Hermes

Looks like it might be a bottle opener, but i'm not at all sure what it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280243110827&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=018 James

I hope Bobby got it? Because it is gone now. James

I agree Alan, but when i see this kind of thing, maybe since i can not chance it, going with the flow seems like the way to go. On the tip, i would say a good 5mm was missing. "Q: Hi T-V-I, Your sword tang says "Soshu Ju Masa Tsugu" which means Masaa Tsugu of Sagami province. There were two Masa Tsugu's, both working in the early 1500 hundreds. I can't tell you if the signiture is a fake or real and it's too bad the tip is broken. Some bidder will buy this hoping that the tip can be reshaped. It will be expensive to do and the sword will never be the same. If the tip was complete I, and a whole lot of other bidders, would be happy to buy this piece. Best of luck with your sale. Jack Jun-24-08 A: Thanks for your help. I hope someone can give it the attention it deserves. Very best, E." James

I love those made in China vintage masterpieces made in the 1990's! ROTFLMFAO James

I agree "item informants" are a downer, no doubt, but there is nothing we can do, i have paid the price and paid more as a result of claims made by so called experts, but ones never knows if someone emailed the seller, or the seller had a friend email him himself? Bernard Levine has a few forums and he will put you on his sh*t list if he finds out your giving info to Ebay sellers, he says the same things you say Alan, if the seller doesn't have the time to research the item, then he doesn't deserve more money in his sale. Bernard in the past would ban you from his forum if he found out you are a Ebay Kibitzer. James

I have seen a over half a dozen just like it on Ebay in the last month or so, all made in the same place this year is my guess in China, look at the blade closely and you can see it is a fat heavy blade, not made in Japan, no way IMO. James

I have been watching this one as well Brian, it's called kubikiri "head cutter" (kubigiri) Tanto, here is one like it, but i have my doubts this one is real? http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/unji.htm James

I missed this one two times i believe, both times it sold for buy it now of $1200 in the first 24 hours, last time was a few months ago, so i came here to see if anyone posted the sale, no luck, the site was down and i passed it up again. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=012 James

Are we not all insane? hehe Anyway, i see prices of 9.99 buy it now on this one, but the shipping will be very high, high as the story it was ever made in Japan, it is just a fantasy of a horny man in China, first run was a 1000 at least IMO. LOL James

Here Brian, hada hada hada! hehe Feel free to use photo shop, i haven't added it to my new PC, wait a minute it's been 6 month's at least, lazy dog. LOL. James

It is overcast right now, i will take a few better pictures asap and replace this one. James

Thanks Stephen and will take a few pictures today of the whole blade and post them Rémy! Cheers! James

Any opinion is welcome, i have been thinking of sending this sword to Japan for papering, i would like to know how much that might cost if warranted? Overall length in mounts is 28.5". Overall blade length is 25.5" Cutting edge is just under 20". with is just over 1" and thickness is massive at well over 1/4". Thank You, James

Hi Rob, i am not a expert and new here as well, but i can say this about your picks here, you have very good taste IMO, i like the top Tanto as well as the Katana, i would wait for the experts of course and will wait to see what the experts say about the bottom picks Ware, as well what looks like a Crack on the bottom of the Nakago? James

If i got this right and a seller can not give you negative feedback after you left him negative feedback starting this February, it's the best news from Ebay i could hope for, check your feedback, mine when up with their new system, new rules below. "No negative or neutral Feedback for buyers The previous system prevented buyers from leaving honest Feedback since they feared retaliation from the sellers if they left a negative. This made it harder for buyers to distinguish between sellers while making bidding or buying decisions. In addition, when buyers received negative Feedback, they reduced their activity in the marketplace, which in-turn harmed sellers." http://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/new.html Cheers! James

I like the Gendaito Tanto Miyairi Akihira and have it saved in my ebay as well as the other one, price is very hard to tell, my guess is around $1500 i would say, buy until the lady in the Pantsuit says it's over, who knows? hehe James

Man oh man does that suck Brian, thanks for posting this, i think we need a feedback forum here, one with both the good and bad, some call it the "good bad and ugly" forum with a disclaimer of course, that goes like this, this forum is not the opinion of the management, but of the members only. I ran a feedback forum on a large knife forum for almost 10 years without any real hassles, all i asked for was the truth, good sense and respect. James

That just sucks Tony, but at least there is a clue to his madness. hyper 1. Having a very excitable or nervous temperament; high-strung. 2. Emotionally stimulated or overexcited. 1. Over; above; beyond: hyperflexion. 2. Excessive; excessively: hyperhydration. I once bought from a bad Ebay seller with a email address starting with slick, i bought a tanto from him, he had a return policy posted, but when i asked for a refund less shipping no less because it was not near the shape he said it was in, he told me if i left him negative feedback he would come to my door and he is 3000 miles from me, so in the future i will take in account ones email address and names as well. BTW on Ebay having a return policy listed doesn't mean a thing i am sorry to say. James

Well Paul it went for 1,846.01, i wonder if anyone here got it? James

Ditto, i have a few to put on that list myself, IMO it is a must have list, you can also have a good dealers on Ebay list as well. I think a Feedback Forum would be a great place to have those lists, most forums put it under the sales forums. James

I will eat my hat if those are not made in China and i agree, why not order a real one made by Keiun Naohiro, i have a one of his swords made in 2004, very nice work, affordable IMO, made in Japan not China. hehe James

Thanks Philip, lots of good pictures and the fee is added up front. James

Vintage 2008 made in China is my guess, i noticed more and more being sold in Japan like it now, made in the same factory for $2 a day labor i would say, but then again, the workers can live in the factory itself, how nice of the owners. My question to the seller would be, old like in fly years? :lol: James

I watched it go yesterday, i thought most of the swords they had sold for too much considering the pictures of them sucked, though 3 medium swords that where sold as "not researched" sold for only around $700 i believe, everything else went for big bucks IMO. I can see the floor bidders having seen the swords had a much better picture of the swords, but the Internet bidders had a very poor picture of just one shot of them, still the prices went very high, not even considering the added 15% fee. James

Cheers Adrian, love to see a fresh polished blade next to papers for sure. :D James