Bazza

If I understand what's going on here, the 'small hole' and the 'match extinguishing' hole are unrelated... The small hole has a definite purpose. BaZZa.

YES!! BaZZa.

Kris, I find a very useful 'sifting' tool for checking names is the nihontoclub website. Here's the link to SUKEKANE, and that in conjunction with Dr Google might help you find other references: https://nihontoclub.com/view/smiths/meisearch?type=All&mei_op=contains&mei=sukekane It might also help pick up some oshigata if you put the kanji into a google search field. If you get a 'hit' copy and paste the Japanese text into an online translation program: 助包 Good luck, BaZZa.

Interesting to see gyaku takanoha yasurime, a not often seen style. BaZZa.

Stupendous. Thank you Mustafa. Question resolved.

I've always taken them to be oxides of iron ('termpering colours') without knowing or understanding if they have a chemical formula!! BaZZa.

Or is it an oar??? BaZZa.

And likewise KI may have another pronunciation... BaZZa.

Almost a cinematic masterpiece for its succinctness..,. BaZZa.

Hokke san, So tantalising and so wonderful to have our own Koichi san rising yet again to the challenge that bedevils us mere lovers of the Great Art. Thanks for the translation, Koichi san. I'm presuming that we have a boxed set of tosogu. To add sugar to the mix can we please see photos of the items? And to add to our knowledge of this lovely translation does anyone know who Sodo is?? Thanks, BaZZa.

MISTER SQUIGGLE, of course Rob. Posterity will thank you for the correction, but I last saw him with Miss Jane. Glad to see you are worldly-wise. But the fuchi scribble was worthy of Mr Squiggle, I thought... BaZZa.

Where is Mr Scribble when you need him??? (This might be culturally specific). BaZZa.

Lex, I have no insights, only admiration for a beautiful blade excellently presented. As with others, I know well the difficulty of photographing blades and you have done well IMHO. I particularly liked the enlargement obtained by clicking on the original image allowing closer study of the deki (workmanship?). Your photos are close to tops. My, my, that boushi is just hanging in there!! No detriment at all because it is there... BaZZa.

Remembering also his memorable articles in the English Token Bijutsu... And (his??) book Japanese Swords in The Netherlands... BaZZa. EDIT: Maybe it was "Japanese swords in Dutch Collections"?

Decades ago I went to look at a sword and it was 'bleh', but sort of real looking. I declined to buy it and the owner said he would 'show it to the Japanese gentleman who visits from time to time' (Mr Nakayama for those who remember him). I left my details and asked if he would let me know the outcome with the 'Japanese gentleman'. Much to my amazement quite some time later the owner did ring me to say that the 'Japanese gentleman' did buy the sword at a price I wouldn't have paid, saying it was a Kabuki sword. It was the only sword like it I have ever seen. BaZZa.

Hmmm, at first blush looks interesting. It seems to be antique, en suite, what about the blade?? BaZZa.

This one looks like it was made for the Aztec export market!!! BaZZa.

Brendon, and the kozuka for our delectation?? Thanks, BaZZa.

Lovely pic with one whack in the eye. Here's my version.

Then there is that -ZEN kanji... Not mainline Tadayoshi. BaZZa.

Ian et al, I remember talking with Roger about this sword and my recall is that the sword in question was 'short', perhaps 60.6 cm/2.0 shaku or less and the question was whether it was considered a wakizashi... BaZZa.

Jacob, welcome to the Board. The following thread is now 7 years old, but I still find it a good now-and-then read, with pointed discussions and recommended reading: Best regards, BaZZa.

Years ago I saw a mamorigatana tanto by a Gendai Seki smith with a lovely dragon horimono. A friend at the time bought it and I always hoped it would come my way. Alas, other pearls came into my orbit and captured my means. It is on the Board somewhere. I agree with Volker that such tanto have received too little attention, though Chris Bowen is well up in their study. I hope one comes to you eventually Dee, a very worthy target indeed. If one puts mamori into the Board's search field there is quite a lot of contributions on tanto. Here is a link to where the tanto I mentioned is found on page 2. Regards, BaZZa.

Simply... WOW!!... BaZZa.

More on this subject when I get a sword back from lending out to a mate... BaZZa.