Mark Green

Isn't that a stamp of some kind I see in the Nakago pic.? A close-up of that small stamp may help. At that late date, would we be thinking 'handmade' and 'tamahagane'?? Found it. Kinda looks like a showa/seki stamp to me? Mark G

Thanks Gang for all your great replies. I feel as most of you do, that making changes to a very old artifact, that will be around many thousands of years after I am long gone, is not a thing to do unless justified in some 'good' way. I do think that Ford had a good point, that if the original artist of a piece could have say, he most likely would say "fix the darn thing as it was ment to be". If you can, that is. We have swords polished all the time, as they were ment to be 'in polish'. As I am sure the smiths would want it. So, I guess it comes down to the usual debate about altering any artifact. Reinhard's point is very well taken. Few, if any really know! I think Rich's examples are good choice to let be. I can see no good reason to fix anything here. Here is my example: As you can see on this late period F&K there are a couple coral 'seeds' missing. While these are nice art, they are not that old, and not 'that' valuable. If a jewler thought he could fix this, I would likely say why not. I'm sure the maker would want them fixed. Or I would think so, at least. Another example: This Heinjo is missing most of the twist trim on this one side. The other side is perfect. This one would be a much tougher choice, as to repair it, I feel a good bit of patina would be disturbed. And as said above, matching the brass would be iffy at best. But, if someone could, what do you think. Fix, or not? Just a few examples to keep this great topic moving.

Hi Gang, I have a question for you Tsuba guys. Say you have some old Tsuba, like in the last topic, that is missing some of it's nice brass trim work. Is it kosher for some artist to repair a tsuba that someone wants to mount on a nice sword, with quality other fittings. To make the old Tsuba whole again. I'm sure the answer would be NO! if the tsuba was signed, and papered, and worth many thousands, but what of those many thousands of so-so tsuba that could be restored to their former self, with the loving hands of some fine artist that knew how to fix these things. I have seen Ford's work, have you repaired old tsuba? People remove gemei signitures and repair sword handles all the time. Do they remove gemei tsuba signitures? Would it be worth it in any way? Just a question, that many people have asked me in the past. Wanted to get some feedback from the Tsuba lovers. Thanks, Mark G

This has been a great, very interesting topic guys. Fun I have a related question I would like to ask you Tsuba guys. I will make a new thread though. Please check it out if you have the time. Mark G

Great looking swords guys!! Here is my fav. wak. Kanbun, shinto, Tomoyuki 2 Now at Fred Lohman's being Daisho'ed up with my Tomoyuki 1 Katana The tsuba I'm using, with Omari waves in silver, with black leather, on black Same, and silver dragon menuki. All black saya, with plain horn fittings. Can't wait till I'm holding them again. Mark G

Wow Rich! Great job! very good list! Wouldn't it be nice to have all of these. Thanks for the work, Mark G

Great looking old sword. I had one in these same mounts, that turned out to be one of the best looking swords I have ever had. I still have the metal saya that went with it, if someday you want to have a full koshirae to set with it. I don't need it for anything. Likely may not fit, but you never know. I would say a very old sword though. Looks good. Mark G

Sure been fitted a few times. I like it!

I would say that's likely it guys. 'Soshu ju Masahisa' Sagami 1532 15 pt in Hawley's Good looking Sword! mark G

Thanks Piers!

They would be some very bulky menuki :lol: Do they sell a good replica matchlock in Japan? A friend of mine has one of the old Dixi models, It seems to work ok. I have another SCA friend that made 3 European style 1300's hand cannons. They are a blast to shoot. Mark G

Hi Shan, Can we get a pic of the whole sword, and Nakago? That may help a bunch. Kinda Looks Bungo to me Mark G

Thanks Jean, Nice collection. I love the Samurai in the pines wak tsuba. That is great looking!!! I would love to have a Daisho set of those Mark G

Hi John, Some pics may help. There were some fine smiths in old Bungo. Not sure how many in Kamakura though. Normaly, the steel on old Bungo koto swords had a 'milky' looking steel. But, I'm sure if Mr. Robson, and others say Koto Bungo, That is just about papered. Send some pics if you can. Start a new thred. If you read Japanese, there is the 'Bungo To'. The #1 1979 NCJSC news letter has some info. Someone here may have that. Mark

That was great Rich. Mark G

Sweet! I love the 'Mothra' mon. What is is realy? Mark

I don't know for sure, But my guess would still have it as a very old, polished down, and well used WAkizashi. Looks a bit tired from the pics . I have seen a few Waks from the old Koto days that thin. Not many long swords though. Mark G

Piers, That looks like great fun. I need to learn how to make the sandles. I know it's not hard, just gota start I guess. I'm getting ready to re-lace a nice edo armor that I have had for a few years. I've been laquring the tips, so as to get it through the holes. Lots of work. I wore my REAL edo Kote to an SCA war last year. They did not hold up to our crushing blow combat. Send more pics. Mark G

Shan, My guess is that the Nakago was once cleaned, and re-patined, kinda? What makes you think it is o-suriage? I'm not sure that it is any suriage. It looks classic Kanbun to me. I feel that the thicker rust globs on the nakago is original rust that did not come off in the cleaning. I have seen this before. The hada is great looking. Could be Gassan school. Not sure about Koto though. mho, from the pics. Do you have a pic of the very end of the nakago looking down the blade? That may help. And, I'm pretty sure this is ment to have a Yokote It looks to me that the last polisher may have needed to go just a bit deeper into the steel, to make it right. I feel it could be very nice. Mark G

Hi Shan, I don't think it was ever a Tachi. The Hamachi looks to have been moved up some, and it is Suriage, but I feel it was always a stout Wakizashi. The Hamachi looks like it was in line where the Nakago turns a bit. I think that low ana was likely the orig. It does look old. I like it!!! Great looking Hataraki in the hamon!!! Mark G

Wow, There were more Kanefusa in Mino, than kanehiro. About the same time frame though. Some of the early guys were with the Rai group. Your sword doesn't look that old though. But I'm not holding it. The later guys are mostly from Seki. Late 15s through shinto. They all look to be good smiths. It would likely take the guys at the NTHK to narrow this one down. I will look in the Mino book. A pic of the whole nakago may help. Mark G

Louis and I did that polish. It just wasn't done when I traded it. Was getting close though. I was getting ready to take the crappy hadori off. I hate hadori, but I felt this yari needed it. You don't see many with such a great gunome hamon. I have about 300hrs in that puppy!!!!! And a lot of blood! Without a doubt, these are a bitch to polish. The hada, and hamon on this one are sooooo sweet. Perfect dimentions. Too bad about the Nakago. Some ass ground off the mei, on both sides. You can just make out some of the Kanji. Not sure if the nakago would screw up any papers, but it needs to go for some. I likely can't afford it just now. I hope it finds a good home. It really is the best I have ever seen, less that nakago. MG

Yup, That's a ken. Very nice if the age is what he says. He sells a bunch of swords, but knows very little about them. He knows a bunch about armor though. Great ebayer. lots of cool stuff. Once in a while he has some gems. This could be one???? wow, I just clicked on the other link. That was once, my Jumonji. It is wonderfull!!!!!!!! here is an old pic of it before the polish. That never got finished. I may try to buy it back

Thats way cool!!! It is always so cool to find a sword like this, that was made to be 'different' Makes you wonder if it was a special order or what? It seems that you see very few Wakizashi like this. Just makes it all the better! Enjoy, Mark G

Your sword looks very Echizen Seki to me. If it has that nice light koto feel it could be. But, I have felt a lot of late 1600's Echizen seki that felt very koto, but were not. There were quite a few' Kanehiro' from that area, from late 1500's through shinto times. Looks nice. Mark G