As A Novice I Need Member Input On A Purchase

[JonnyO]

Thanks for your time, Gentlemen.

I had a good experience with Mr. Tsuruta of AOI Art in Japan a month ago.

I was, however, able to find many reviews, a facebook page and info on aoi-art by a simple Google search.

Turned out to be all good. :-)

Here's my dilema.

I can find virtually no such things about Masayuki Hirako and e-sword.

There is a website, yes, but I can't find anything to verify it's legit. I asked the question a week ago at-

 

http://nihontoclub.com/discussions/2015/11/17/Any-members-have-experience-with-E-swordjp

 

I let Mr. Hirako know of my trepidation and he asked that I pose the same question here.

 

As I'm now doing.

I'm not asking if his item is a good purchase or wise buy, merely is the guy LEGIT?

I've been told to VERY WARY about overseas purchases and I'm old ( over 20 :-) -so I listen to advice.

 

Thank you for your time!

[Greg F]

Hello Jonny, I personaly havnt dealt with esword but i can tell you they are well respected and popular dealer. All the best.

 

Greg

[Derek]

Just bought a very high end tsuba from him last month. Great communication, and fast shipping. Big thumbs up from me.

[Guido]

Yes, they are both legit and trustworthy. I visited their booth at the DTI just a couple of days ago. Have bought from them in the past, althoug not online.

All their items are papered.

[AndyMcK]

I have bought one katana from him three years back, excellent communication, had shirasaya made for the blade through them and shipped to Finland, very trustworthy dealer to do business with.

 

Antti

[JonnyO]

I have completed the purchase based on the many and rapid responses to my query.

Thank you all for allaying my fears and I shall certainly post the end result of my interaction in the next

month or two after recieving the item.

Thanks again, for all your help

...(unless you're all " in on it"...

....just kidding

:-)

 

 

[Brian]

Guys, if you do business with a dealer based even partly on info from here...please do tell the dealer that. It helps to get them more involved, or at least see that there is a relatively untapped market out there. Not that I expect them to take note, or get involved (especially Japanese dealers for whom their local market is huge) but does not hurt to mention it.

[SwordGuyJoe]

Buy comfortably!  I have purchased a few swords from them and everything was extremely smooth.  Also, same nods to the following:

 

- http://yukodo.net/ Yuko, the owner, is lovely to work with.  Received this site from Chris when I was looking for Morioka Masataka which I received a very nice deal on.  Since have purchased a Miyaguchi Shigetoshi (currently going to NBTHK TH process) and Takehana Shigehisa

- http://www.samuraishokai.jp/ Very fair prices and really nice stuff!

- http://www.seiyudo.com/ I have spent too much money here... Don't tell the misses

- http://www.tsuruginoya.com/ I really like this site as well.  Good stuff, fair prices!

 

Edit: If you buy from them, tell them Joe K from MN sent you.  It's likely I am drooling over a blade and have found that references like that can drop prices some...

[oli4_182]

Buy comfortably!  I have purchased a few swords from them and everything was extremely smooth.  Also, same nods to the following:

 

- http://yukodo.net/:Yuko, the owner, is lovely to work with.  Received this site from Chris when I was looking for Morioka Masataka which I received a very nice deal on.  Since have purchased a Miyaguchi Shigetoshi (currently going to NBTHK TH process) and Takehana Shigehisa

- http://www.samuraishokai.jp/:Very fair prices and really nice stuff!

- http://www.seiyudo.com/:I have spent too much money here... Don't tell the misses

- http://www.tsuruginoya.com/:I really like this site as well.  Good stuff, fair prices!

 

Edit: If you buy from them, tell them Joe K from MN sent you.  It's likely I am drooling over a blade and have found that references like that can drop prices some...

I don't know if it's my Pc or not, but none of the URL's are working

[SwordGuyJoe]

These should work - the last ones included the ":"

 

http://yukodo.net

http://www.samuraishokai.jp

http://www.seiyudo.com

http://www.tsuruginoya.com

[JonnyO]

Guys, if you do business with a dealer based even partly on info from here...please do tell the dealer that. It helps to get them more involved, or at least see that there is a relatively untapped market out there. Not that I expect them to take note, or get involved (especially Japanese dealers for whom their local market is huge) but does not hurt to mention it.

He sent me HERE... to verify he was a decent seller. :-)

Though I'd already, quite recently actually, become a 'member' here.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

JonnyO

[JonnyO]

 

Edit: If you buy from them, tell them Joe K from MN sent you.  It's likely I am drooling over a blade and have found that references like that can drop prices some...

 

WILL DO! :-)

 

I walked across ( OK, ok, I WADED!   the Mighty Mississippi-right where it comes out of Itasca-back in 1973. :-D