Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Tim, as per my experience with perisan blades too, it's not safe to use the same approach with swords of different cultures. I would say that there are no homogeneous criteria to be applied because of the sheer number of variables (steel used, cultural approach to maintenance, period of making, site and type of storage, quality of maintenance in the near past, type of wood of the handle, quality of the craftmenship, etc.etc.). Just think to this : if you want to see a greatly maintained chinese sword of the Tang dinasty you've to watch into a Japanese Jinja.

Gimei or not, I wish it was mine.

Wish you good luck.

Hi Peter. Before to go to the Triarii (italian joke that means extrema ratio solutions), read this... A man some years ago needed a good persian carpet for his living room. He felt himself quiet knowledgeable on the matter (to be proven wrong later) and went to , 100% persian, for his purchase. He asked for a Tabriz, xxx raj (quality), yyy dimensions, not exceeding the budget of zzz. The dealer showed him a few and he took the one he felt more comfortable with. At home his interior designer said "You got crooked ! The borders aren't aligned (well, slightly, but they aren't) and that's unacceptable on a newly made carpet of this quality !". The man didn't check the borders because the floor in the shop hadn't lines to check with and all the other carpets, being antiques, had disaligned borders... The seller showed to the man what he asked for, the man decided on his own based on his (then) available knowledge. Now, how to get out from the situation ? "Hi mister. I made a mistake. I didn't check the borders, that being a newly made carpet should be perfectly aligned... (no doubts the seller knew this...). Well, are you willing to allow me to change my purchase with something a little more expensive, with compensation of course, to make me an happy customer of yours ?" Now they'r good friends by years and the man bought other 3 carpets from the same seller, one of which is the "doomed" that, finding no other purchasers, was sold at 1/3 the price two years later.

Wise choice. No parasites, no need for fungicide, great resistance to air pollution, cutting of roots only every 3/4 years or maybe more, fantastic color in autumn.

Hi John. The knifemaker is also a Bonsai-tools maker ? I've an handmade Masakuni set of 10 that was outrageously costly 20 years ago, but is still working as the first day. Things that goes from a generation to the other...

On the contrary, a nice one. No nicks or chips ? If you ever want to part with it, let me know

Well, this set didn't really beloged to somebody that served on the Mikasa. No evidences of this. Likely an affluent officer wanted a souvenir of the victory just after the war. I've read about those blades made out of the Mikasa cannons. But there is at least one guy out there that will never let one of them slip unnoticed ... :D

Hi Piers. if you feel I'm going too much off topic with my non-Edo items, let me know. Much more likely the artist never seen it , anyway they are rendered on the flanks/sides of the ship

Hi John. You wondered if it was possible that old cups could still maintain an almost-mint condition. Just arrived a full 3 pieces set that is in admirable conditions, with prints showing the popularity of the same theme... Battleship Mikasa : The taken of Kinchau (Jinzhou) Torpedo night attack in Port Hartur :

Yes, Doug, it's interesting. Ji and Aranie, Nioiguchi, Suguha... The older the better (well, generally speaking...) for Peter. But as per being pre-Shinto I think that Peter would have spotted a punched Mekugiana if present. If there aren't we still can suppose it has been cut away in a previous Suriage, but this way how long would have been (originally) the sword ? It would have been close to a Nanbokucho lenght, period that the thick Kasane *should* exclude.

What I meant, a Nata Tsukurikomi. Looks good for cutting even small wood branches (or to pass in between neck vertebrae if you prefer...)

If I'm making the conversion correctly, at over 80 cm (original lenght) it could even be a Shinshinto copy of a Tachi.

Can't question its legitimity as the acution is still active, but in the best case it's an Edo oddity with no practical use... At least AFAIK.

Custom order looks like the right answer. Nata could be made of different steels (harder for the edge) implying quiet a bit of skillfullness in making a good one, and I guess the signature plays a role here. Another even more strange "Naotane Nata" already posted on NMB. You can find koshirae even to hold money... Anyway this might be related to the status and wealth of the customer oR simply because it's a "Naotane"

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SAMURAI-Iron-Cla ... dZViewItem :D

John, You, lucky man... :D

Whatever it is I would suggest the original owner to take good care of it and show it in person to someone knowledgeable enough.

This might turn out as a good thing for your future puchases... :D If people were interested in it, something good is hidden somewhere...

Hi Ted. I'm still interested in YY experiments as per my post viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4124 Anything for me from you ?

Am I missing something here? Might be Morita san was asking for a translation in english by Moriyama San. Something like "working in team".

Nope, this is not in the list... :lol:

Have to add this one to my glossary... :lol:

Henk, generally speaking, think at where the clay is applied during hardening. The Nakago isn't affected by hardening, so if you find hamon entering (i.e. is present into) the Nakago the blade is at least machiokuri.

Morita-San, Indeed your posts are highly regarded and appreciated (same apply to Moriyama San ones of course) and all of us would read more of them.