Scogg

Thank you for the link and correction @Franco D, that was a really informative read. Much appreciated! My apologies @sc72 for speaking out of turn. There’s a lot more to consider than I realized, and sorry for misleading. Carry on, Thanks everyone. Back to my books -Sam

I think I’m a little confused, and maybe putting my foot in my mouth with my novice understanding. I have no doubt of the importance of determining if a sword is shortened or not. And telling if it’s punched or drilled. But is it actually possible to determine exactly when the shortening happened? With respect, -Sam

It suggests the mekugi-ana MIGHT have been done earlier; because drilling is viewed as a more modern method. But drilling is ancient, so it's far from indisputable... Although, trying to determine exactly when an old sword was suriage, might be a fools errand because it's impossible to confirm. Fun to think about, and wonder though. Cheers, -Sam

Just because it's mumei does not mean the attribution is incorrect. It would help if we could see the papers to determine what the NBTHK said versus what you and the seller are saying. The NBTHK are very skilled with an incredible depth of knowledge and resources. I'd trust their attribution whether or not it's mumei, suriage, etc..

Considering that you already know the attribution and era, you wouldn't "need" it per-se... It would just be an exercise in the study of your sword. If the sword is O-suriage, it can be interesting to imagine what it might have looked like unaltered. If I am incorrect in assuming Jussi's meaning; hopefully someone will correct me. Cheers, -Sam

Hi Francis, interesting swords! Sorry to be off topic. But when you get the chance I’d love to see some close-ups of that habaki with the bird Cheers! Carry on, -Sam

Kiri depiction signed Choshu Kiyoshige

My first ever tsuba, on my inherited katana. A permanent part of my collection

I am looking forward to the nakago reveal. Glad to see you’ve posted the sword here. Best of luck, -Sam

Very well put, Colin. This is the heart of collecting in my opinion. Finding those items that speak to us in some arcane way. Personally I like tsuba that have nice patina, and depict something from the natural world. So I’ve got lots to choose from … I just hope to focus on recognizing quality, and keeping my collection/s focused. Cheers, -Sam

AOI art knows their stuff, and you won't regret taking their advice. In the end, the optimal oil is the product that does the job, and to your liking. Personally I like the tsubaki spray bottle. I've tried many others, but I always go back to that one. Truth is, I can't really tell which one is doing "BEST", so I use the one's that are recommended and are easy to source/use. I think the argument for modern machine oils is a pretty good one. We've developed the best-of-the-best over the years, so why not use it? Personally, I don't like the smell https://www.amazon.com/Singer-Sewing-Machine-Oil Best of luck, -Sam

Wow, thank you so much! That’s so interesting and paints a really dismal picture of Gifu that evening… It must have been a terrifying night. Much appreciated! It’s this history, and these kinds of stories that I find so fascinating about WW2 swords. I always learn a lot about more than just the blade. Thanks again, Cheers, -Sam

Beautiful blade. I plugged it into google translate for my own curiosity. Apologies for the tiny font! But I hope this helps anyone interested. *Beware: google translations are not always perfect* Cheers, -Sam

Hi Mason, welcome to the forum! Looks like a real Japanese sword to my novice eye; albeit in rough condition. To help those to identify, can you confirm or deny that the yellow circled area is a stamp? Any chance you got a close photo of this area / mark? Cheers, -Sam

https://www.amazon.com/KUROBARA-Tsubaki-Japanese-Maintenance-Camellia Here's a link to the spray tsubaki oil that Brian mentioned. I encourage anyone to find a source other than Amazon, but it was the easiest to find Another oil tip, that helped me early on, was checking on my sword 24 hours later. If oil has collected, or is beading anywhere; you can soak it up or spread it out. Also, you will know to use much less the next time. I quickly got a feel for how much was needed. Cheers, -Sam

I use this Tsubaki oil: https://www.amazon.c...ps%2C137&sr=8-1&th=1

I was hoping someone else would chime in Typically people are a bit reluctant to speak about prices on here. Which is understandable because nobody want's to influence a transaction based on incomplete info (photos, description, etc.). The price doesn't raise any red flags for me. Looks like a nice package. My novice opinion. -Sam Keep us posted with more photos when you're able!

I've never seen an oil quenched Showa-to with Shirasaya + oshigata. I'm sure they are out there, I just haven not seen such a nice display for a showato. My guess is water quenched, but I will look forward to more photographs! The Oshigata appears to show more hamon activity, but even that is hard to see and blurry. I will be looking forward to more pictures! My beginner two cents, Cheers, -Sam

Ive seen a few of these pop up on eBay over the last few years. I assume: they are oddities, meant to entice collectors into thinking they're bidding on an "ultra RARE and unusual item" maybe worth lots of $$$. When in reality it's just mixed parts pieced together. Just my two cents, I'd love to be proven wrong, if anyone has a historical precedent for such an item! -Sam

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/47942-ai-and-nihonto-chatgbt/#comment-497930 Here's a thread I started in the Izakaya in February about ChatGBT, with the prompts and answers that I fed it. Cheers, -Sam

I've used chatGBT a few times in this hobby, in an attempt to clarify some vocabulary that I struggled to differentiate. (Example: difference between hakikake and kaen boshi) I found it a little helpful... One thing I've noticed and worry about, is that it pulls from ALL internet information. Both reputable and less reputable. I've used it with mixed success, but it's given me some pretty misleading and incorrect information too. All in all, I've stopped using it entirely when studying Nihonto. I found it confused me more than it helped, and the time it took me to fact-check it's information; was the same amount of time it would take me to learn the info from the source anyway. If I stick with Markus Sesko publications, for example, I get a much better and more trustworthy understanding of what I am looking for. A crazy new world! I wonder what AI will be capable of in just 10 years. Cheers, -Sam PS. Using it to look at photos is an interesting exercise. I wonder if it takes information from for-sale listings; we all know how accurate those can be

Very cool and congratulations. Very neat and interesting kashira! Thanks for sharing, -Sam

Forum noun 1. A place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged. If not for this forum+books, I would have surely ruined a blade or two in my time collecting. Thank goodness forums like this exist, otherwise how many Nihonto would have ended up on the belt sander because people didn’t know better? For what it's worth, I inherited a sword at 11 years old. I didn't even know the word "NIHONTO" until I was 21. Thanks to books and this forum, I know much more now; and I am more prepared to appreciate blades in hand, when I am fortunate enough to view them. @Jacques D. your overly idealistic views on sword study totally neglect those of us who simply don't have easy access to swords, experts, polishers, and maybe most importantly: wealth. We simply can't all have those privileges. With all due respect, -Sam

Hi Connor, and welcome to the forum! My favorite three beginner books are the following: - Facts and Fundimentals of Japanese Swords: A collectors guide by Nobou Nakahara translated by Paul Martin - The Connoisseurs book of Japanses Swords by Kokan Nagayama - The Japanese Sword by Kanzan Sato All three of these books are in English, and they cover much of the same material with slightly different perspectives and writing styles. These are my personal favorites for beginners, but other opinions may vary. All the best, -Sam

I enjoyed the video, and thank you for sharing! Whether we like it or not, on an internet forum, we are forced to share videos and photos; and there's nothing wrong with that. I think that's why a lot of us are here. Maybe someday, someone will invent a method to teleport blades through a computer - so we can finally solve the issues of viewing a sword on a screen . Until then, Cheers, -Sam