16k

Okay, so I suppose I’ll let aside finances and focus on dreams... - a Kotetsu katana - a pre-Muromachi katana - a Mantetsu katana In a perfect world, I’d like a katana from at least each sword period.

I’ve heard NTHK only deliver a paper when they’re absolutely sure of an attribution (dunno if it’s true) so while NBTHK is the most popular, maybe (preparing for the **** storm that’s going to follow ) the NTHK is more reliable?

Eager to see that!

Okay, so nakago and blade belong to the same sword. Nakago looks old, blade not so much, maybe it was just acid etched and it’s real but of it were me, I’d still regard it as suspicious... ...still, some more experienced members here should be more trusted than me, it’s just a gut feeling.

Yep, blade is dead...

Here's an example of hamon by Tsunami Dragon.

Look, I’m no expert, but you should ask the guy for a picture of the whole blade without fittings. The tang looks real but I’m not so sure about the blade. Tsunami Dragon, à Chinese eBay seller makes blades with a very similar Hamon and no Hada. I still wonder if the blade and the tang belong to the same sword.

I can’t seem to see any hada. Do you have a picture of the whole blade. I’d like to see the nakago and the blade on the same picture because I have some Chinese swords whose Hamon look suspiciously like that!

What bothers me is that gap between the Fuchi and the tsuba. Looks like a wood or leather seppa was added which would mean the blade doesn’t originally belong to The Koshirae. Still, as my fellow members said, not a huge risk taken and I’d go for it. Some tsuka go for the total price you’re paying on eBay, so you could probably recoup your investment easily.

Ouch! This blade looks even more fake than Kim Kardashian’s....teeth!

You’re welcome! I will try to do it from time to time!

Thanks Jussi, I’ve been following your posts for a very long time, first on SBG and now here and your posts are always extremely usefull and thought provoking. I always enjoy reading them!

Thanks for that, Ray!

It does, but maybe, just like me, they aren’t knowledgeable anough amd don’t want to lead you astray. Beautiful blade by the way!

I shall certainly do that, Jean, and please, correct me when I'm wrong!

I agree, it’s a bit like a language, you can learn all the grammar and word in books, but you won’t progress unless you confront yourself to a native. That’s the limit of books, self taught subjects can only go that far if nobody is there to guide you and helps you go further. I wish I would! No such thing where I live and life has seen to it the I’m pretty limited as far as travelling is concerned. I guess there is one in Paris, but to do that, I’d have to travel some 500 miles back and forth, so that involves money as I’d need a hotel and so on. I’m not the richest guy and sometimes I wonder if I chose the right passion, but I don’t think you choose a passion, it chooses you! Plus I’m taking care of two ailing and aging parents, so I can’t be away for too long Jean and Ken: It’s funny, Jean, because it is the very thread you pointed that made me create this thread. And Ken, I did what you do. I looked at the pictures before any thing else and tried, with my limited means, to come up with a result. Now, I wasn’t that ambitious as to point to a school, but a time frame and a tradition was my aim. Judging by the length and the fact it was suriage and retained that length, I assumed that Nanbokucho/ early Muromachi was indeed a possibility. The Hamon pointed towards Soshu. ... and then I was stuck there! So I read Ray’s post who said immediately Ko-Uda. I delved immediately into my books, compared the references I had and must admit I wouldn’t have been able to tell. Now Jean, in your post you say “rough jihada = northern provinces”. That the type of info I find particularly usefull. I guess it’s all there in books, but disseminated here and there and pointing it out to less knowledgeable people is what makes them go further. Now, Ken, I perfectly agree with you, I always play the same game as you, but it can be very frustrating when you get pat of the result and somebody gives more details but you can’t figure out what these details are that made him conclude to that result. It’s probably useless of me to ask, because some won’t read that post, some won’t make the effort, some new member will sign up and never see this thread, but if, on Kantei posts people would reply in à formalized, even short way, it could be so helpful! It could be as simple as: Time/school/maker: XXXX Because: XXXX Then, if the poster chooses to elaborate, fine, but at least, even this tiny bit of information would be very helpful.

Okay, so I’m here to learn... So I’ve studied my lessons, read my books and all, but unfortunately, where I live opportunities to look at numerous and good swords is, to say the least, limited. Besides, there is always a difference between what you read in books, where examples are carefully selected to look like the default blade according to this and that school, this and that era... All this to say, sometimes, well very often indeed, people post blades and ask for a school/date, and our most knowledgeable members reply with a school, a date and sometimes even an attribution. And here I am, poor learner wanting to learn and wondering:”what the hell made him jump to that conclusion?” Then reading entries in my books and comparing and not always being the wiser for it as the blade isn’t that typical of that school/era/Smith. ...so, on with my question: you know what would be great? What would be great is that for learners, like me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one, or if I am, then I’m stupid, what would be great (redundancy) is that everyone, when he makes a judgment, wise guys and beginners alike, explain, even very briefly how they jumped to their conclusion. That way, wise people would teach and beginners could have their attempts completed or corrected. I know it’s a lot to ask, but knowledge is such a great thing (I know what I’m saying, I’m a teacher in life) that spreading it is the best way to leave a legacy. Thanks for your time!

The listing has ended! Maybe it wasn't the real one after all! ...I'm speaking about the cappuccino, of course!

I don’t think they are from the same swordsmith. I’ve rarely seen such loose Hada in Komonjo’s blades

Hamon is definitely not Munechika. I agree with Chris and Grey: WW2 sword here.

And to think that all these years it was near this teaspoon and that cup... and people kept looking elsewhere. I wonder if the adhesive tape is contemporary... Now, to bid or not to bid...

Hi Mrs Rankin, Please, take pictures of the temper line and forge pattern of the sword. Also, a picture of the entire blade would help date it. But as Jean said, I highly doubt the sig’ature Is genuine. Sanjo Munechika is a big name, a swordsmith of the tenth century and the tang of your sword (but it might be the picture) looks much too recent for that. I’m not an expert, but I think that he mostly signed Sanjo and rarely Munechika. Besides, the little I can make out of the temper line on your sword doesn’t seem to match either.

So, the Norwegian way, right? I’ve read that so far, a second referendum is out of the question, still I wonder why it garners so much opposition as, clearly, the first one was based on false assertions. With that in mind, are the British politicians really carrying out the will of the people or their own?...

That’s why I’m asking. Personnally, I don’t see it happening, everyone, has to much to lose in that game, but politicians are a stubborn kind and who knows what will come out of their convoluted brains...

Hey, UK guys, here in France we hear one day Brexit will happen, the next day it May (pun intended for me!) not, so what’s your opinion, there in UK?