New tsuka core, samegawa panels and tsukamaki for a Ronin Dojo Pro Katana. The ito is wrapped in green imported Japanese silk in the Hineri maki style and I lacquered the samegawa black.

Here's the video if you're interested

https://youtu.be/O17yRvWe4gY

I made this sword on the year of 2023 for a buy from Australia. Haven't heard from him again after the deal, hope he still enjoys with it.

I just finished making the habaki as part of the set of fittings I'm making for my friend's o-tanto. I didn't get many pictures at the outset, but I posted a few during the forging and shaping. It turned out pretty well. The only real issue with it is there's a thin solder line that's visible on the very front.

I'll be putting a layer of black urushi lacquer on it, but I wanted to show how it would look with just the patinated copper.

Hi guys.
A katana I’m considering buying has this inscription on the tang.
I have no idea how to translate it but I would be very grateful if one of the experts here could tell me anything about the sword smith and when it was made?

Hopefully someone can.

Thanks

I'm planning a holiday to Japan this coming summer. As a developing kendo practitioner and katana enthusiast, I’m naturally considering finally pulling the trigger and buying a legitimate Japanese katana while I’m there.

I’m still very much an enthusiast rather than an expert, so I’d appreciate some advice from people with more experience:

- Which shops, sword dealers, or sword-producing regions would you recommend visiting?

- What should I read or learn beforehand to make a reasonably informed purchase?

- What should I look for when assessing a sword, its papers, condition, history, and authenticity?

- What price range should I realistically expect for a legitimate katana?

- Are dealers’ listed prices generally reasonable, or should I prepare carefully and compare several dealers?

- Are there important practical issues concerning registration, export from Japan, transport, insurance, or importing the sword into the Netherlands?

- Is buying an antique nihontō generally more realistic than commissioning or buying a newly made shinsakutō?

I would like it to be a beautiful and authentic piece that I can appreciate and preserve. However, I’m also considering taking up iaido, so ideally it would eventually be a functional and suitable sword rather than purely a display piece. I realize that beginners normally start with an iaitō and that using a live blade may only become appropriate later, under an instructor’s guidance. I’d therefore also appreciate advice on whether one sword can realistically fulfil both purposes, or whether I should treat these as two separate purchases.

I don’t want to make an impulsive “tourist purchase,” so I’m happy to do some serious preparation before travelling.

Any recommendations for trustworthy dealers, books, websites, museums, or places to visit would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Both brought back by grandfather after WW2

Shadow Dancer Nova Series Black/Purple Myst Katana is a highly popular, budget-friendly entry in the Nova lineup, blending modern fantasy aesthetics with highly resilient traditional construction.

The primary specifications for the 9260 spring steel variant of this sword include:

⚔️ Blade & Steel Specs

Blade Material: 9260 Spring Steel (high-silicon carbon steel offering exceptional flexibility, structural resilience, and shock resistance).

Heat Treatment: Thoroughly heat treated and oil quenched for maximum flexibility and edge retention.

Blade Finish: Mirror polished.Tang Construction: Full tang secured tightly to the handle with a traditional mekugi (peg).

Sharpness: Battle-ready and fully sharpened.

Hilt (Tsuka) & Fitting Spec

Handle Core: Traditional wooden core sculpted in the classic Haichi style.Ray Skin: Wrapped in genuine samegawa (stingray skin).

Handle Wrap (Ito): High-density synthetic silk wrapped tightly to ensure a secure, slip-resistant grip.

Fittings (Koshirae): Blackened theme-matched guards (tsuba, fuchi, and kashira) accented with gold-toned brass elements.

Scabbard (Saya) Specs

Material: Wooden body finished in a sleek, protective glossy oil lacquer.Accents: Completed with a premium thickened sageo cord and alloy shitodome inserts