Iain E

Tsuba 282 arrived safe and sound Grev - many thanks - perfect service as always Iain

Hi Grev, just seen the post - having seen your Tsuba before hand I'm very impressed with Mikes work here. He did a great job on repairing the lacquer damage on my saya as well - Top bloke.... Iain

Thank you for the link, it was an interesting read.... Iain

Hi all, Just thought I’d share a couple of pictures of a Tsuba that I purchased from Grev’s sale. Iron and inlayed gold, Nara school, circa 1800. I intended to take some photos of my own but decided to use Grev’s originals as they are so nicely shot. Iain

Big thanks to Grev for the time he took in getting a Tsuba that was right for my Wakizashi (both in size and style). If anyone is wavering about making the trip to see him & picking one or two out, I can thoroughly recommend making the journey. I've learnt more in an hour or two drinking coffee and looking at his awesome collection that in reading up on the net Just what this forum is all about.. Iain

Thanks for the replies guys, leads being followed up :0)

Good day everyone, Hope this is the correct area.. Its time I had a shirasaya made for my wakizashi, Does anyone have any recommendations for getting one made here in the UK. Not sure how safe it is to post swords through the Royal Mail nowadays (some of the companies seem to exclude them from the items they carry) so if it was possible to get it done locally to me it in the southeast or London area it would help. Thanks all, Iain

Thanks to all for the replies, again I've learnt a lot. Nice to end the day knowing more that I did at the start.

Hi Everyone, Have a few general questions, which I hope are not too dumb about the shape of this late edo Tanto. On the subject of shortening blades – I’ve come across a Shinogi Tsukuri Tanto on a well-known dealer’s website and was wondering about the Hamon and the way it ends on the Ha-Machi and nakago. Given it seems to be “running on”, (sorry not sure of the correct expression) coupled with the Shinogi form is this blade Machi-Okuri or suriage. Or is there no 100% rule that the hamon ended up gracefully close to the Ha-Machi But, if it has been altered in some what would that mean that the mei would also then be a later addition to the blade, did smiths or their pupils therefore mark blades they reworked, or is it just plain old gimei ? The blade length is 20cm so I’m assuming there is a significant length removed it started life as a wakizashi. Blade length : 20 cm Sori : 0.15 cm Width at the hamachi : 2.30 cm Kasane : 0.46 cm Would be interested in your thoughts... Many thanks Iain

Thanks for the replies all, will do some research. Still cant make my mind up on the Menuki, they are metal, but cant see what the core material is. Just to small for my eyes... cheers Iain

Thanks for all the replies, this blade has already taught me a huge amount and I think there is still a lot more to learn. Really appreciate the help from every one and the various PM’s as well. Iain

Hi all, Wonder if anyone could cast their eyes over the following Menuki, Fuchi and Kashira please. They came with the blade and Tsuba that I recently posted, so were not sold as any specific vintage. I suspect from what I can see that there are not old, but wondered if anyone could confirm if they are based on any particular school or design and a rough idea if they were made last week, last 10 years or sometime earlier. I'm starting to write up a description of the sword, so it would be useful to put a few words of detail in to describe the fittings. The Menuki is slightly odd, the inlay pattern looks to be done (painted ?) on some sort of cloth or material, but the ribbing in the photo was only visible to my eyes under extreme magnification. I haven’t seen anything similar so far in my reading up of Menuki, but I’m aware I know very little in this area. Is there a name for this type of design Many thanks Iain

Just took a look under a descent light and I think it's just a trick of the camera making it look worse. It's right on the line where the rear of the Habakai meets the front of the tsuba, so I'm guessing the mark may have been caused by that somehow. Never seen a tsugi-nakago in real life though so hard to know how they look..

Hi all, Is it possible to get some help in trying to place this Wakizashi, I’m really a beginner in all this, but have been told that its possibly Shinto period, late 17th century, perhaps Mino Den by someone with more knowledge than I, however the more I read on the forum and the few books I have, the more I reaise I’m only really guessing. My take on it is as follows: Hamon is Midare / Gunome - is there a specific name for this style? Jihada: masame / itame – I think Nioi / niedeki (see photo - Nioi are the large particles you can see?) Mune: ihori Dimensions: Nagasa (length) 52cm , Sori Curvature 1cm, Nakago length 13.7cm, Kasan (Thickness) approx. 0.6 at the Machi, Mihaba (Width) 2.7cm I'm not sure if its been shortened at some point in time. It was hard to photograph the boshi, but it does turn back and I think its Midare-komi It’s in a reasonable state of polish, but does have some light scratches and a few very small grain openings Nakago : shape is I think Funagata , with the end being Haagari , the file marks are hard to see under the rust but I think they are Taka-no ha. One think that does intrigue me is the green dot on the Nakago, it’s in the same place on both sides, and is solid, I’m guessing it’s possibly a filled MEKUGI hole, although its hard to see any clean circular indentation there & looks like it maybe as old as the surrounding patina underneath - , but why would it be green - Is this a common practice somewhere? The surrounding rust doesn’t look like it’s been disturbed and the green material (not sure if its painted or lacquered metal) looks old, One thing I have learnt is that it’s really hard to get good photographs – so hats off to all those who regularly post top quality ones on here. These are taken with a couple of regular incandescent lamps as daylight is in short supply in the UK at the moment, not sure how this influence appraisal of the Nakago patina? Thanks all - Really appreciate the help to improve my knowledge and description of the blade. Any ideas on the school / vintage would be really interesting. Iain