Bazza

Aaron wrote: > the cash for clunkers program basically murdered the lower level of the used car market The scrap drive for WW2 in the USA took out A LOT of older classic cars, particularly I've read the Town Car, where the driver/chauffeur sits in the weather... Coming forward I have to almost rub my eyes when I see what is in the huge eWaste bins these days. BaZZa.

The second photo appears to show a shinogi with a narrow shinogi ji. Practice sword comes to my mind? BaZZa.

O MY GAWD - I've just necro-loved an old 2016 post. How may others, I wonder, had never seen Howard's first post before??? BaZZa.

BaZZa.

Decades ago I had a scruffy daishou that had the handles bound with two-coloured tsukaito in blue and yellow(?). What caught my attention here with Vitaly's wakizashi is that the daisho saya were also rayskin, though the rayskin was just hanging on by the skin of its existence. I thought at the time the blades weren't much and the pair eventually went the way of providing sustenance for another acquisition. Vitaly's sword hints at a 'school' or group that fitted out swords in two-tone tsukaito with same saya. BaZZa.

A very interesting ground. Any comment @Ford Hallam??? And please Jimi-san, if this is your tsuba can we please see the full front and back?? BaZZa.

Here ya are hamfish; BaZZa.

I've added a red love-heart necro 'like' to the OP original post as I cannot ever remember seeing this thread/article before, more so as I have a lovely Echizen Shimosaka kiriha katana with very well executed horimono. I shall now read the entire thread with very close attention. A belated thank you to Gabriel. Dunno how I could have missed this and I wonder how many 'old' threads could do with an occasional update for newer members. BaZZa.

Franco wrote: > An electronics grade 99.9% anhydrous isopropyl alcohol will work to remove sword oil, but take full precautions as it is nasty stuff Franco, could you please elaborate on the 'nasty stuff' angle??? Petrol is nasty, carbon tetrachloride is nasty, a lot of stuff is 'nasty', but as a user of isopropyl alcohol for cleaning swords I'm aware you don't sniff the stuff or get too much on your hands. What else is there?? BaZZa.

Congratulations to Chris K for being so quick off the mark. I thought 'No one will want the gun books'. How wrong was I... BaZZa.

Good one Thomas. The shock for me is seeing the cover I think I have a copy somewhere in my too-voluminous holdings. Browsing I see an Echizen Nobuyoshi - I have one - and other nice things. Thanks for the follow-up one-up!! BaZZa.

Ffolke, I was looking for something specific and stumbled on this old catalogue and (maybe useful) website to explore further: CATALOGUE THE JAPkNESE SWORD AND ITS FITTINGS From the collections of the members of the Japanese Sword Society of N.Y. The Cooper Union Museum March 26 though May 28, 1966 It can be downloaded from this website: https://vdocuments.mx/download/the-Japanese-sword-and-its-fittings-from-the-collections.html BaZZa.

I ran out of likes!!! Big tick to Franco's piece above. I was especially taken with the excerpt I've attached from the link given. This interview should (IMHO) be essential reading for anyone who aspires to collect Nihontou. BaZZa.

Am I the first person to do necro-likes without looking at the date???!!! DOH!!! But the 'likes' were well-deserved nonetheless, I thought. BaZZa.

A vague memory popping in here from my long ago target shooting days - after shooting .303 at the range with military ammo, scrupulous cleaning was an absolute necessity because of (I believe) mercury in the primer formulation. It was also done to remove copper residue from the bore, though that of course isn't corrosive in itself. I do remember old hands pouring boiling water down the bore, same as for black powder guns. BaZZa.

A very worthy necropost Krystian, though I felt like a goose realising I had 'liked' Morita san's post of some 10 years ago... BaZZa.

Gaslighting raised to an art form... Much ado about nothing... BaZZa.

You good Ffolke want scary, try this: https://www.msn.com/en-au/health/medical/trypophobia-why-did-doja-cat-s-dress-make-people-physically-ill/ss-AA178gbk?cvid=ddfafde85b7747fca1b1824bbb22b207 BaZZa. (Apology for wildcat post, but I thought it 'sort of' fitted the scary theme!!)

You're a bit rosy-eyed there Ferry as well as tad holier-than-thou and need to come down a bit to the Land of Reality. I wouldn't have replied were it not for your statement I'm just surprised to hear that assuming gimei is the norm, and I find it hard to rhyme with Japanese honor. Jeez, spare me!! You would do well to read this study of a book Musui the Samurai before responding further. https://www.supersummary.com/musuis-story/summary/ BaZZa Melbourne, Australia Collector and student for 60 years.

UNOBTAINIUM - new word of the day. Love it. BaZZa.

I thought it would be interesting to slip Ford Hallam's Hikozo utsushi here. Having seem a (maybe) genuine one in Sydney some 50+ years ago I had always liked the work and when Ford's tsuba was offered for sale I jumped on it. I never regretted the decision and I love it even more these some years later. Bestests, BaZZa.

"copper-iron mix hardening" refers to dendritic hardening. This has been written up in Nihontou literature sometime over the last 40 or 50 years, but see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrite_(metal) for an explanation of the principle. Sorry I don't have time to explore further. BaZZa.

From the shiny nakago I presume this is a WW2 sword. Question: What's the story with TAKEYASU and higaki yasurime?? BaZZa.

I had a lengthy correspondence with Willis Hawley over many years and echo Ian Brooks' sentiments. I tips me hat to Ian's near instant recall of where information about Willis can be found. It would take me 'forever' to find that in my own resources. Willis had a niece who collected stamps and I would send him Australian stamps from time to time. He was an amazing gentleman with an extraordinary generosity. His stories about collecting and the things he acquired stick in my mind. A gold mounted tachi for $200 was one of them. Even so long ago it was a stunning price for an incredible sword. I bled for him when his collection was stolen. Vale Willis who did so much for the English speaking world of Nihontou. BaZZa.

Ummmmm... Do you need some kind of license to have this?? And how hard is it to get for something that falls into your hands, so to speak?? This one looks very nice, bronze I guess with that lovely, old patina, unless it is a very old 'fake'. BaZZa.