b.hennick

Grey Doffin sells a set of kanji cards. One side shows the kanji and the back shows the translation. It is an easy way to pick up kanji used in signing a sword. You can take a part of the deck with you and study that part when you have time. After a while your mind remembers them. Sword terminology can take longer to learn.

I knew that I had seen that motif before. Here is an iron tsuba that I have that is very similar. There is a thi line outlinig the jingasa.

I would be interested in the tsuba if it did not have the holes. The holes are too high a hurdle for me. I once saw a table that was decorated with tsuba nailed around the outside of the table. It made me very sad. Each had two holes similar to the ones in the above tsuba.

Beautiful, rare piece. I'm sure that you hate to see it go.

Hi Bob one or two at a time gives me something to look at every day. I don't comment that often writing nice piece just wastes everyone's time.

Thanks!

Do you know what their rates are for nihonto?

Welcome Tim. I know a few beer drinkers here. You can find good company.

Check your pms.(Private messages)

Thanks Stefan and Jean. I know the term hadatachi but I thought that you had something else. I should have known as Japanese words end in a vowel or n.

Stefan I do not know the term Hada Tach. Can you please explain it to me.?

Welcome Quinn! If you read the nihonto section of this website you will soon see where you can post photos, descriptions and questions about your sword.

I agree with Grey. There is much more. Please add to my list. We all need to study more.

It is sad to remember that both Harry and Herman are no longer with us.

Things to look at, in no particular order, would include: blade shape - is the blade straight or does it have a bend? kizu -are there any flaws and or chips in the blade, hada - consistency, tightness, delaminations, hamon - consistency, hataraki, nakago - patina, file marks, mei, ana (number type), habaki - fit, quality of materials used e.g. gold vs copper shirasaya - fit, condition, stains, dents tsunagi - does it fit both the shirasaya and the koshirae.? Is is damaged in any way, if there is a wood habaki - has that been damaged. koshirae - quality of individual pieces, signatures - gimei? theme of pieces - do they work well together, fit of pieces to the blade - tsuka, fuchi kashira correct size? seppa, tsuba, kozuka, kogai do they work well with the tsuba?, Does the koshirae add to the blade or are they poor quality or so good that they are a distraction. Finally, how does the whole make you feel. I have picked up some swords that made my hands sweat, that made me feel awe, that made a connection to me in some personal way. I do believe that the sword finds the man/woman. In some cases, the feeling was almost immediate. My mentor once told me: "You only regret the one you didn't buy." If you have done your due diligence, and the blade "speaks to you" make the purchase happen.