DDangler

Thanks for the quick lesson. I hope your efforts are worthwhile with it. It’s a beautiful piece.

I’m certainly no expert or even very knowledgeable (I’ve actually never heard of the smith you’re attributing this to) but the one to the right (which I believe is the Christie’s example) looks like it was added with a Dremel tool. If I saw the example to the right for sale I would presume it was replicated, the one to the left has patina and doesn’t appear to have been added recently. I obviously need to learn more about this hobby!!

Thanks for the insight!! I will give it a try and add pics if I can get the signature to be more legible.

I understand that and I appreciate you clarifying it. My point was, studying the “junk” and learning everything that’s right and wrong with it will help me significantly on my next purchase. Something can be “junk” but still have desirable fittings or be rare in some other way. Not to mention just learning where potential signatures, dates and other identifying marks may be. I appreciate your watching out for my pocketbook. My thinking says, why not polish one or both of these and make them as presentable as possible. Give them a better life. Elevate them from what they’ve become? Maybe it’s a little romantic but I look at it as I’ve already spent money on these blades, may as well give them the life with me they deserve. Again, Thank you so much for the insight. I know I won’t be buying anymore in bad shape for $1000 or close to it but depending on the specimen, I’d happily spend up to a few hundred even if it is in bad shape.

Outstanding!! This helps me significantly and I appreciate it immensely. Thank you!! Knowing it doesn’t matter but just to put any apprehensions or could haves to bed. Presuming the name (used lightly) was imprinted with some sort of paint. If I was to use a fine grit sandpaper and take off a very thin layer of the grime, paint and junk would that substantially impact the character of this particular nihonto? I completely understand once finding out what it says will most likely have no bearing on the nihonto or the fittings. I just want to know what it says.

Fantastic!! I will try to make it to enhance my knowledge and experience with nihonto. I really appreciate your help and lack of judgement towards my prior posts. 👍🏼🤙🏼

Thanks, I truly appreciate that. I understand and honestly thought once brian responded it would be over. Especially after my response back. I am still here and haven’t blocked or cancelled anyone because of their opinions. I’d venture to say there are at least a couple here who could take your advice even more so than myself.

Thanks!! I will check it out.

Cool man. Thanks. A down vote? Lmao!! That’s hilarious. Calling someone a kid when that’s your grievance is comically ironic.

It’s great to see the lack of intestinal fortitude of men that think they’re experts on swords but don’t have the wherewithal to have a discussion with someone asking questions. Thanks for letting me know you alls character.

Thanks and at this point, I’m sure I’ve burned whatever help could come from here. I hoped it wouldn’t happen but it appears many have taken offense to comments I’ve made. For the record my “lofty standards” comment was in response to Stephen saying I should study “the real thing”. IMO as bad shape as mine are they are in fact the real thing. I also never implied you personally thought I was stupid or anyone for that matter. I simply stated I wasn’t worried about looking stupid to any of you by asking my questions. Hell, I’m still not. If you don’t understand my point above then have a great life as well.

If your mind changed after you read what I posted on the translation section that’s again concerning. (This is where my mind initially went and I hope I am wrong). If it changed because of the potential presence of mei, thank you. I’m still working on getting the rust off that area. Thank you for your help.

Stephen, first off. For like the 20th time. Thank you for your advice and help throughout my thread/threads. That said, I’ve received help because I’ve asked questions without worrying about looking stupid to the lot of you. I came here with two different nihonto and both are legitimate according to everyone on this forum. My $10 pick up may not be up to your lofty standards but deep down it is a nihonto. This salty response after all your help is concerning. Emotional much? You literally followed the thread I made about my “beater” and were the one that commented the most. Learning everything I possibly can about “my $10 pick up” is exactly the right place for me to learn. As is my fatally flawed Nagamitsu. They’re the best place to learn because they’re in my hand, I can physically see them, inspect them, clean them and ask questions about them. Reading books may work for many of you here but not me.

Thank you for this. Do you know where I would find out about the show?

Thank you Stephen. Now I’m worried if this blade ends up being attributed to an important smith. Lol

No worries. Thank you for explaining, I appreciate it. Thank you as well for not taking my post badly, it wasn’t meant that way. I would still like to learn what is written on top of my tsuka as I don’t believe it is the same as writing on papers used as spacers. It could be a measurement for all I know. I just think it would be beneficial to learn everything I can about my pieces so I can learn more about nihonto in general. I hope your fiber is up and running sooner than later. Thanks again and my apologies if my comment was taken badly.

I see that this is going to go awesomely. Please re-read my posts. I’ve made no demands. Certainly not “unreasonable demands”.

You’re correct. Many here have been more than helpful. I’ve also been extremely grateful and simply asked more questions, to try to learn more. I appreciate most all that have commented with constructive thought. I misspoke saying “no one ever appreciates the new guys questions”. My apologies. Brian’s posts on every thread I have posted have had a perturbed beneath him feel to them. Otherwise, I’d have never posted the above referenced post. It could very well be possible I misinterpreted them. That said, as a new guy here and no context for the reasoning behind his posts they’ve almost all come off as like he shouldn’t even have had to read it. I indeed did read it. Twice actually. I stand by what I said.

Thanks for clarifying George. For the record, my post was not intended to be offensive. I believe there are legitimate questions contained in it. As for the writing or signature or whatever it is. I would like to know what it says, even if it doesn’t mean anything. It is obviously written there, so inherently it was written there for a purpose otherwise it wouldn’t be there. Not that it would give me any answers but IMO the more knowledge the better.

Thanks, my goal is to get it as good as I can to honor its life and learn more about it. My intent is to provide it a good home during my time and have information on it that will help the next generation it goes to to appreciate it and give it a good home.

Thank you for your post. I found a guy named David Hofhine. His website looks like he does good work. Do you have a reference for a Togishi?

It may not matter to you. Which is ironic because it appears this translation forum hasn’t had much action since my post. Seems you as the admin of this place would appreciate and find all queries viable because they are essentially the life blood of this site that you’ve built. Especially queries from those that have paid you for use of the site. The way I look at it is, it’s Japanese writing on a tsuka that I cannot translate. I had no idea there was even writing there. Thankfully some of your Eagle eyed members that commented on my other thread brought it to my attention and sent me here. I get it though, no one ever appreciates the new guys questions. What I also find ironic however, is someone that is new but wants to learn everything they can about their items to better appreciate and understand nihonto is told essentially that their question is beneath the forum. Please explain how that is a good business decision for the future of this forum? I don’t see how it helps to expand your membership or the appreciation for nihonto to future generations. I guess realistically that’s not my problem though. In all reality, is there specific rules to the translation forum? Did you read my other thread? I was literally sent here by other members to ask this silly question that apparently doesn’t matter. By saying “there is no significant info to be found there, and not going to help with anything to know” are you implying the member/members that advised me to come here for help were wasting my time for the fun of it or you’re just smarter and more knowledgeable than all of them?

Your dedication and diligence to help me is amazing. Thank you for the help!! Please let me know if there is any way I can help.

Thank you for this. The guys in the general forum came to the conclusion it may have been a 3 which would indicate a signature instead of a date. Or at least that’s how I understood it.

Thanks, I figured it out an hour or so ago. No response as of yet. I presume the pictures aren’t good enough.