Great pictures

[drbvac]

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 322wt_1139

 

This is more to point out the pictures than comment on the piece - its really tired and their is something weird about the nakago - looks heated/welded or something and I am sure it will not go too high.

 

That said I wish all sellers had the ability to take pictures like this as do I, !!

[Curgan]

The seller is actualy a team. Their frontman has studied grafistics or something similar. Thus the great photography. They posted here a while ago when they started their business, but they were strongly critisized because they had low end pieces and not traditionaly restored. Their frontman was a kind and -at least appeared to be a- honest guy.

[drbvac]

Now I remember - blades looked like they were polished by minute maids but GREAT photos = Oh well at least you can see what you are getting !

[Surfson]

I'm no expert, but looks like a classic saiba to me. I learned this the hard way - the open hada is usually a strong clue, especially in the context of the blackened nakago. Just one person's opinion.

[moss]

John ,

 

These guys were not critisized for selling low end pieces.

They were critisized for the non traditional nature of the polishes,their work is awful.

 

One has to wonder how many reasonable blades they will destroy and as this forum is dedicated to the preservation of nihonto it would be odd if they hadn't been critisized.

At least their polish is that bad it is easily recognised and avoided.

 

Cheers

Moss

[Lee Bray]

Their frontman was a kind and -at least appeared to be a- honest guy.

 

He wasn't honest enough to use his real name or forthcoming enough to state that they polish NihonTo using amateur polishers so I'll be avoiding their sales.

[Surfson]

If it is saiba, then one can't blame the polisher. During a fire the grain opens up and the jihada becomes very coarse like this, with lots of large openings that look like ware. I couldn't see a mizukage on the blade, but that probably means that the whole blade was treated when it was retempered.

[Curgan]

Moss: I wrote "low end and not traditionally restored".

 

Lee: If I remember correctly he stated (or admitted it) without much fuss, just like he had low end pieces.

 

It is hard to determine whether it is saiha or not, although, judging from the overal quality, I 'd vote for yes.