sure, Chris. I'll try again.
Okay. One more time, then.
I never advised anyone to do anything. Just went back and looked. I did ask the question about a local smith. You answered it.
Advice is given in different ways. You asked the question, yeah... and the question was good, and valid (from a non-practitioner who doesn't know the context or situation)... and you were answered. That, really, should have been the end of it... but it wasn't. You persisted, asking the same question again and again... always with the implication that your idea (of finding what you think exists, this imaginary "local expert") was valid and realistic... and was a course of action that could, and potentially should, be followed. That is you advising to look for this "local expert" in a field you don't know, where you can't even clarify how to identify one.
Other people, like Brian, suggested that a local expert would be incompetent. I pointed out that this would then, by definition, not be an expert. But I still didn't say anyone should or even that it's viable. Only that, if there's a person around, it's an option.
No, he didn't. What he said was that the "local expert" (your local blade smith) would likely not be cognisant of the actual requirements and aspects of Japanese blades (which is something I also said). You interpreted that as "incompetent"... although Brian never said that. Just that your local expert would likely not be expert in the right thing... because, when it comes to Iaito, there aren't any. And a blade smith is not the same thing at all.
In other words, your presentation of an expert isn't one in this context, which is what Brian really said.
Other people, like jks, said that there aren't many guys who could do it. I didn't disagree with that at all. He's probably right. But if there is a local guy, why not look into it? May not make sense, but that's not for me to judge.
The problem is that it does make sense... if there is one, sure... but the catch is, there aren't any. That's the issue. This is why your idea is unrealistic... it doesn't match the reality... there aren't any "local experts" making Iaito. This is where your entire thought pattern falls down... and you have no argument, as you don't have any idea what is actually needed, or what would constitute a "locally sourced" iaito... or even what makes a particular item an iaito or something else.
Other people, like hyoho, have said that buying an iaido is a personal, spiritual thing. And that you work with smiths, not vendors. I pointed out that, where money is involved, the person could be both. but I never challenged any of his other statements.
IaiTO is the sword... IaiDO is the art... and, again, no, that's not what he actually said... he was discussing a shinken at the time, not an iaito (while that is still a fairly personal thing, it isn't to the same degree, particularly on the spiritual side, as a shinken... particularly not for a beginner, as the OP was/is)... and was discussing the differences between a simple reseller and dealing with a craftsman. I likened it to buying art... as that's really the closest thing to this.
Bottom line, there is a difference between "local expert" is probably cost prohibitive and they aren't all that common, and "local experts" don't exist and if you buy one locally it will be junk. You and others came around to the former, the long way, but started with the latter. And now, you're taking my comments out of context, and trying to rewrite my words so that they say something they didn't.
I will spell this out for you slowly.
Local experts for an Iaito (maker) do not exist. There aren't any. Forget the "differences" centered around price... that was dealing with a smith who would make a shinken (live blade) for you. This is not that. It has been said again and again... an Iaito is not a cutter. It is not a shinken. It is a different piece of equipment, and is made differently, with different material, and different methods. At best, you may find someone locally who can look after the fittings (tsuka-ito, saya perhaps...), but that is all.
And I have taken nothing out of context, Steve. You know how you can tell? Because I don't cut up and only answer select parts of your post... and I don't try to decide which of your words are more important or relevant than others to the discussion... I answer the whole damn thing. But if you feel that you are being taken out of context, please provide examples.
Frankly. It just seems to me that you are so used to hiding what you mean in too many words, you read hidden meaning where it doesn't exist.
I don't hide anything like that, Steve, it'd be pointless. You really should try reading what I write, rather than deciding what I'm saying (and how I'm saying it) before you start... as you seem to agree with others saying the same thing as me...
Do you want to try again? No matter how many times you tell me what I meant, it's not going to change what I actually meant. I know you'd love to catch me pretending to know things I don't, but that's your gig, not mine.
Garbage. You tried dismissing my input as "largely speculative". Please explain how, with absolutely no idea of the topic, the situation, the availability, the requirements, or even what was needed on a basic level, you could dismiss my comments as speculative without trying to put yourself as having some idea of what you're talking about.
Frankly, Steve, one of the big differences between myself and yourself is you pretend you're not offering uninformed commentary and advice, feigning that you'd "never pretend to know something you don't", and I speak on subjects I do know about... which is a fair bit broader and deeper than you seem to be able to believe. That, Steve, is your failing, not mine.
Not a lot of local experts hanging around in any State here in the US that will be able to make an iaito properly. If they are qualified I would expect them to be making Shinken and even then I personally would be skeptical buying a live blade from them. More than likely the OP would spend a lot of money on some thing that was not appropriate for his study of iaito. It is so much easier to listen to your teacher and get his/her advice on the iaito that they recommend. The advice given by Hyoho, Chris, pgsmith, myself, etc. is very sound and we are all trying to save the OP from wasting money.
Yep. In fact, due to the manufacture process of an Iaito, I know of exactly no-one in the US making them... it's simply too cost prohibitive to make them as one-offs... especially considering the selling point of them. Shinken are a different issue, of course, but that's the point... we're not being asked about shinken...
And the money issue I acknowledge. My only point was, and maybe I am anal retentive, is that I always look at all available options and then do a cost/benefit analysis. The "no stone unturned" kinda mindset. This doesn't mean you chose what is under every stone, only that you check under em.
There are no available options in the sense that has been discussed. Seriously, I don't know how simpler to put that... there aren't any. Frankly, it's simply a waste of time and effort... believe me, if there were locally available quality Iaito, we'd know about them. There aren't.
Can we get that now? And stop suggesting looking for one?
