Bazza

Darcy has excelled himself - pubically. Someone closer than me should let him know... BaZZa (ROTFLMAO)

Hello James, Well, I find myself between a rock and a hard place and feeling like a moth that has been pinned to a specimen board!! Here's hoping I don't make a goose of myself - please tell if it is so... Ko-itame hada with ji-nie does seem a good descriptor of Hizen hada, yet Hizen hada is so-called because it is - well - Hizen hada. The difference is subtle. I have a 2nd gen. Hizen katana as well as the Nagashige, but find myself lost to find the right words to describe the difference in hada. Maybe I'm just tired today, or thinking too much about dinner and the red wine I'm going to have with it. Anyone else care to have a bash??? Ray, Paul, anyone... BaZZa (feeling a cold wind blowing)

Its a good idea and I support it wholeheartedly. Leave prices in is my vote. We are all (??) mature enough to know that prices move up as time moves on. Perhaps a poll might capture the wider view of the greater number of Forum members?? BaZZa.

Dave P, Interesting. The photo you attached clearly shows a brittle fracture structure in the steel shaft sitting within the brass handle. I surmise there was a domed nut holding the handle on and when "someone" tried to undo it the threaded shaft snapped clean off. The handle may be able to be removed, but I doubt there is any advantage in doing so as unlike a Japanese sword there will be no markings on the tang within the handle. Best regards, BaZZa.

Gday Sergei, A worthwhile venture and your essay will be worth looking forward to. Here is a tsuba I bought from Steve Waszak quite sometime ago. Here is the link: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22748-yamakichibei-tsuba/ I quite love this little tsuba - thanks again for offering it up Steve. Here is a photo I took recently: BTW, if you put yamakichibei into the search field for the forums you will find quite a lot of topics. Bestests, BaZZa.

This is absolutely fascinating as I have a Sendai Nagashige katana dated 1862 and named to a patron. My sword is also in a "sort of" mix of kaishou that I can read and another sort of script I cannot - the latter also gave Japanese people a lot of trouble. Andrew Ickeringill polished this katana and it can be seen here with his translation: https://touken-togishi.com/hyakuryushi-nagashige/ I had this sword for 40 years waiting for it to be polished by a top togishi. It was rusted but savable and Andrew did a fantastic job of restoring it to its full glory. I hope people will refresh their appreciation of Andrew's skill by exploring his website: https://touken-togishi.com/ and also visit his Facebookpage: http://www.facebook.com/toukentogishi Best regards, BaZZa aka Barry Thomas (Melbourne, Australia)

Its nice to see people awake at their computers on the other side of the world!! What a great Age we live in (so far!). BaZZa.

The Secretary of our local antique arms collectors Guild (Melbourne, Australia) forwarded a query to me from (I thought) a member about a Japanese knife and a (what looks like) a Shingunto. Well, we all know that its really hard to tell much from casual photos of swords, so I asked the enquirer where he lived so I might be able to visit and look at the sword in hand. Wait for it - he lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada!! How he found the Secretary of our little club here leaves me boggling... I guess googling. The question: Is there any Canadian member who could "take over" and field the gentleman's questions??? Thanks. Barry Thomas aka BaZZa. (Melbourne, Australia)

Choose your friends carefully and your swords more so... BaZZa.

Dave, just fabulous to watch your achievements. The Odoshi machine is stunnink!! Its all worth a watch, but for those short on time Dave's portion is from approx. 7:00 minutes to ~11:00. WOW!!! Best regards, Barry Thomas aka BaZZa.

Al wrote: > but no hits... Waal, methinks it needs to be hit with a very heavy hammer, again and again and again... (with apologies to the young man from Balmain) BaZZa.

Someone has been desperately trying to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse... BaZZa.

It appears to be iron - Is it cast?? Has it been monkeyed with?? It seems to have an odd surface and condition. Talk about the odd places things turn up, a friend found a sujibachi kabuto hanging upside and being used as a flowerpot!! BaZZa.

Well, I allus hits google just in case. Entered 截手 meaning and got: 截jie - Definition, English Meaning & Example Sentences dictionary.pinpinchinese.com/definitions/s/截-jie Translate this page English translations & example sentences of 截(Mandarin pinyin pronunciation: jié): 1. to cut off (a length), 2. length, 3. chunk, 4. to intercept, 5. to crop.Missing: 手 The result seems to be close to the subject??? BaZZa.

There is a well-known Kanetaka in the Mino-to Taikan. If the same smith it is late Koto. Pity about the second mekugiana. BaZZa.

HAHAHAHA - yair, I know, but this Esteemed Group has been asked an opinion and we need to respond kindly, never mind what I personally think of such things (shudder...) BaZZa. >> It doesn't matter how slow you go as long as you don't stop. I like that.

Well... could this be an Island made sword towards the end of Japanese occupation around Indonesia. There are known genuine examples. Consider, the yasurime look reasonably well done, the leather scabbard suggests age, a good fit and well-stitched. The middle character is TA/DA as some swordsmiths rendered it. The other characters are - well, who knows, but the TA/DA is intriguing. Could I suggest we see more pics full length of the blade mounted and bare??? BaZZa.

Saya appears to be lacquered - another good sign IMHO. BaZZa.

Brethren, This popped up in one of many subjects I subscribe to: https://www.worthpoint.com/articles/ceramics/from-the-worthologists-files-a-sumida-vase Interesting stuff. Bestests, BaZZa.

Pete, Absolutely stunning. Mmmmmmm... I'm intrigued - why is the gentleman portrayed on the kashira giving himself a cricked neck??? Moon gazing?? Favourite lady leaning out an upper story window??? A curious mind wants to know (thanks Rick for the saying). Barry (still Gunnadoo) Thomas.

Brandon, I did see your Easter Egg and had a question about it, but I am slow off my fat hakama. I'll get there later today - have to go outside now and continue beating back Mother Nature (the cruellest bitch of all!!!). Watch this space. Barry "Gunnadoo" Thomas.

Alex said "Something I will bare in mind in the future." Beware the naked mind... BiZar BaZZa.

Jean, My real name is Barry Thomas, however "Bazza" (which I render as BaZZa, some as BazzZZzza...) is a colloquial nickname for Barry. See a goofy Australian movie called "The Adventures of Bazza McKenzie" (trailer ). Himself.

Jean, I think I see two characters, but we definitely need higher resolution images - and the "right way up" also helps. BaZZa.

Alex, I wince when I read Dave T's words, the usual dilemma. Jim P above has good advice. My thoughts are it could have been delivered to another house in YOUR VERY OWN STREET or, heaven forbid, anywhere in your Norwood suburb. A mate here had exactly the same situation and door-knocked up and down his street and he did find his missing parcel that way. Keep us "posted"... BaZZa.