New Sword

Yes.
ā€ Telescopesā€ sound suspicious as hell
Well I can knowledgeably talk about astronomy if I they took it further. I know nothing of automatic rifles and making such jokes can get the police called in in Scotland!
 
Well I can knowledgeably talk about astronomy if I they took it further. I know nothing of automatic rifles and making such jokes can get the police called in in Scotland!
aren’t there security checks at train stations in the UK ?
Here they sat up airportlike security checks at train stations a few years ago, I brought along a Swiss Army knife the smallest model(hardly anything for any army work) and was stopped, had the toothpick sized army knife bagged and secured to wait for me to pick upp on my return.
How to bring a giant sword past the train station into the train in the UK ?
 
aren’t there security checks at train stations in the UK ?
Of course not! We’re a peaceful country with no crime at all!
Here they sat up airportlike security checks at train stations a few years ago, I brought along a Swiss Army knife the smallest model(hardly anything for any army work) and was stopped, had the toothpick sized army knife bagged and secured to wait for me to pick upp on my return.
Well the type of security a country has reflects their society. Scandinavia, the most civilised part of the world, doesn’t have airport style security in the train stations. But you can’t drink alcohol in a public place.
How to bring a giant sword past the train station into the train in the UK ?
TELESCOPE! šŸ”­ šŸ™„
 
Of course not! We’re a peaceful country with no crime at all!

Well the type of security a country has reflects their society. Scandinavia, the most civilised part of the world, doesn’t have airport style security in the train stations. But you can’t drink alcohol in a public place.

TELESCOPE! šŸ”­ šŸ™„
Amsterdam train station was full of police armed with HK mp5 sub machine guns.
 
Of course not! We’re a peaceful country with no crime at all!
once when I flew from London to Hong Kong, at the London airport security check everyone had to take of their shoes
Well the type of security a country has reflects their society. Scandinavia, the most civilised part of the world, doesn’t have airport style security in the train stations. But you can’t drink alcohol in a public place.

TELESCOPE! šŸ”­ šŸ™„
That’s why I don’t live in Sweden anymore, too much restrictions on important personal matters šŸ˜Žā€¦ā€¦.Here in the open society I live in now where strong liquor is available about everywhere I have come to barely touch alcohol anymore
 
once when I flew from London to Hong Kong, at the London airport security check everyone had to take of their shoes

That’s why I don’t live in Sweden anymore, too much restrictions on important personal matters šŸ˜Žā€¦ā€¦.Here in the open society I live in now where strong liquor is available about everywhere I have come to barely touch alcohol anymore
You could always immigrate to the land of the free… oh no wait, that’s not a thing anymore, unless you are Swedish of course…
 
That’s to protect the drug sellers from crazed tourists desperate for their wares.
Reefer madness? lol! The funniest thing about that place was the fact that almost half of their weed was from my county. It was so old and dried out as to be a comical representation. Also, I noticed that the same group of Moroccan guys ran most of these places except the Jamaican one. My wife was far more interested in exploring the red light districts at midnight. That was an experience, something for everyone apparently. The Dutch people were very nice, except when disparaging the Brits that visit and their drunken behavior.
 
Reefer madness? lol! The funniest thing about that place was the fact that almost half of their weed was from my county. It was so old and dried out as to be a comical representation.
Aren’t you supposed to dry it out before inserting it? What’s it’s shelf life?
My wife was far more interested in exploring the red light districts at midnight.
I went with my friends. I took them to an organ recital at the cathedral (J S Bach). They left me alone within minutes šŸ¤·šŸ¾ā€ā™‚ļø
The Dutch people were very nice, except when disparaging the Brits that visit and their drunken behavior.
I remember reading Pliny’s account of the British in about 40AD. He said all they did was drink [beer] and brawl! So it’s an old tradition.
 
Aren’t you supposed to dry it out before inserting it? What’s it’s shelf life?

I went with my friends. I took them to an organ recital at the cathedral (J S Bach). They left me alone within minutes šŸ¤·šŸ¾ā€ā™‚ļø

I remember reading Pliny’s account of the British in about 40AD. He said all they did was drink [beer] and brawl! So it’s an old tradition.
How would I know how long it takes to dry? Insert it? I guess that might be a British thing? Organ recital! Hahahaha! I get it! I don’t how long an organ recital takes, one could assume a few minutes is plenty. You Brits are kinkier than I had previously imagined.
 
How would I know how long it takes to dry?
You know!🧐
Insert it?
Well I don’t know šŸ¤·šŸ¾ā€ā™‚ļø
I guess that might be a British thing? Organ recital! Hahahaha! I get it! I don’t how long an organ recital takes, one could assume a few minutes is plenty.
No no! An actual organ recital…I’m a big fan of the ā€˜king of instruments’!


When I was in the train last week, a young slightly chubby lad got into first class and decided to sit next to me. He looked like he’d just risen from his bed wore a crumpled brown t-shirt and smelled slightly. I know I shouldn’t say this, but he looked like he was ā€˜on the spectrum.’ I was waiting for him to be ejected into standard class by the conductor but she looked at his ticket and all was well. Dammit!😔 I noticed his fingers moving as though they were dancing over an invisible keyboard; bloody gamer šŸ™„ I needed the loo so asked if I could pass by him. He let me pass, I went to the end of the carriage and had to return immediately. He looked surprised and let me sit again. ā€œDon’t bother trying to go to the loo, all access is obstructed.ā€ Then came a moment of recognition from me. This young lad looked familiar to me. After a few seconds I realised he was a famous (in musical circles) organ recitalist! I mean, he’s an exceptional performer despite his neurodiversity. We had a nice chat about Bach, Buxtehude, Chetman School of Music etc. Never judge a book by its cover…although doing so gives you a good idea of its price. 😐

You Brits are kinkier than I had previously imagined.
Oh you have no ideaā€¦šŸ˜ˆ
 
Blade in a shira saya. Blades are ā€˜rested’ long term in these wooden saya. There is no finish on the wood to allow the movement of air/moisture around the blade.

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Here’s the sugata or overall shape of the blade. Can you see the maximum curvature (sori) is slightly more to the handle (tsuka) end. This is know as ā€˜koshi sori’ and is characteristic of blades made in the Kamakura era (1185-1333) /Nanbokuchō (1336-1392). It allows for a higher end (monouchi) velocity when cutting.

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Uninformed katana fans tend to focus on the tempered border of the sword (hamon or in the US hah-moh). However, the true aficionado pays closer attention on the grain (jihada) within the folded steel. This blade has a truly incredible ā€˜mokume’ or swirling wood/tree knot grain. I have never seen a blade where this is as pronounced as in this blade. It is stunning!

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