b.hennick

Hi Darcy:

I am prepared to pre-pay for the book if that helps. I did the same for Harry when he did translations. I am sure that you could pre-sell a significant number.

I was at the same session. I waited 9 years to get to the top of that polisher's list and he had the blade for 5 years 8 months. I got the blade back last week in San Francisco. Although the wait was exceptionally long the polish is outstanding!

If you have a great sword you want a great polisher. I have had other blades polished in the last few years. All received good polishes but this one is a great polish. You need to see the swords in hand to recognize the differences among them. Looking good from far is soemtimes far from looking good.

I can confirm that an article in the JSSUS Newsletter by Francisco Couthino was about the use of nanban tetsu in Hizento. I can also confirm that Tsuruta San of Aoi Arts also mentioned this idea (before being picked up and expanded upon by Francisco Couthino).

HELP NEEDED: I am still trying to find someone with the expertise to make this program something that can be put up on a web-site and used from there. The way it is currently setup one needs to have it resident on a computer where one can choose which database to use. I think that if all databases were combined the program may work hosted on the JSSUS web-site.

If you think that you can do this sort of thing and are willing to offer your time and expertise to the sword community your hep would be appreciated. Unfortunately I do not have funding for this project so I and the JSSUS are looking for help.

Please contact me at barry@hennick.ca

At the San Francisco show Ted Tenold had a set of tangs that had been polished where cut. That was done to show the construction of the blade. Ted gave a talk on these last year. His set was about $3k so tangs do have value if polished....

Thanks Chris!

At the recent shinsa, a tanto was papered to Horii Taneaki from Hokkaido made circa taisho (1912). I thought that the blade was by Hayama Enshin ... then what do I know. If you can provide any information on this smith please let me know.

Thanks!

Thanks for the effort. I am sure that it will be useful. I like the fact that as a pdf file I can search for a particular smith.

I usually write a report on sword shows for the JSSUS Newsletter. You could give the JSSUS a try - our Newsletters are a continuing source of information. Grey Doffin gives a talk on sword etiquette and handling at shows. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Not mean at all. My friend Grey tells the truth always! At least I have a good tan from a summer mostly spent at the cottage.

I'm packing up for the trip to San Francisco. Please drop by my table and say hello. It will be nice to put face to names on the messageboard. I feel as if I know some of you from your posts. My avitar is me so I should be easily recognized.

Hi:

I have a blade by Hayama Enshin that is signed ichi i.e. one character. It is an unokubi tsukuri tanto. He sometimes signed ichi choensai hayama enshin. Small blade - just ichi.

The leaves are wrong for poppies. I thought something called a pepperbox. It actually shoots seeds out of the pepper box. I can't find a photo of the leaves. I checked. It has been over 40 years since my last botany course.

Thanks for the speedy reply!

All assistance will be appreciated.

Thanks!

There is a good section on shimada blades in the sue koto translation done for the JSSUS. The 2 volume set is inexepensive and available on-line on the JSSUS web.-site. Go to http://www.jssus.org and click onsupplies. Scroll down the page ...$60.

Great web-site with what I feel are some real bargains. I suggest that you take a close look at this site...bushiart.com

PM sent!

If one of our members in Japan could arrange a purchase I would gladly pay for shipping and handling...

Thanks in advance.

Hello:

Here are a picture of the mei and the temper line. Enjoy!

Hi Jason:

Scan your fittings in the evening. Set up the scanner, place the menuki, leave the cover open and turn off the lights. When you scan the background will be black and the scan will look great. You should be able to limit the scan size to the menuki. You should scan at maxiumum resolution but then crop out extraneous areas. With photoshop[ you can change the image size. Messageboard allows for images that are I suggest using photoshop and use save for web. That will allow iamges up to 800 pixels wide and 1000 high. Select the largest dimension and then set the pixel size one less i.e. 799 or 999. You then have an image that all can see.

Of course you can also photograph the object and crop that photo as above as well.

Thanks for all the help! The blade is by Sukenaga.

Thanks for the translation! Osafune still bothers me. I see Osa but not fune.

Help needed.

When I see Bi and then Osa/Naga I expect to find Bizen or Bishu Osafune.. not in this case. The mei also starts with Kiku Ichi. All help is appreciated.

Hi Ford:

I enjoyed the report on the first tsuba. I was happy to see an iron piece. I appreciated the links that you added as well. I look forward to the next one. I see that the tsuba is on hold. Someone must have liked it once you pointed it out.