My Nihonto collection so far..

[bmoore1322]

Okay this is what I have so far, the only non Nihonto on the wall is the sword I have had since the early 80's, second from the bottom.

 

The Yari is something i got off eBay for a mere $ 25.00.

 

I still have 3 additional more swords in transit in the mail on the way to me.

 

I know the rack is for a dojo, but I wanted a rack to display them all off, so if this is something that is considered a NO-NO, sorry , no disrespect intended.

 

The books are the ones I bought off from another member in here recently.

 

The arrow is from a set of 15 arrows I bought directly from Japan, made the way the originals were made.

 

Brian

[bmoore1322]

I thought I better post something real quick about how they are displayed, I was told many years ago by my Sensei that swords should be displayed with the Mune resting on the inside of the Saya, never with the edge of the blade resting on the Saya.

 

He also said to display the sword the way I would pick the sword up to use it in a defensive mode.

 

So i choose to display them in this manner.

 

If this offends anyone, Sorry.

 

Brian

[Jean]

Brian

 

Here is the real way to present them, search the Forum for swords on display

 

http://www.jp-sword.com/

 

Sorry, but your sensei seems to lack qualification in sword display. The way swords are displaid depends on their qualification : tachi or Katana. Tachi are displaid edge down, katana edge up. By courtesy, to avoid any misunderstanding on the intention of the owner or visitors, handles are always oriented to the left.

 

Check the commervial sites and have a look at the way swords are displaid:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Esteinrl/sites2.htm

 

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Esteinrl/jsites.htm

[bmoore1322]

@ Jean

 

Thanks, i have heard they are to be displayed many ways, some have said with the blade down,. but that makes no sense as why would I put the blade down on the wood inside the saya, as they would dull the blade, and could cut the saya also.

 

Brian

[Jean]

Brian,

 

I let you find the answers by yourself, just read the books you have bought. There are not thousand ways to display swords on a rack.

 

You begin by "I have heard that...". Make up your mind by yourself and not by earsay or I am afraid one day you'll say "I have heard that you are God, Jean" :D

[bmoore1322]

@ Jean

 

 

How do i not know you are God, got any proof you are not ( lol ).

 

When I said what I heard, I meant it is what was told to me many years ago.

 

Brian

[Jean]

I am afraid that years ago people fed you with rubbish. Years ago, unfortunately, information was hard to get, now with the Web everything is easy, you have a question, you want an answer, just google ...

 

The most stupid thing which has been fed to you was the tachi blade displaid edge down which will cut down the saya and dull the edge :D

[bmoore1322]

I have my books now, going through them, it will take some time to read them all, but time is all i have, so I will be doing some good reading, and the books I got from another member in here gave me a great price on them all.

 

 

I'm very happy to have such a great collection of my own for me to look over as I read through the books, and see what they mean when they talk about certain aspects, or parts, or history on them.

 

Brian

[jamesicus]

.......... The way swords are displaid depends on their qualification : tachi or Katana. Tachi are displaid edge down, katana edge up. By courtesy, to avoid any misunderstanding on the intention of the owner or visitors, handles are always oriented to the left ..........

Jean is correct, Brian. My sensei was Inami-san, whose book you display - there are several photographs of Tachi and Katana displayed correctly in that book.

 

James

[Jean]

Brian,

 

Read these books and look at the pictures where you will see swords on display, here is a great topic, where you will see swords on display

 

Notice the way swords are displaid:

 

Katana/wakizashi/tanto: edge upward

Tachi: edge downward

 

All have the handle on the leftside

 

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4666&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

 

Scroll along the pages

 

Fare well my friend

[Jean]

Just to add Brian, the way you display your swords on this rack is very pleasant, even with the handles on the righthand sides I like it.

[bmoore1322]

@ Jean

 

 

Thanks i like it also, I was kinda hesitant on the dojo rack, but in my room of the house I dont have too much room for multiple racks, so i did the multi rack with the kanji spelling " NIHONTO " at the top, which I think looks really good.

 

Brian

[Ken-Hawaii]

Brian, no complaint about your display, but I am wondering about long-term care of the blades. Koshirae are simply not set up to keep moisture out over a period of years; that's why katanadansu are used. Perhaps you live in a fairly dry location & this isn't a worry, but it certainly is for those of us who live within spitting distance of the ocean or other bodies of water.

 

Ken

 

P.S. I also leave my few rack-mounted (non-Nihonto) blades oriented with the tsuka to the right. They are in my private bedroom, & if someone comes in there uninvited, they will certainly find out why I keep them that way! :D

[cabowen]

 

Koshirae are simply not set up to keep moisture out over a period of years; that's why katanadansu are used.

 

That is why shirasaya are used!

[bmoore1322]

@ Ken

 

That's one of the main reasons why i have them on them like that, in the battle ready reach position, so to speak.

 

All of my blades get a good cleaning, and oiling every Sunday, Its now my regime for every Sunday, as i live next to 3 large creeks, and i do have an in ground 30,000 gallon swimming pool in my back yard, so plenty of moisture in the air around my house.

 

Brian

[Lee Bray]

Hi Brian,

 

Don't be too zealous with the cleaning, especially if you're using uchiko.

I live in Hong Kong which is permanently humid and lots of rain. My house is an old fish farmers house and has four derelict fish ponds 15ft from the back wall. It is bordered on two sides by wetlands and a hilly wood to the last side. Suffice to say it is very wet.

I use AC and a dehumidifier and still occasionally have issues with books and clothes getting moldy but so far, I have not had any swords develop rust because of it.

I've had the silk ito on tsuka get moldy so now keep koshirae in silk sword bags, which although still silk, seems to keep the tsuka safe.

My swords tend to be oiled once every couple of months and I've had no issues with rust over the years if kept housed in shirasaya or saya.

 

Of course, when you're studying them a lot, they need cleaning after use so try and use isopropyl alcohol to clean the oil off when viewing them instead of uchiko if the blade is in good polish.

[sanjuro]

Brian.

 

You may wish to consider this:

This way of displaying your swords with hilt to the right, is reserved for times when your household is under threat. In times of peace it is a challenge and a mild insult to any guest who enters your house. It says you do not trust them and you are ever ready to defend yourself against the threat that you feel they may represent. Yours is not a samurai household, and if it were, so many swords kept within easy reach of a potential enemy in your house would be rather foolish. A samurai would have kept only one mounted sword within reach for emergencies. He also would have worn a wakizashi thrust through his obi, even in his own home.

 

Are you then beset by so many potential enemies that you need to be 'battle ready' within your own home? Are you really so proficient with a blade that it would be your weapon of choice in a potential encounter? I've found a glock to be far more practical.

 

Isn't this just so much romantic nonsense on your part? You are after all not living as a samurai in an age where threat was ever present, and part of your profession.

On the purely practical side, You really need to think about keeping your better blades in shirasaya if preservation is paramount. A sword deteriorates far more quickly when kept mounted.

 

The accepted way is as Jean has stated.

[bmoore1322]

@ Keith

 

I'm 16 years ex-Army, disabled vet from being injured in Iraq, so I'm always on the guard, and no I don't trust anyone, I do have other weapons in the house, I just prefer to keep my swords in this battle ready position, if it offends anyone, then they can leave and not come back to home anymore, not trying to be rude, just don't trust anyone at all.

 

We live in very dangerous times, people out of work, people doing stupid s**t, so why take the chance.

 

You should see the security at my home, I have two night vision cameras hard wired into my home, and have two wireless night vision cameras as well, full home alarm, with voice record type alarm system, i can view all cameras anywhere on my iPhone.

 

I take a walk every night around my home at various times, with company, and I don't mean a live person.

 

If I seem on the alert, well then i am, as i would rather be safe, paranoid, and secure then have something happen at my home.

 

Brian

[Lorenzo]

8 swords ready to be drawn out! wow you must live in a very dangerous environment! If the zombie apocalypse ever approaches, you should be fine

[bmoore1322]

@ Lorenzo

 

Are you saying I'm Zombiefied, or what? ( lol )

 

I just really enjoy collecting, and studying these great swords.

 

Brian

[eternal_newbie]

8 swords ready to be drawn out! wow you must live in a very dangerous environment! If the zombie apocalypse ever approaches, you should be fine

 

People using the "inevitable zombie apocalypse" to justify their sword collections always brings out the pedant in me... In the event of a zombie apocalypse where guns/bows aren't available or practical, I recommend a good yari or naginata - given most zombie plagues are spread by bodily fluids, you'd generally want the gore to be as far away from yourself as possible even in a melee. Swinging around a sword (or shortsword, if you're indoors) is practically asking to be 'turned' by wayward blood spatter after your initial display of heroics. And who'll keep those Juyo blades oiled and rust-free after you become a walking corpse?

 

But I sense I'm wandering off-topic here, and I apologise if my glibness offends anyone :D

[SwordGuyJoe]

People using the "inevitable zombie apocalypse" to justify their sword collections always brings out the pedant in me... In the event of a zombie apocalypse where guns/bows aren't available or practical, I recommend a good yari or naginata - given most zombie plagues are spread by bodily fluids, you'd generally want the gore to be as far away from yourself as possible even in a melee. Swinging around a sword (or shortsword, if you're indoors) is practically asking to be 'turned' by wayward blood spatter after your initial display of heroics. And who'll keep those Juyo blades oiled and rust-free after you become a walking corpse?

 

But I sense I'm wandering off-topic here, and I apologise if my glibness offends anyone :D

 

It's this type of sound advice that keeps me coming back to the NMB!!! I now need to go buy a yari or naginata.

[Brian]

 

Brian

[Kai-Gunto]

Dont like that the wakizashis tsuka is on the kake. Not good for saya,blade and tsuka.

Only saya on kake.

[bmoore1322]

@ Thomas

 

I dont like it either, but it is a wall mounted rack, and I need to keep everything centered and balanced, as I don't want to take any chances of it being off balanced and possibly coming off the wall.

 

My father in law is building me another stand just like this one, but with feet to be able to rest on the table.

 

 

 

Here is an updated photo of more items that showed up today.

 

Brian

[Andi B.]

...the more blades are "battle ready" within reach, the more can be grabbed by invaders.

 

Was it mentioned before that blades and Koshirae have a front/omote and a back/ura side?

So it would be more common to present the swords with the front side facing to the visitors.

But it is of course up to you how to diplay them.

[bmoore1322]

Yes, I plan on fixing them, and displaying them properly, and will post another pic.

 

Brian

[Henry Wilson]

With out sounding like the NMB police, I think Brian can display his swords as he pleases and he doesn't need to justify it to anyone. He seems to get pleasure from posting what he has so let's repsect that.

 

I will now get of my and back to being . By the way it is Friday here and I am having steak and red wine for dinner...... So I am very excited.

[sanjuro]

Henry.

 

"I'm having a friend for dinner tonight".

 

Hannibal Lechter.

 

Just kidding....

[Brian]

With out sounding like the NMB police, I think Brian can display his swords as he pleases and he doesn't need to justify it to anyone. He seems to get pleasure from posting what he has so let's repsect that

While valid and true...there is something to be said for "don't post stuff and ask for opinions, and then take exception when people give them"

Forums are discussion groups. If we wanted a group of people all agreeing with each other, we could just use a mirror or a private forum.

What is the point of arguing against every single note, point or clarification made by people who are advanced in their fields? Simple solution..don't ask for opinions then. This isn't a photo gallery. When something is posted, it is open to comment.

The above is mentioned light heartedly, and more as a general comment, and not directed at Brian or this post particularly. But needs reminding.

 

Brian