker

Yes, Brian, time flies. Sadly not much time for Nihonto. Very busy dojo.

Can you please advise me on my options to get these fittings assessed? It would be lovely to send them to a Shinsa.

Mark, Very nice looking set.

I had someone recommend that I use some light oil on the tsuba to help with the rust. Is this an acceptable and useful thing to do to stop the active rust?

Hopefully these are useful.

I will upload a photo of the full nakago as soon as I can. Last time I tried I was unable to upload any images so I will try again tonight.

Nagasa 36.6cm Nakago 10.7cm Kasane 0.5cm Sori 1.1cm Motohaba 2.9cm

Thanks Reinhard. Definitely no signature on my blade.

Wow, Mantis Dude, good find! What catalogue is the image from? Certainly a very close rendition of the theme. I will try to find some guidance for how to clean up the rust and then see what it looks like. Either way, I have both tsuba.

I just returned home after a 5 day trip with no internet access. Thanks for all the discussion and comments during that time. I will try to take some more informative photos and I will post some measurements.

How would I go about "restoring" the peony tsuba? Is there some information on the web on how to do that carefully? I would love to find a guribori tsuba to match the fuchi kashira but the only guribori pieces that I can find are sitting in museums. They appear to be pretty rare.

Fair enough. The rest of the fittings are quite nice so I expect that the tsuba was changed at some point. Of course, we can never know why it was changed. Here is a link to photos of the fittings, including the original tsuba, that I still have. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2164&p=14831#p14831

The only reasons were that it fit better than the original one and it looked better too. Someone described that one as a Yokohama dock special when I posted a photo.

A couple more just because I think it is pretty.

Here are some photos of my wakizashi, fresh from the polisher. I realize that they are poor photos but I wanted to get something posted. I will work on getting better ones. I am finding the boshi particularly difficult to photograph. I have been looking forward to getting the sword back so that I could study it and begin to understand all that I have been reading. I am working through describing the characteristics of the blade. I have not finished yet and I need to take some measurements but here is what I think I see so far: Tsukurikomi - shobu-jukuri Sori - Torii-zori O-kissaki with rounded fukura Iori mune with steep oroshi Nakago - Ubu, standard Nakagojiri - ha agari kurijiri Yasurime - kiri Jihada - ko-mokume & masame Hataraki - ji-nie Hamon - sugaha Boshi - It is really clear to the eye but I am stumped and I doubt these pictures will help

Here is the new tsuba for the wakizashi that I just got back from the polisher. Does anybody have any thoughts or information on it?

It is my understanding, although not based on any primary literature research, that all Samurai were right-handed swordsmen. I have seen a variety of reasons postulated why this was so. Does anyone have any additional information on this?

As a newbie myself I expect that I could use a lesson or two in handling nihonto in a way that wouldn't offend a dealer. I don't expect my Iaido training or my previous training in Chinese swords to provide any basis for inspecting a nihonto appropriately. However, if there is a general decline in interest, and if this is seen as a bad thing by those who are fascinated by nihonto, or make at least a partial living from them, then thinking outside of the traditional box may be helpful. Just because the study of these items is a serious avocation does not mean that people can't have, or imagine, a little fun with it.

Darcy, Brilliant response and your perspective is illuminating. A broader focus on Japanese culture, specifically Samurai arts could bring in a wide cross-section of interested people. Exposing people to the beauty of art swords is the key to grabbing their interest. As to the economic realities, hopefully some of them have enough resources to build nice, focused collections.

I study Iaido and there seems to be lots of young folks studying the art, based on a survey done by a Facebook Iaido group. Perhaps show organizers could invite local iaido groups to do demonstrations at shows. They are a group that is already somewhat obsessed with swords and exposure to some real blades could stimulate some interest as collectors. Otherwise, the potential cost of nihonto as a hobby probably scares a lot of younger people away. I certainly never had the extra cash to start a collection when I was young.

I am 52 but much, much younger in sword years. I have always been fascinated with blades, and I own a few odds and ends that might be a collection. I bought myself an iaito in 2006 for a display piece and because I planned to begin studying Iaito. However, I did not own any nihonto until I was given a wakizashi in 2007 by a friend. What an effect that very generous and completely unexpected gift had. Now I spend lots of time reading books on Japanese history, nihonto and sword-related marital arts and I check this discussion forum daily to see what I can learn. The wak is lovely and will be back in my hands soon from the polisher. I have a lot of plans for the blade once I get it back and can begin to tie together what I read in books, and see on the web, to a real blade. Ultimately I would like to build a modest collection but I have a lot to learn first.

Franco, I have not heard of that polisher but I am new to nihonto. I took the blade to Tatsuhiko Konno, outside of Seattle.

Mark, I asked the polisher about it being shortened when I first showed it to him, as several people had suggested it from the pictures. He rejected the idea completely with the blade in hand.

After all this fascinating discussion and information on hamon, etc, it will be interesting to see what people say once I post some post-polish photos. Hopefully, I can get some useful ones. It will take me considerable time to digest all the information that has been offered but thank you all very much for the investment of your time and knowledge.

Brian, Thank you, and every one else involved in the care and nurturing of this forum. I came to it as a highly interested but highly ignorant newbie and it has done so much to strengthen my interests and my curiousity. I have benefited greatly from the opinions freely expressed, the discussions and the breadth of knowledge displayed here. I check every couple of days to see what new posts exist and I am beginning to grasp how broad the field is and how deeply one can delve into it. The emerging story of my blade has me completely engrossed, I am beginnning to accummulate, and read, some relevant books and I am very excited about nihonto, wherever it takes me. Hopefully I will gain some knowledge and wisdom along the way. Your efforts are appreciated and highly worthwhile.