Jump to content

New Member Introductions


Recommended Posts

Hello all,

 

My name is Bert, I'm from Belgium and I'm 20 years old. I've joined this community because I'm interested in collecting tsuba. Because there isn't a lot of accessible structured info on the web, i thought this community could be of great help to me. I've always been very interested in history and ancient artifacts, which is why i'm studying archaeology at the moment at university. Recently though, I have been looking beyond the european borders and have become very interested in Japanese culture, history and mythology, which led me here. 

 

Bert

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi I’m John Ashworth from Frome Somerset uk, I’m 61 and a former hgv fitter. Unfortunately I had to give up that life around 2000 because I developed rheumatoid arthritis along with a few other things as a result of this I had my 14th operation summer this year.

when I had to stop work I went stir crazy for a while and watched 25 hours of tv a day after about 3 months I had to get out find something to do I already fished but this became hard work so one day in my shed I made myself a knife being a fitter I knew about working steel so it didn’t come hard. Well a few people asked me to make them one which I did and after kitting out friends and family who wanted one and it was something I could do virtually everything sat down I knew I wanted to go further in this what was a hobby and had a bigger shed built made myself a 2x72 belt grinder made a forge and I was away . A few weeks ago someone gave me a beat up blade which I knew was a Japanese tango type knife short but I new absolutely nothing about them so I took it apart found markings on the tang and this is the story so far I have posted pictures of it and had some very good answers thank you for having me so to speak John Ashworth.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Everyone!

 

My name is Drew, and I just recently stumbled upon the world of Nihonto. To be honest, the flaky universe of the chinese sword wielding "Mall Ninjas" turned me off from Japanese swords. But I met a semi-serious collector last month who turned my preconceptions on their head.

 

I used to be a historian and researcher, but have decided to make money as an aircraft mechanic. I still research compulsively. And the complexity of the history of Japanese swords appears to be a rich vein of information.

 

I'm currently busy reading everything I can put my paws on. Simultaneously, I'm toying with the idea of buying a less expensive wakizashi just to get my hands on a genuine item and gaining tactile knowledge of the object.

 

Eventually, I'd like to own something koto and valuable, but for now I'm satisfied in study and browsing for an ordinary blade. Something late Muromachi or early Edo would make me deliriously happy for the moment. And the prices appear to be quite reasonable, with original Japanese blades not far off in price from Chinese replicas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome, Drew. From historian to avation mechanic is a pretty far leap, speaking as a former F-4 pilot. But, from your initial comments, it's easy to tell that you've done at least some research, & I'll bet you've found some of the basic books to study. Today, we're lucky that there's a plethora of English study material, & then there are our own NMB members who provide a lot of additional info. I would like to point you to https://markussesko.com/kantei/ which is a free university-level dissertation on Nihonto.

 

But, perhaps the most-important reference is http://www.nihontomessageboard.com/articles/Collecting.pdf With any luck, that will start to give you some idea of what you might want to collect, & why. Rather than blindly buying a blade, you can actually start collecting.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello everyone,

 

I'm Ron I'm from Summerville, SC and I'm new to the world of Nihonto.

 

I have an older friend who has a few swords and it has gotten me interested in getting one of my own. 

 

I look forward to learning alot and hope not to bug yall with silly questions. As for now I am reading an much as I can in the hopes to gain some knowledge, I have a copy of The Samuri Sword by John Yumoto and another book on the way.

 

Thanks,

Ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome, Ron!  My folks lived in Summerville for many years, and I've spent some time there. That Low Country humidity will be a challenge for your swords; but best of luck in your journey. You have tapped into an incredible source of knowledge and information, and some great folks to help along the way.  Enjoy!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome, Drew. From historian to avation mechanic is a pretty far leap.

 

Well yes. Yes, indeed.

 

I made money when I was younger doing conflict area research, among other things, but picked up an A&P license along the way out of general interest. Conflict area research work has dramatically faded over the last 10 years, which severely restricts my ability to make a living.

 

Now that I am older, I am doing 4 month on/4 month off work overseas as an Aircraft Mechanic, which is quite lucrative, and will allow me to finish off my retirement fund to where I can be quite comfortable in my dotage. Plus there is the whole "Aircraft Artificer Ross" aspect of it, as I was, like Lawrence, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army at one time. 

 

Anyway, thank you for the kind greetings, and I am deliriously happy looking into all this mother lode of information while I'm waiting to help launch more aircraft.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello everyone,

 

I am happy to join the NMB where Nihonto passionates meet to exchange.

 

As Aikido practitioner that I was for a long time, I came across the world of Nihonto in the early 1990s and this was reinforced when I acquired the beautiful book "One Hundred Masterpieces from Dr Walter Compton Collection" in 1993. 

 

In 1996, after one year of Japanese evening class, I decided to travel 3 weeks to Japan to visit as many museums I could where swords (among others) were shown - great trip it was indeed! I came back with a few nice books from Kodansha. It was only in 2002 that I purchased my 1st katana (koto), a bit used up but I cherished it many years until 2017 where I finally started studying more seriously, as I started working for the subsidiary of a Japanese company, and finally went to the next step when I acquired a nice Shinto katana with signature. I also joined the NBTHK-EB in Germany where I live and work after having moved from France.

 

I got the advice to read Markus Sesko's books which really create a serious base or reference library to complete what I had. I also advise all members that have not been there yet to visit the Janssen foundation in Berlin - amazing place dedicated to samurai art : www.samurai-artmuseum.com

 

I have learned a lot in the past 2 years, and at every occasion, and I am discovering new things all the time (and I love it), getting slowly acquainted with different schools and smiths, etc, but I still see myself as a beginner. I will read your posts with interests, and ask questions not only about the swords themselves but about visiting places where I can see them, as I very much enjoy traveling.

 

Best regards to all

 

Yvan C.

Nürnberg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi everyone. My name is Matt and I’m in central Ohio. I found this site after inheriting a Japanese sword from my grandfather which I am told he brought home from Japan following his service in WWII. I know absolutely nothing about Japanese swords and hope to learn a lot from all of you here, especially in regards to this specific sword. I appreciate your being willing to share the knowledge you’ve no doubt taken many years to accumulate. Thanks.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hello, my name is Brian and I am a lawyer in Vancouver, British Columbia. My first baby steps into Nihonto came as a result of my father. My father had an uncle who served in the US military in the South Pacific after the Second World War. He had brought back an old katana that he was very proud of. As a young kid, my dad loved that sword and always always made a point of expressing his admiration and interest in the sword to his uncle. I think my dad hoped his uncle might make a gift of it to him one day, but this did not come to pass. The sword disappeared from the family in California many years ago.

 

My father worked hard all his life and probably had the means to buy himself a nice old sword, but he never did. He put the needs of my mother and his kids first. He still spoke of his uncle's old sword through my childhood and young adult years.

 

When my father turned 65 I purchased a fine and elegant papered old Uda tachi to try to honor him and his hard work on our behalf. My father loved the sword and was very proud of it. I think it gave him much pleasure and enjoyment while he was its custodian. All good things must come to an end, and Alzheimer's disease has taken my father's mind. And thus the Uda tachi has come back to me, and I love and respect it more because my father was its previous custodian. The history of this fine item is now personal.

 

I am new to this wonderful and fascinating area or history and art, but I am a keen student. I hope to study and learn more, and in time to acquire more fine old blades for my own boys to cherish and care for as they grow older. I look forward to learning from you all about this most worthy and interesting area.

 

Brian B

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...