ChrisW

Its entirely okay if the pin is destroyed in removing it! The information that could be on the nakago is far more important. It could tell us who made it, the date, or even if it is a traditionally made blade, arsenal blade, or even an older blade mounted for war. As for replacing the pin, you can simply whittle one from a chopstick: it is the same material. Other information that might be useful: Can you get us a measurement of how long the cutting edge of the blade is?

Best of luck on your sale!

Hello everyone! Chris here. I've been making these for a few years now and selling them at the Chicago show and other shows/events. These are my take on makura since I wanted a sword pillow that came in some different color options than what we're used to seeing, was sturdy enough to support multiple heavy blades, and able to be washed and reused with ease. These pillows are able to be washed and reused if they ever take on too much soiling. I had a fellow token kai member tell me that I ought be selling these online as well, so now I offer them to you! They are machine and hand-stitched seams and cinching, with a sturdy fill inside that can be filled in such a way that allows for varying degrees of firmness/softness. The material is satin, which I've found I prefer over the usual silk brocade. Though if provided, I could use suitable materials other than the satin. As they are now, they come in 8 different colors: red, gold, purple, royal blue, navy, olive, forest green, emerald green. For reference, the blades resting on these two pillows are a: 29.5" Sukesada katana and a 29" Yamato ken. I am asking $20 a pillow, or 3 for $50. For larger orders(10+), I am open to a bulk rate. Shipping is via USPS flat-rate boxes which are as follows directly from the USPS site: Small Flat Rate Box: $10.20 (fits up to 5 I believe) Medium Flat Rate Box: $17.10 Large Flat Rate Box: $22.80 A photo of the cinching method I use: If you have any questions regarding my makura or anything mentioned in this post, feel free to respond here and/or DM or email me. ~Chris

I am a central Indiana resident, so feel free to reach out to me via email. I'd be more than happy to help and give you opinions and options on what you could do. Edit: I am also the Indiana Token Kai site administrator, so feel free to contact me here. I've also sent you a message here on this site detailing how to contact me with ease.

Handachi style fittings, looks to be a 'working class' sword. If you need someone in the midwest to give a more exact in-hand opinion, I am located in central Indiana.

Hello Em! As per the nagasa of 9", this would be classified as a tanto without a doubt. It is also in aikuchi koshirae, which further cements the fact that this is a tanto. I am located nearby in central Indiana if you need an in-hand opinion and I would be happy to help. ~Chris

Hey Michael! I noticed you're a resident of Indiana. If you want someone to give you an in-hand opinion of your sword, let me know. I am centrally located. Feel free to message me here or email me if you like. ~Chris W.

You might struggle to find a decent katana even in just shirasaya at that price level. Wakizashi and tanto? Yes, you'll find plenty. Katana are generally of a higher price level unless you start talking showato (Oil-quenched WWII-era blades), then you'll have a lot of options.

I can put several things in front of you as a possibility. But what would you be looking for? Katana/wakizashi/tanto? Koto or newer? If you're interested, please feel free to reach out directly to me at ChrisW7290@gmail.com and I'll share some albums of things you might be interested in.

The Indiana Token Kai will have a large presence at the show -- We promise to have about 8 or so members present with nihonto and related wares for sale. Come support us and chat with our members! Some highlights will include a TH Sanekage, 29" temple ken, handmade (and to order) katana and tachi kake, beginner/entry level nihonto, and several Kamakura pieces.

To encourage a sale, I recommend translating your listing into English and also providing some pictures of said blade in question! Para fomentar una venta, recomiendo traducir su anuncio al inglés y también proporcionar algunas fotografías de dicha hoja en cuestión.

See that bamboo pin on the side of the handle (tsuka)? Push it out from the smaller side with something flat about the same size. That little bamboo pin is the only thing that holds the entire assembly together. Make sure to put all the parts back on in the order they were removed! IF the pin breaks apart, that is okay. It can be easily replaced by a chopstick whittled to size.

Authentic but it has been messed with by someone who thought to 'improve' the sharpness or appearance of the blade by treating it like a western sword and grinding it. The nice habaki and decent mounts suggest it could be worth putting it in front of a professionally trained Japanese polisher (togishi). Do not let anyone who isn't trained as a togishi touch it for that purpose.

The intention was to deceive a potential buyer for profit. Don't worry! You've not wasted anyone's time if you're learning from this.

A Chinese fake, there is nothing here to suggest it is of Japanese craftsmanship.

Almost certainly Chinese fakery. The mei is complete jibberish. The nakago treatment is all wrong, the machi do not line up, etc etc. Edit: also looking at pictures of the 'hada' suggest this is some kind of Damascus/etched metal, which is not how the Japanese did theirs. Stay far away from this one. Start with some books and attend some local sword club meetings/shows if possible!

Tokio Takahara is the owner's name I believe. I haven't been able to find any information on him yet, so I believe I'll need to reach out to the Japanese Consulate in Chicago. Something to the effect of "For the frontline of the Asian holy war of Unification" I believe.

And a few more (we're still working on the photography):

@KungFooey As promised, here are some photos of my Yasuhiro after polish. This blade has both the smith's name, a patriotic quote inferring a year, as well as the owner's name.

I have one of his blades. Our token kai meeting is this Saturday, so I will hopefully have some nice pictures to post soon. Freshly polished!

I never once indicated that there were not artisans capable of such work in China. My phrasing was to indicate that the vast majority of nihonto-like items that come out of China are of generally low quality and typically carry many obvious identifiers of fakery and deception. The above item, regardless of its origin, it is a nice piece of work. The issue with said item above would be when an owner would attempt to sell and pass it off as a genuine article (as was probably the case with the tachi you mentioned -- until it was discovered by someone there at Sotheby's). You are making an assumption of someone whom you do not know and it isn't very flattering I'm afraid. And usually, folk here are quite upfront about giving at least a few reasons why something might be considered a fraudulent item; unless the fear of improving the fakery is a substantial issue. I would just take the compliment for your acquisition of an interesting curio piece, which is what the original comment was meant to be for.

Regardless of it being Chinese, the work is quite nice. I like it!

Nakago looks way too long for a tanto. The bohi is running through the boshi which suggests that this is the bottom half of a broken blade. And lastly, with the scrubbed nakago, there isn't much left of this piece. And as Ray points out with the tsuba, this makes me feel that there isn't much of value here in my eyes. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

We all chuckle at this, but a known member here got yelled at by a polisher for doing this to a few blades at the Indiana Token Kai section of the Chicago Show a few years ago (said person shall remain unnamed, but they know who they are). I was about to say something halfway across the table aisle before said polisher got to him. Seems like etiquette can never be taught and enforced enough!

How is it dead Jacques? It is certainly tired and overpolished, but I don't see any apparent fatal flaws. I suppose unless you count core steel as fatal.