Rich S

Craig - If you can see a fold in the tsuba (assuming it is iron tsuba and not a sanmai kinko), then it could well be an early tsuba. Maybe something to keep around, but I'd still think about finding something with a little more design/flare/etc to it for my blade. Rich S

Don't know if it is original to the koshirae or not. Likely not, few tsuba are these days. I've seen the design before, but don't recall the school. If it was my sword, I'd look around for a better tsuba. And don't feel guilty about switching tsuba. As I said, most aren't original to the koshirae anyway having been switched by Japanese and overseas collectors. Also, it was rather common for samurai and merchants, etc who could carry swords to have different sets of fittings for various occasions. Just one old guys opinion, others may differ. Rich S

Besides the "ears" - obvious, the other possible symbolism of the various ana are mind boggling :-) Rich S

More money for a woman who's literally richer than the Queen of England! Them that has, gets. :-) Rich S

First one - no idea. Second seems to be signed Nobuie, but don't bet on it. Still a nice looking tsuba IMHO. Rich S

Make your own "choji oil" - it's basically just light mineral oil (get at most any pharmacy) with a drop or two of clove oil added for aroma. Also a devil of a lot cheaper than the "expensive" stuff sold as sword oil on the 'net. Actually any non-acidic machine oil, like sewing machine oil, will do. Stay away from things like 3 in 1 and Break-free, etc. I've found it useful to clean and re-oil a newly polished blade a couple times in the first few months. After that unless you are in a very humid climate with changable temps oiling may not be needed. I'm in a region with stable humidity (inside) and temp. I clean and re-oil my swords about once a year or after "playing" with them. Rich S

Not that it is much help, but this tsuba doesn't strike me as Saotome. Metal looks wrong and the raised rim is not generally a Saotome feature. Maybe by process of elimination we can arrived at what it is but determining what it isn't :-) Rich S

Yeah, use it - saves my bandwidth :-) Of course it's missing my latest updates (what few I've done). Rich S

There is an unauthorized mirror site of my entire website in Korea at: http://nihontoken.com No attempt to claim it as their site or original material, just a full mirror site (but not with my updates). Very strange. Rich S

If you don't want the tsuba to rattle and don't want to mess with trying to make a sekigane and possibly damage the tsuba, try just making a leather seppa to fit between the tsuba and regular seppa (I touch up the sides with a black magic marker and it's hardly visible when mounted). Just a thought for the lazy (like myself) among us. Rich S

John - I think that would fall into the Ko-Katchushi catagory. I have one nearly identical. See my "elegant iron tsuba page". http://www.geocities.com/alchemsyt/tsuba/tsubapic.htm Rich S

Dr. T Haven't seen the blade. A friend just sent the oshigata to get a translation. I was looking for a smith's name whose surname was Takayama. Who says anesthesia doesn't kill brain cells??? :-) Rich S

Maybe Akasaka? The seppa dai is rather tapered and pointed; commonly a trait of Akasaka work. Rich S

Thanks guys. I'd never have gotten that as the translation. Much appreciate the help. Rich S

Would appreciate any help with the follow mei. I think (?) the first two Kanji are Takayama. Thanks Rich S

Umetada? possibly, but it also has a lot of Saotome characteristics IMHO. Lots of folks embellished Saotome plates, even using early plates and adding decoration in late Edo period. Nice tsuba whoever made it. RIch S

Does Christie's do auctions of Nihonto in the US? I know Sotheby only does them in London now (or so I've been told). Rich S

I would agree with Rich T on the attributions. I was thinking maybe Owari on the first one, then I noticed the pointed seppa dai which is typical Akasaka. Same on the third. Shoami is a good bet on number two. All three nice tsuba. Congrats. Rich S

Chicken sashimi???!!!! A good way, about 60%, way to get salmonella poisoning. Try Fugu instead, probably a lot safer :-) Rich S

I've been collecting vintage and antique cutlery since I was 8 years old, that's nearly 60 years ago :-) Got into Nihonto in 1971 with my first sword, a shobu-zukuri Bizen Osafune Sukesada dated Bunmei (1400's) in full buke' mounts with Shoami ensuite fittings. Paid the huge sum, at least for then, of $140 for it at a gun show. That got me hooked. Been into Nihonto, tsuba, etc ever since. I guess that makes me one of the dinosaurs of the field. Still collect and study other types also: 19th bowies, Bronze Age knives and spear heads, Finnish puukko (which I also make), old butcher knives, English pocket knives and most anything that strikes my fancy. Just like any fine old cutlery. Probably about time I got rid of some of this junk :-) Rich S

I would agree with Rich T, not Kaneie. Probably later Nara style work with an even later added Kaneie mei - intended to deceive. Still a nice looking tsuba; not one that I'd throw out :-) Rich S

I was introduced to sake' and sushi at the 1984 Chicago Tokan Taikai. The ONLY way to eat sushi is after about a liter of sake' (warm). The next morning I couldn't feel my teeth or tongue. Haven't had any sushi since :-) Still drink a little sake' occasionally, but prefer scotch. Rich S

Personally, I'm more of a fan of "tsuba fussing" - rubbing lightly over a fairly long period of time - a sort of tsuba meditation. I've used cotton, flannel, but mostly now (heresy) I use a soft piece of chamoise or suede, leather. Seems to me that the tannins in the leather help impart a nice dark patina to the iron - but then maybe that's just my imagination. Rich S

Thanks guys. Good to be "almost" back :-) Still best to contact me via the board's private message system. Hopefully I'll be able to check it periodically soon. I haven't re-set my Yahoo mail yet. I've missed talking and playing with swords and tsuba :-) Rich

After three months of being told I had metastatic cancer; 16 biopsies and major surgery - it was all benign. Still have one more surgery to go thru on Friday, then hopefully when I recover from that, I'll be back in shape (for the shape I'm in :-) Thanks all for your good wishes. Hope to be rejoining the discussions soon. Rich