Tohagi

What a fanstastic story! Really touching.

It's still a fantastic sword for alf the price... I would probably consider it. Best regards, Eric

I will try in better light conditions after crafting a kind of photo box ... Again thank you so much ! Eric

Hello everyone ! Yes it is a happy ending and a relief. Here some fast pictures taken yesterday evening with my phone. They betraye the brighness of the hada (very difficult to picture in roots conditions):

Hello everyone and thank you for all your support ! Finally the sword was delivered in "express" service after being sent to Limour (600km from home). The pack have suffered a little but the adress was very clearly wroten and unmystakable... Must important : the sword is fine, the sayagaki and the habaki were split a little probably by rude handling during this so long a journey... I am realy relived... and at the same time still angry : I had to wrote 2 times to the president and director of the group to have someone doing something... without telling SAV harassement and going any day to complain to post office (thanks to Brian's insurectionnal war tactics !). Thank you to all of you members, I wasn't alone and it was important ! Maybe admin could add SOLVED ! to the tittle, If I could help NMB or any member anyway: let me know (have an ID for NMB) sincerely yours, Eric V.

Hello dear Dee and Jean, I had quite hard time: after writing me that my parcel have been flashed the 8 january at 1h30 AM, it get lost a second time... I made another claim and every day calling the after sell service, going back to the post office any evening after work and mailing to any mail box avalliable : it appears to be found back the 14th ... and lost again this time "definitively". I wrote a very sharp letter, writen with the hell fire and I put it in copy to the groupe La poste président and exécutive director. Today they mailed me that the parcel have been "opened" and damagesd, they will repack it and send to me as soon as possible... I realy wonder what I am going to found, if it ever gets to me. Thanks for your support ! Friendly Eric

@stephen, very nice closet and collection by the way!

Quite a rude work, even in first steps, for a Japanese polisher. Il the omote side, the shinogi-ji is ondulated all the way... Looks mecanical more than arato stone work.

Hello Éric, Personaly, I choose a no-public room as a private desk in good dry atmosphere conditions where I can put part of my collection in good Light condition and quiet nice atmosphere. The only rules I know is tsuka on the left by peace time, on the right on wartime... and no dust. I also have a safe and change regularly what I wish to see exposed following my mood. Best regards, Eric

Sorry Dee, I posted at the same time...

If you practice sword kendo, use a broken shinaï to make one, the hard part of the mekugi back side. If not, good old bamboo chopsticks will work...

Hello, This is not the original mekugi anyway, it doesn't matters to change it. When you take it off, check if the mekugi ana of the nakago is slightly out of the line of the mekugi ana of the tsuka. It should be 1mm out focus in the direction of the top of the sword. If it's not, a bigger mekugi is useless, you will have to slightly open the mekugi ana of the tsuka...or put some craft paper in the back side of the nakago one... Non orthodox but will fix the issue. Best regards, Eric

Hello, In witch country are you? Can you post à picture of the tsuka you wish to rewrap? Best regards Eric

Sugu- kogunome or kataoki-gunome, Maybe some oeï bizen mitsu...

Yes, shaking the tree seems to work, I recived a message today that they will do their best to find out what happened. They mentioned a kind of twisted trick like the sword was sent back and back between 2 logistic plateforms like an endless loop... By this time I don't know if it was on purpose or an accident. Can't wait to finaly see it on my own. I'll send picture ASAP... Thank you all !

Yes, it probably was by the seller. At this point it's not a question of money for me...

Merci Pierre, très touché, vraiment...

First time I had this tanto in hand, after examining many good blades (I was about to buy a beautyfull Takada Katana in exquisite Hito Koshirae), my all body begun shivering. My wife never saw me so touched. In a way, it's my masamune... I can't explain this feeling.

Hi Brian, Remind me never mess with you! I wrote a very formal and factual mail to M Wahl, I also wrote a quite a snap paper letter to the La Post directors. I will gradualy try many of the mail adresses you found and probably go to police soon. I will alors call and go every day to the post office until they call the security... Maybe it could do something. Thank you Dee, thank you Brian, thank you all of you for the energy. Eric

Thank you all for your support : this really helps ! @ Dee, thank you so much for the contact I'll write right now. @Bruno, it was La Poste Colissimo Thanks to you, I'm taking courage to fight back ! I'll remember this, Best regards, Eric

Yes, you are right, this could have helped, unfortunatly the seller in Japan (a perfect gentlemen by the way) didn't inclued a tag in the pack. By the way, French Post Service is very little helping in this case. They consider they only have obligations towards the sender despite they made me pay customs fees and service fees to take the custom process done... No way to ask further investigations or research. You can not trust Post agents anymore, it's really a shame ! Best regards, Eric

Hello Lewis, The carrier, french side, was La Poste. It pass the customs' process just before Christmast, The last register point is the logistics' plateform of Montereau-sur-le-Jard 77950 FRANCE, it was the 26 dec 2024 at 16h08, after that it"vanished"... I feel so ashamed for the French post service ! I'm part of the French high administration and allways trying to defend it's values. I am desapointed and very angry! This beautifull piece of art could be lost or destroyed forever... Thank you so much for your kind words and support. Friendly, Eric

Good evening to all the community of the Nihonto Board, It's heavy hearted that I open this topic. After passing Custom and paying custom fees, the Kiyomitsu tanto I was waiting for is declared "Lost" by the French Post. Considering the value of this sword, it seems to have been stolen. I am begging for your help if you see something like this in any web market "ebay", "Le bon coin", etc... please spot it ! It had realy a fantastic hada, unfotunatly I have just these 2 pictures of the Koshirae and the NBTHK, it comes in shirasaya : Many thanks to every one for your vigilance and integrity ! Best regards, Eric VD

"That's a piece of a story!" Wonder how he could see a "pears skin hada" in such a polish condition... This seller could sell sand to MBS ! Maybe he write storys for Netflix in real life ...

Hello, The urushi process will take almost 2 mounth and 1/2 for a squilled sayashi. You should try a good Smith in Belgium or UK... Best regards, Éric