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Piers your right about that but unfortunately he does have from time to time some very hard to find items. He did change his descriptions recently I noticed, he now has some ages attached to the usual "little old" and "old" Old About 50～100 years ago A little old About 10～30 years ago One thing he does have a knack for finding is unusual kikko, karuta and kusari items. Here is one example. A manju no wa or manchria depending on who's book you read. Daimyou has had over the years more of these auxiliary type armors then all the other dealers I know put together. They are quite hard to find especially in good condition.

Umabishaku is described here for scooping up water to wash the horse. Topsy-turvy 1585 By Robin D. Gill, Luís Froís I am only getting a slight amount of information and or pictures with most of these names and some of them bring up no information or pictures. http://books.google.com/books?id=P6vMfi ... AKU&f=true

Another one? http://www.jauce.com/view2.php?seturl=h ... j107368452

John, all the uses of the term Hishaku I see seem to refer to tea related use. The plain ones like you mentioned are pictured not the lacquered ones.

''We welcome anyone who has an interest in the ART of the Japanese Sword. This forum was created for the discussion of Genuine Japanese swords. This includes traditionally made swords,fittings,books,related items,and the history of the Samurai and ancient Japan'' THIS INCLUDES TRADITIONALLY MADE SWORDS!!!!...the key word here is INCLUDES...its clear that whoever wrote this meant to show that other swords etc were welcome on the forum as long as they were GENUINE Japanese SWORDS...Non traditionally made swords as long as they are genuine Japanese swords therefore were included also in the thoughts of the person who wrote this introduction to the forum. It does not say...ONLY TRADITIONALLY MADE SWORDS...or...NON TRADITIONALLY MADE SWORDS ARE EXCLUDED. The meaning is quite clear to me at least, I welcome other peoples interpretations of this statement. Happy New Years to you to Reinhard.

It does say It does not say "dedicated to the study and preservation of TRADITIONALLY made Japanese swords and fittings only" Were do you draw the line? Some people would exclude even modern made nihonto and fittings. Were would this leave people like Ford and the modern nihonto collector? Excluding the collector of non traditionally made Japanese swords would leave a lot of people out also, people who might eventually see the light and start becoming interested in the real thing!! This board seems to meet the needs of an wide range of Japanese sword enthusiast and much more, there is room here for everyone in my opinion. On the commercial side of things....how would anyone who is interested in any kind of Japanese or samurai related item be able to own these things with out someone on the other end selling them? Sure there are sellers who are purely motivated by profit and could care less for the items they sell but thats the price we have to pay for being able to have any of these items available to own in the first place.

Piers and Ian, there is probably a correct term there some were but I can see were the term bashaku came from. I am seeing shaku as meaning dipper or ladle and certain terms that start with ba as being horse related such as ba-ginu as horse blanket and batei as a horse hoof so it would not have been hard for someone looking for a term to come up with ba-shaku or bashaku as horse dipper or ladle..except that term seems to have already been used for stable or someone who handles horses. At least if someone was reading a dictionary of terms such as the one I am posting a link to. Piers, the large dipper was not very expensive as I remember, I will have to look it up, Im sure under $100 at the time, it came from the revered Mr Daimyou who as I remember uses the term bashaku to describe these when they come up for sale. http://books.google.com/books?id=v8M9AA ... e&q&f=true

Even another term. BAJO HISHAKU http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/5 ... haku-ladle

Piers, it would be nice to know the correct term. Here is an example of the large dipper that I have seen being called a horse dipper.

Piers, here is what you need to finish off that menpo, a kusari yodare-kake or chain armor throat guard. About those dippers, I have heard the larger ones being called horse dippers, maybe the size has something to do with what name is used.

Odell, here is a link to a glossary of Japanese sword terms, it might help you when you are discussing the swords with board members. http://members.shaw.ca/nihontonut/glossary.html

Do you have any pictures of this sword?, and how do you know who it was made by, please tell us more.

Piers, I was afraid it might come to this...first the hand gonne and now this, your not going to start taking in any stray rusted orphan I hope? Then again you might have found a new calling in restoration. I have never heard the term bajo-hai used for those dipper cups, bashaku is what I have seen them called, is that wrong?

Ian, This kikko tatami dou is about as ''Basic'' as you can get, and yet it offers the same protection as the more ""tarted up'' ones and it is the only one of its type I have seen. I recently saw the same karuta tatami gusoku you mentioned seeing on ebay for sale in Japan at about half the price and it still took awhile before selling. I too noticed something strange about the lacquer. Exposure to sunlight sometimes causes this dull look but it is a completely matched set and that makes it a rare piece. Here is another completely matched set laced in leather, the dou is unusual in that the karuta plates are connected by leather instead of the usual kusari. The kusazuri are removable also making the dou easier to transport.

Meanwhile....here is a link to a glossary of Japanese sword terms and a link to a new book on Japanese swords that Brian just reviewed, check it out as it might be of interest to you. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9228 http://members.shaw.ca/nihontonut/glossary.html

I finally found one of these elusive armors, it appears to be heavily used but its still in one piece. http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz23 ... ami%20dou/

Piers, thanks for the pictures..it sure does look a lot different, so its good for another few hundred years now?

What they all said.

Would this be the book to recommend to people who want to begin understanding nihonto but do not know were to start?

Piers, it looks great, I had to carve down the end of an old pole once to fit a new end cap and it too forever, that was some hard wood. Can you post a close up picture so I can compare to how it looked before, after all this is such a rare weapon and one of the few real ones pictured any were, thanks!!

Uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world: being a ...: Volume 2 - Page 1460 John George Wood - 1870 http://books.google.com/books?id=8XsLAQ ... pon&f=true The swords which these men wear in virtue of their rank are most formidable weapons, the temper of the steel, the balance of the weapon, and the slight curve of the edge, being all that can be desired. They are finished with the utmost care, and every part receives the minutest attention. A very beautiful specimen of the shorter sword was presented to me by C. Allen, Esq., of Blackheath. It measures two feet four inches in total length, of which the handle occupies nearly nine inches. This roomy handle of the Japanese sword presents a remarkable contrast with the small and cramped hilts of the Indian weapons. It affords an admirable grasp for the hand, being covered with diamond-shaped patterns of silken cord twisted over a basis of rough skate-skin. The blade is a little more than an inch in width, and even after a stay of many years in this country, is as bright as a mirror and sharp as a razor. Indeed, for a hand-to-hand encounter, it would be difficult to find a more formidable weapon, even the kookery_ of India being inferior to it, as being heavier and less manageable. It is equally adapted for thrusting or cutting, and is so effective for the former purpose that one of these swords has been driven completely through a man's body by a single thrust. The balance of the weapon is admirable, and, though it is somewhat unsightly, it can be managed with perfect ease.

Dont be is such a rush...if something is not selling on ebay there is probably a reason. There are really great deals all the time on the "for sale" section here.

I wonder when the terms changed in the west?

From an article titled "Some Jap swords are good" Popular Science - Jul 1946. Just an interesting piece of history. http://books.google.com/books?id=TCEDAA ... ord&f=true

Piers, John and Ian..thanks for the rust stabilization info.