Scogg

Wow, gorgeous blade and stunning koshirae. If anyone was thinking of a belated Christmas gift for me…

What raised my eyebrows on this particular sword was this feature in the shinogiji, that looks almost Unokubi Zukuri maybe? I usually see similar features on naginata or further up the blade Now I’m wondering if it’s a glare of the light

Yeah it looks in very bad condition. Or maybe someone foolishly buffed it out at some point. Or maybe a combination of some of the above The combination of poor photo quality, and lack of any pictures focusing on the kissaki, makes me wonder how deep that corrosion is

Shipping from Japan with no papers… Poor condition. But I thought I’d share because of the interesting shape. Hamichi and munemichi look like it’s got some life Don’t worry, I won’t be buying. But I would love to hear thoughts! https://www.ebay.com/itm/134866841748?hash=item1f66b0b094

The mihaba on that last one is wiiiiide Is that one of those swords designed specifically for tameshigiri?

For what it's worth, according to the listing itself, it's stated that the sword is "signed made by Gassan Minamoto Sadakazu" It does NOT state that it was made by Gassan Minamoto Sadakazu, and offers no guarantee on mei legitimacy. It simply states the translation on the nakago, and offers some info about the smith it claims to be. I know that's a little tricky with the semantics, but it's something to look out for on unpapared blades. For example: I find a painting and write "Picasso" on it, then list the item as "painting signed Picasso" - which is technically true... but it's still not actually painted or signed by Picasso

Still very tempted. It has been a while since I've taken a trip to Vegas. My attendance aside, I hope ya'll have a great time and see some awesome items! Please share photos once ya'll are home and settled Cheers, -Sam

Being from Somerset, I imagine your climate is similar to mine (similar latitude); which also appears to be close-ish to the ocean / salt water Over here we've got grey skies, dank earth, and frequent mold issues - and oiling nihonto is a MUST I use this stuff (WITHOUT THE STONE!) https://www.amazon.c...284507_t1_B00TCZEV36

I would think if one jihada were superior to others, then it would have been slowly adopted by most smiths. I personally view it as an artistic or traditional feature before a practical one I really like mokume hada Best of luck, -Sam

Thanks Jussi, this is really interesting Fist thing that stands out, is only ONE wakizashi! Great data, and thanks for the translation, Cheers, -Sam

This whole thread is a fantastic example of the can-of-worms I try to avoid by only collecting: unpapered mumei and/or papered zaimei For me it comes down to personal preference as the collector. I often attend militaria shows, and frequently witness people buying gimei swords over mumei swords simply because "it's signed" - with no further thought or care. Personally, I'd rather have a sword with a big flaw than a fake signature. I consider gimei not only dishonest, but the opposite of a conversation piece... By the time I explain all the ins-and-outs of the history of gimei, the person i'm conversing with will have lost all interest. I like the advice of buying the blade, and not the signature; but to get to that point I need a higher level of knowledge and need to see more shoshin swords. Just my two cents -Sam

I also struggle with image sizing sometimes. My phone likes to take HUGE images apparently. I often get around this issue, by taking a screenshot of the image I have just taken - then cropping the image to highlight the item - and deleting the original so I don't have multiple photos of the same thing. The screenshot and cropped version of your picture should be considerably smaller in file size than the original. Be careful to crop the image appropriately, so you don't include your phones battery life, time, and reception %. Best of luck, and cool sword, -Sam

Whether it be quenched with oil, water, or treated with acid… looks like maybe a hamon is present? Looks interesting to me, I like the shape. A shame it doesn’t have its koshirae

Thank you very much @Ray Singer that helps a lot. It was a nice looking sword I wish I could have purchased thanks again! I appreciate all the help

At a militaria show today, and a man brought in a nice type 98 he’s curious about

Thanks for sharing Chris, your photos are really impressive! They look professionally done, and like they belong in a Nihonto magazine I really dig the koshirae also. I hope to see your photo setup one of these days! Cheers, -Sam

It's my understanding that many togishi have incredibly long waitlists. Having them constantly field newcomers with rusted swords can't be helping that; I imagine. For what it's worth, and from personal experience, googling anything Nihonto related is really confusing unless you've have the basic vocabulary down. So hopefully people at least learn not to attempt an amateur restoration themselves. -- Maybe that's all the initial advice that should be given. I think your suggestion is good, Grey. Knowledge and learning should always come before spending the big $

I see that you're the seller. I would suggest taking some of your own photos in addition to the ones you currently have. Also take a photo of the torokusho next to your sword, rather than a screenshot photo from a phone. Right now, without any selling history, it looks like you've taken screenshots of a sword off the Internet and decided to list it. Which is something eBay buyers definitely lookout for. Best of luck, -Sam

Might be one of the most poorly defined mon I’ve come across. On an army parade saber. Fake?

At least Vegas is more affordable than SF. That's if you stay away from the slots of course I wish I could make it this year. Maybe next year

I agree wholeheartedly. I hope my prior comment didn’t imply any disagreement with that idea or Jacques. And that’s a great link with tons of great resources and info I learned more in a weekend at the SF sword show than I did with a year in my books. There’s no substitution for a knowledgable guide with good swords, and I hope to learn more that way going forward Cheers, -Sam

If you don’t have it, “the connoisseurs guide to Japanese swords” is a great place to start. I’ve heard people say, that the first ~$1000 dollars you spend on Nihonto, should be on books, and I think that’s great advise. Keep in mind that this forum hosts Nihonto enthusiasts that have the highest of standards. Many of whom have been studying and collecting for decades. That’s what makes this place such a wealth of knowledge. It’s easy to forget that most people have to deal with vastly different incomes, legislation, and availability outside of our own respective locations. I’m not familiar with the ways of Norway, but it sounds like your options are limited. Hopefully there’s some other members here from your country that can help out. Point being, don’t be discouraged! The hobby requires patience, and everyone starts somewhere - and your sword is real Best of luck, -Sam

Hi Bruce, I've had mild success on a similarly out-of-shape blade with alcohol, oil, and some patience. After a thorough wipe-down with isopropyl and a microfiber cloth. I then apply a generous amount of pure clear mineral oil. I then cover the blade with 1 layer of saran wrap, so the generous amount of oil stays in contact with the blade, and the problem-areas. Then I let it sit overnight. Be careful to angle/prop the blade, so oil does NOT drip down onto the nakago, but rather drips toward the kissaki. A day later, I remove the saran wrap, and wipe the blade with microfiber cloth. I then apply oil to the problem areas, and very gently wipe clean until nothing "comes up" onto the microfiber. Obviously this is no substitution for a polish from a trained togishi. BUT it has worked for me to remove some gunk and active rust. I've heard of people doing this method, and also using a piece of horn or bone to "scrape" away at the corrosion, but i've always been too afraid to try that method. I'll be following along with this thread to see what others have to say. If this method brings up any red-flags to anyone, I am all ears and here to learn! Cheers, -Sam

Hi Mike, I think you've come to the right place, as there are several Nihonto enthusiasts in the southeast USA I'd reach out to @Ray Singer or Moses Becerra @ https://nihontoantiques.com/about/ I hope they don't mind the recommendation, Best of luck, Cheers, -Sam

AFAIK, If both are available, shirasaya is always the safe and preferable option Pics?!