Thanks for visiting nihontocraft.com !

My name is Danny Massey. I have been collecting Japanese swords for over ten years and this web site is an extension of my Nihonto learning path. I hope you enjoy what you find here and feedback is always welcome.

I endorse the belief that the best way to judge the quality of Nihonto is for us to aspire toward an understanding of the properties that make a blade function well. Many of the aesthetic things one can learn to identify in a Japanese sword are often praised as beautiful with little or no explanation. I hope this site can convey the idea that, often, beauty is merely a by-product of the need to make a blade that doesn't break, doesn't bend and cuts well. I believe that quality can only be defined by these three parameters.

The items for sale on this site are either from my collection or consignments for fellow collectors. Why sell stuff? In order to gain knowledge, we need to study lots of swords. However, the expense of quality examples can make this pursuit very difficult. I do not buy a blade because I want to own the sword. Rather, I want to obtain the knowledge that I may gain from its study. Once this goal is achieved to the best of my current ability, I prefer to sell the sword so that I can continue my lessons with a new acquisition. This is why there is a for sale section on the web site. Please feel free to make inquires about these items or anything else sword related. I am always delighted to discuss Nihonto and offer assistance within the confines of my ability.

Mailing Address:
Danny Massey
P.O. Box 21142
Louisville, KY 40221
U.S.A.


E-mail :
nihontocraft@bellsouth.net