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Hello, I'm a new to Japanese swords as well as this forum, so I thought I'd give a quick introduction. My name is Eric and I am 31 years old. I've always had an interest in learning more about Japanese swords, but I never knew where to start. I've recently started carving bokken, which is quickly becoming a favorite hobby of mine. I want to learn more, so I will definitely use this forum and its resources as well as reading plenty of outside material. I don't expect to learn everything overnight, but I would like to learn as much as possible. I'm not great at writing about myself, so I guess this is it for now. I hope to grow as much as possible and to one day help others grow. Thanks.

 

 

 

Eric J.

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Welcome Eric. I hope you enjoy the forum. I'd suggest you take your time, build a good library and vocabulary, don't be too anxious to buy anything until you've done some reading and studying. If there is a sword club in your area consider becoming a part of it.

By all means check the archives on this board they are most useful on a variety of topics.

Enjoy youself and have fun.

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Hi Everyone im Aron 21 years old and have had an utter fascination with blades, especially Japanese blades, for as long as i can remember.

I have always been buying cheapo weapons that are just terrible quality but last year bought a cheapo katana from china that turned out being alot better quality than i expected (still nothing compared to a real one just not completly crap) which has caused my interest in the real deal to grow and recently i bought an old katana that was being sold at the markets nearby purely because it was cheap and the seller knew nothing about it. All the seller knew was that his friend had scavanged it from the dirt somewhere overseas and tried to restore it for sale. I started doing research on Japanese sword crafting, which made my interest grow considerably, to try to determine if its fake or a mass produced ww2 or whatever else it could be and stumbled across this website after reading some posts i felt this was the place to go for a novice like myself to learn about these incredible blades and get help in starting my own real collection.

So i say hello, and hope to be able to learn from this community to start my own collection.

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Hey everyone, New member here. I am in the Real Estate business (Rental Properties) Part time Fire fighter, SCUBA instructor and as a hobby make Knives.

 

I was referred to this forum by a member of another forum for knife makers. I inherited a sword from my grandfather and knew nothing about its history. I posted Here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10523 and the response was amazing, there are some very knowledgeable and Generous people here.

 

I look forward to learning more and hopefully reach a point that I will be able to help someone else in the future.

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  • 1 month later...

Just noticed this. Here is my third attempt to join and I am taking Brian's advise and introducing myself.

 

My name is Simon Binks and I have been a collector for about thirty years. I have joined this board as simonjbinks, Marked Hamon and KizuKazu to try to keep harmony but I don't want to bring this up again, as though I'm sure members are sick of the melodrama, none more than I. I just want to talk swords. I don't think I'm anybody special, in fact, when I think of the swords I've let go, I think I'm a bloody idiot. I was a rock musician in the 80's. Who wasn't? The touring provided the swords.

 

I have had three collections, my first a collection of quantity occasioning quality. My first sword was purchased in Bali. I looked in the local trading paper where I had seen Japanese Swords Wanted advertisements and contacted that person. We met at his work and I was disappointed to discover than my Bali find was a jeep spring.

 

That person was Barry Thomas who has been a constant friend and mentor for all of those thirty years.

 

I purchased my copy of Hawley off Willis himself, in his grand Hollywood mansion. He casually pointed to a Chinese wall panel that he said was worth more than his house. I'm sure others here have seen his house. That must have been one Chinese wall panel. We all know of flaws in his work but considering when and how it was done, a remarkable effort by a wonderful genteel man. I very much liked Willis Hawley.

 

That first collection went in Japan, where I was mutton to the wolves. I figuered it the right, moral thing to do. It was not the right financial thing to do. I had to finance time living in the US trying to restart my career as a musician on a grander level that in a country of a mere 18m (I think Australia was at the time).

 

But first, I lived in Japan twice for about 18 months a piece. I met Nobuo Ogasawara, who took me into the catacombs of the National Museum and showed me pieces that don't usually go on display. I was also taken to Jon Bowhay's Sensei, who just happened to be polishing a superb Masamune katana. They were both impressed when I shrugged a quick kantei of the sword as being Soshu Den. I didn't let on that I had seen a glimpse of the sayagaki. I almost dropped it when it was pronounced to be a Masamune.

 

My second collection began with a superb Soshu piece that came from my Aikido class. It was in good polish, no flaws and Handachi mounts, with a superb deep red ishime urushi saya. I collected a few more, including a Gendai piece by one of the top Gendai masters but this was when one did not collect Gendai pieces. Or so I thought. A less than honest collector relieved me of that under conditions that caveat emptor does not really cover.

 

A near fatal car accident forced the sale of that collection.

 

I am now on my third collection. I have tended to be lucky with swords, but I also get somewhat obsessive-compulsive about the search.

 

I do romanticise. I make no apologies for it. It's my choice so please allow me to be an excitable young man. I may not be so young anymore but I'm always looking over my shoulder for adults. I've picked up a thing or two over thirty years, living in Australia, LA (after driving from NY with an actress — don't EVER do it — and picking up two swords and three guitars on the way). I've also lived in Singapore and Jakarta and swords have never been far away.

 

I have had a lot of swords, must be somewhere around 150, some very good, some average early on in the learning curve and some extremely good but it's an addiction that never ends.

 

And Barry, DID you sell that mere Nihonto to buy your beloved daughter (Allison?) a car?

 

Simon Binks

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Just noticed this. Here is my third attempt to join and I am taking Brian's advise and introducing myself.

And Barry, DID you sell that mere Nihonto to buy your beloved daughter (Allison?) a car?

Simon Binks

HAHAHAHAHA - no, but I once sold a tanto to afford a "new" (as in another) car for myself. That tanto was 'bought cheap' and 'sold dear' 30 years later. The car depreciated to 'rust bucket' status in 5 years... The immutable reality of automotive 'investment'...

 

Best regards to all the newcomers,

Barry Thomas

aka BaZZa.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Aloha, new member here; i have been reading the board for a couple of weeks now. I am an artist and bladesmith, and have been in love with Japanese swords for over 30 years. I have recently been forging tanto and wakizashi and making fittings. Thanks for making this site available.

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Hello all. My name is Hendri. I'm 26 years old and live in South Africa. I have been fascinated by "Samurai swords" for a while now. My research started off with cheaper modern katanas but when I found the websites with Nihonto I just new that this is what I want.

 

I have started exploring the message boards and am very excited to start learning about this art.

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Hello All:

 

This introduction is after the fact. My enthusiasm had me asking a question of the forum before this introduction.

 

Up until 2003 I had been a collector. The four katanas I owned were by Emura , Akisuke, Masafusa and Yoshichika.

 

All were explained to me to be Gendaito smiths. In a page out of O'Henry's Gift of the Magi I sold them to afford my wife a good Christmas.

 

I have on many occassions thought of those days and come here to look at what the hobby currently is doing.

 

Thank you to the forum and it's members.

 

Rick

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good People of this Conclave,

Please excuse my tardiness. I am David Robb Pryor, 45 years of age, and resident of Joplin, Missouri, U.S.

I am a writer and painter, though I have worn many hats in my life (inluding cowboy and firefighter, afraid astronaut is probably out at this point!) to support that.

I have not posted since the devastating tornado this spring. On this, the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I thought it appropriate to mention a possibly overlooked aspect of this site.

Though I have not posted, I visit often, and the humor, banter, and insight in so many areas is a constant balm and reassurance in times of trouble.

So, I thank you all.

The blade survived the tornado, by the way, and I will be submitting it in Minneapolis this October.

Looking forward to meeting some of you in person then.

Stay well,

David

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Greetings to all Forum members. I am 82 years of age and this is my first venture into the wonderful world of Nihonto in over fifty years. My introduction to the Japanese sword came about when I was stationed at Yokota AB (about 30 miles NW of Tokyo) as a member of the United States Air Force, 1960-1963. I was determined to learn as much as I could about Japanese history and culture as I possibly could during my tour of duty. It didn't take long for me to become enamored with Nihonto. It was but a short train ride into Tokyo and I was soon spending much of my off-duty time in Tokyo sword shops -- especially The Japan Sword Co. shop (Inami-san).

 

The first sword I bought was a Wakizashi Bizen blade by Norimitsu in a Shirasaya for 30,000 Yen (at that time the exchange rate was 360 Yen to the dollar so it cost me approx. $90 US). It turned out to be an excellent sword -- I took it to the National Museum in Tokyo where a Sayagaki was rendered. And now for a sad -- but I am sure not unfamiliar -- tale of woe here: when I returned to the States I developed a passionate interest in arms and accoutrements of the old American west and traded that Wakizashi for a Winchester 66 "Yellowboy" carbine!! I have regretted that ever since -- I would give my right arm to have it back again! But I can't bring it back and so it is now just a fond memory.

 

I bought other Nihonto in Japan, most notably a pretty nice Edo period Katana (but nothing exceptional) that I had polished at Inami-san's Japan Sword Co. shop, the Koshirae refurbished and fitted with a Tsunagi -- which I then displayed in my house on a typical sword stand. That, along with another Koto Wakizashi, is also gone. So I am left to discuss and admire Nihonto with you nice people here.

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