Hello's and Good Day's

Hello all, nice to finally be here! I'm kind of a closet collector, and only recently have gotten a nice computer and a stable internet connection, so now I can research and watch all of my favorite swords! I only have a few, and will probably post pictures of them later when I have more time to figure out this forum... but my collection (chronologically acquired list): Hanwei Practical Ninjato (not that it matters, but I bought the one with the black plastic stingray panels, but I have removed and intentionally destroyed that tsuka), Two Ei Dai En katana, again, superficially I have gotten the Black and the Blue katana's, and removed and replaced the tsubas with something I found a bit more aesthetically appealing, and most recently I had a *wonderful* experience on ebay from a small sword manufacturer out of Hong Kong China, and they custom made me a 1060 62.9" Odachi in the Shirasaya (black) style. I will be making my own tsuka, tsuba, and saya for the Odachi, but obviously, it will ot be a quick process. I have many pressing responsibilities that consume a lot of my time, just like everyone else... And finally, my next sword is probably going to be the Nisshoku, or Shinobigatana (not sure which to call it, or whether it's just a Ko-Katana, because I am still learning what the difference between all these blades are) from sword n armoury, the lesser of the two T10 swords. I already dont like it's tsuba, and will inquire if they will change it out for me, and if not, will purchase my own and do it myself, as usual! I very much wanted my first Fullblade (sorry, Dungeons and Dragons reference, I mean Greatsword, but a bit bigger) to be the Scottish Lowlander Slaughter Sword by C.A.S./Hanwei but was devastated to learn it was a post-tang, or really large rattail. I just dont like the threaded tang type swords, never have, never will. So when I saw that Odachi on ebay, I started talking directly to the seller!

A quick bit about me I guess, I'm turning 29 in March, and am 6'3" and about 200 pounds, with next to zero martial arts experience. I had a very brief stint in Shaolin Kung Fu when I lived in Idaho, then I moved, and am currently looking at all my options locally before I look into traveling for training. Cost effective is key here, unfortunately. I have loved swords and pointy things my whole life, but have only recently (say the past decade) become interested in the oriental style swords, primarily the Japanese. I do woodworking, leatherworking, sewing of all forms, and I'm huge into Pets, I have 3 burmese pythons, small (6 foot, 20 pound albino female), medium (10+ feet, 60~ pound male), and Large (15 foot, 175~ pound female), 2 tarantulas, 2 ferrets, a dog, and a Dragon, or at least that is her Chinese Zodiac, my Girlfriend of 4 years.

I have learned the hard way the terrors and downfalls of sword like objects, and have advanced in my mentality in this subject to be the perpetual student, and never stop learning about them. I recently learned a few very nice, and new approaches to sharpening the same old swords, and now I'm looking for some good info on sharpening just the kissake.

I am out here in Olympia Washington, I drink beer and hard alcohol, and my own home-made honey mead in dry and sweet, I ride my bicycle for fun and for transportation when I dont need the car, and I travel to a very small forest copse to do my "Backyard" cutting. I've only cut my first one gallon jug with my Odachi just a month ago!

Thanks to all who read, and I hope I'll be around for a while!

Blessed Be, and may fortune and good luck smile upon thee!

Troy, a.k.a. 3y3EcE (Thrice, ala psuedo-1337, something else i'm slowly learning about, lolz!)

PS-Sorry I chat so much (here), but it's rare i'm around people who *love* swords, let alone know what they're talking about!!