Tohagi

...same issue, many times and no solution founded yet. This is a real pain in the a.... Good luck! Éric VD

...by the way, very nice wakisachi.

A very usefull little book in Italian for beginers, "Technique di Kanteï". If I dare to compare, as a French, with.... wine: - you may learn a lot in books, know the sepages, the best process, regions, areas, and denominations, you can even dream yourself as an expert...without have taste wine once. - at the same time, you can have tasted wine (maybe a lot) without been able to say "this one is a good one" and why. - at the begining is good enough to say what you like and don't like, maybe why. It is because tasting wine is an educated taste as, for me, appreciating nihonto. At the begining, I was only dreaming to find one (very difficult at the time) but I had no taste. What I realy like on this forum is to share with educated gentlemen and ladies, even if NewB's in swords...or wine. Best regards, Éric VD P.S.: by the way how many ladies on NMB?

...Chineses are geting better! Beware! Best regards, Éric VD

That's à piece of science and knowledge! Thank you for sharing, Éric VD

@Brian Same feeling, it get close but OK. By the way the hamon should be spectacular once polished. Best regards, Éric VD

That's really heavy! May I ask a question about balance? How do a tsuba weighting at least a 1/3 of the weight of a sword affect the balance of the sword? Were they "temples offerings"? It seems to have mounting marks... Definitively, my "little" tsuba is out of race! Best, Éric VD

Waouh! A great collection indeed ! Thanks for sharing! Éric VD

Very nice tsuba!

...maybe I answer late, for me it's not Komihara ( no waterfall long Kaeri). Yamato Tegaï seem's à better guess. Kongo bey could have be a good choice ( I wasn't avare of the long fine kaeri...) Best, Éric VD

Thank you very much both! You are really the bests. Kind regards, Éric VD

@xiayang thank you very much, even if I'm not able to read the line. best regards, Éric VD

To close this topic, I show the pictures to a sword Smith and a dealer (very old and gentle man) in Kyoto, both were thinking shinshinto, the old man show me this index...but I do not find the meï's kanji in the line he points me. Unrated smith for the dealer, not so good for the sword Smith. If you have an opinion (or a translation of the line) on this index, please welcome:

Waouh! But....how do you fight with that?... Best regards, Éric VD

Next coming

Here is what I have on the Rai Kunitoshi, forgive me for the pictures, it was with a phone...

Exactly, thank you, I did'nt remember. In my memories it was 1m57 of nagasa, but I did'nt note so I can mystake....

@Jussi Ekholm Yes, it is this particulary Ôdachi: https://x.com/honnou...495691476992/photo/1 It belonged to personnal body guard of Shogun and was martialy used (not temple offering) with many marks of fights. I'm quite tall but I felt small... Best regards, Éric VD

@Jussi Ekholm I will post the Rai Kunotoshi with a very interesting sayagaki... The Odachi was really oustanding in many way.... Kind regards,

I may have a smoky theory... I was 3 day ago to a Kenbu representation and in one classical danse (battle of saginahara or something) there was a movement were the kenbu artist cross hard the sword hamon side with the mune side of the saya, in the middle, like hiting the saya. Samourai likes play kenbu to express feelings, give courage or have fun telling storys betwen wariors. Maybe... Who knows... Best Éric VD

Sorry for that, I agree these swords deserve better than a cofee shop or a souvenir boutique in poor case with 2 of them dropped in angle. TNM exhibit this summer was really not good (and were is the Dojigiri today?) They probably had to make room for a Buddha expo for Obon time, I guess. The Daihouden one was fanstastic but temporary and small, about 11 great swords listed on the picture above and a huge Nodachi with full koshirae. I realise that it is useles to put more (bad) close up of swords you already know... Kind regards, Éric VD

This is an extra: stolen photo of The Bizen Kiyomitsu. I could'nt take more without going to the same jail cell than Carlos Ghosne....

For anyone passion at Kyoto theses days, this exhibition is mind blowing!

Maybe you could share what were your Kanteï points of decision ?

The last answers were the right ones. Congratulations to NMB members, you really are impressive. I'll put detail picture of each sword soon on this topic for document.