Ruben

Ok Garry, thank you for posting a picture. I often questioned my self if soft metal like shakudo or copper alloys cause some damage to iron or steel if its conducted. But obviously not, or not much in long term. Greetings ruben Abducted

Hi Gary, is the sword mounted with a soft metal tsuba? Greetings ruben

Hi James, is it a very old? Greetings

Hi Oli, also there is not much meat left on this one, just imagine how it looks after polishing and repair. It´s not worth to polish it anyway, someone would have done it before. Greetings ruben

Not bad Bruno, thanks. Had itchy fingers for a moment !

Thanks Jean, indeed it looks like smoke. From where did you now it references to the Genji Tale? I´am just asking out of interest. regards ruben

Nara Tsuba Ito Tsuba all the Ito tsuba I saw or have show the same kind of iron. It tends to corrode rather easily. reagards ruben

Hi Richard, thats interesting, seeing this two common themes on one piece. Thank you. In my iron tsuba research I often stumble over nearly indentical pieces and I kinda like to compare them. I will post some when I find out how to add other pictures and if it´s of interst. Greetings!

Thank you Arnold, they look different than on many others, I was wondering about letting so much space on one side, but this seems to give a good fit. regards Hi Florian, thanks, I´am realy into the kage(negative) sukashi, started a small collection cause of it. Greetings Thank you Bruno, a very "Samurai like" theme tsuba . Greetings

Hi Gentlemen, thought I will share my newest acquisitioing, nothing fancy but it has somthing to it that attracts me. I´am not realy a tosogu guy at all, but I fell in love with simple iron tsuba, Bushu Ito in paticular. This tsuba is not an ito tsuba, I couldn´t find out what it is. Clouds(Kumo) are a common Japanese motive and can stand for change for example. Saw some older tsuba with similar design in the past. Look for the wind at the first cloud, it´s so faint that it just appears in the foto. In hand the tsuba looks dark. It´s about 6,5 cm in diameter and 4,5 mm thick, shape is round, kaku mimi. Maybe someone can give me a hint what it could be, or saw a late edo tsuba like this before? Greetings ruben

Dear John, I like it very much, great sugata, exactly my taste! Congratulations! ruben

Hi Gentlemen, for me this sword looks like a shortened katana or at least o suriage blade. Just wanted to mention, cause nobody did before I think. Greetings ruben

Thanks Guido, I will not touch the kodogu. Have to wipe the iron tsuba from time to time cause it came back rusty from the koshirae maker.(was a 3 years nail-biter project, better to don´t name someone,... ) I dont want to touch the nakago with my sweaty hands, it looks pretty fresh for over 150 years age. The koshirae is new made and not juyo level, should be, but its not that well made. It was not an easy project, but the idea was to use it as shinken for Iai. Greetings ruben

Hi Guido, its new made koshirae, but with old fittings. The menuki are not very special or old, and the rest will not get touched anyway. I have gloves as well, when touching the nakago I always wear one. Kashira is made of horn. Its a "good user sword", but it will not be used often, not in dojo anymore. Anyway cutting with it is taboo, its to precious to me. The thing is I got pretty sweaty hands. Same is also lacquered, to protect the tsuka from moisture. Greetings ruben

Hi Gentlemen, on shirasaya you see from time to time some washi wrapped around the tsuka. I wanted to ask if someone knows when done on koshirae- tsuka, its also paper than? Cause I wanted to do it on my handle (deoskin). It´s getting worn out so fast, from just touching it 3 times its clearly visible (also with clean hands ). Especially were the right hand is placed, that will look ugly in future. If it were all over ok, but the right hand is more in use when viewing the sword. I will use it with both hands at times as well, eventually the right hand side will get shabby faster. Best regards ruben

Hi Peter, interesting find. I never expected such mountings. If they are "native"??? An expert could tell this by shape maybe, I just now that some similar shapes were found in the Sahara. But there are not too much different possibilitys when making such an arrow head. What kind of stone can this be? Who nows!? (Once I tried to make some, I wastet 3 kilos of Japanese obsidian, got 3 or 4 arrowheads out of it,... and a lot of cutting my self But it´s not that hard if some one got the right tools and enough material.) Ps: seems like the tail end were it meets the arrow shaft is broken off, typical for arrowhead findings :D Maybe the owner/ owners of tsuka were bowman as well. Also they fit perfect on the tsuka, I didn´t think about that at the first look. Greetings ruben

Hi Jacques, I belive in the example above it´s the opposite, but I´am not 100% shure. It depends... Greetings ruben

Hi Jacques, has it somthing to do with the Tachi- kashira (old swords), cause it´s low in this case? Greetings ruben

I think the tightness of the nakago fit is much more important than the length of the tsuka. Tsuka length comes down to what is the most comfortable and practical for the swordsman (I would think)... 1. Softness is not a main concern in carving wood... 2. Soft woods do not necessarily break more easily... Honoki is known to be firm and strong, while still easy to work with. It carves well because it has regular/even grain structure, and doesn't splinter (or break) easily. Also, its lack of sap is easy on sharp tools... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_obovata @Chris- It makes me wonder how much (or how) they actually used their swords in combat to have the tsuka (and mekugi) BREAK. I would think the sword would break before a properly made, properly fitting, tsuka would - unless it wasn't fitting and rotting apart from exposure, like you said. But it doesn't seem like a second mekugi-ana would help the breakage factor (tsuka breakage or sword breakage)- only the safety factor. Also, many 2-ana tsuka were used with steel screw mekugi. You wouldn't think those would need a back-up. All that said, I'm sure you're right and those were the reasons, even if they don't completely make sense to me ... Regarding the tightness of the nakago, ok that´s maybe also a factor. You will end up with a thicker tsuka, the fuchi and kashira must be also bigger than. In the end it´s stronger,... or wrong(weak)/ ugly fit . Wood react different on tensile/compression- stress, but lets say Honoki is a nice material, otherwise the sayashi´s would have used different. But the tsuka lenght shouldn´t be much more than the actual nakago, otherwise it´s a weak point created were the nakago ends combined with a long lever arm... bad idea ! I think also that a second mekugi wouldn´t help the breakage factor. For just cutting down flesh and bone without armor, maybe an old rotten tsuka will do the job as well. But when popping off from a helmet for example is total different force. Cutting through somthing will not destroy the handle or sword. Ken, in kendo taiatari is making contact with the fist´s (left one is pushing) to reduce distance after/before attacking, not to knock over in the first place. Of course if someone is in waek stance he will be pushed back or fall down. To finish someone in that way you have to do it like Shinmen Musashi, ramming the left shoulder in the opponents chest to kill him . At the last event I saw two fat guys clashing together, one shinai totally broke in half. It happens, for shure thats not good for real swords either. In a real fight you will not wait in taiatari to shake a leg. I would instantly give a love bite with the dagger , thats very simple and fast! Greetings ruben

Hi Tobias and Gentlemen, I think in many, or lets better say in some cases, if a sword got new koshirae/ tsuka it was easier to drill a hole for the craftsman rather than go the other way and making a perfect tsuka/ mekugi fit. But shure this depents on the shape, in some cases it was "necessary". Regarding the strenght issue, Honoki wood is very soft, easy to work with, it´s more like a base material for the rest of the koshirae. The tsuka length has to be in the right proportion to the nakago of the sword, otherwise it will not last long when in useage. For just going out it deosn´t matter much. What gives good strenght is, when the Same goes around the tsuka, reinforced by the tsuka maki (silk is pretty tearproof). Just small strips on each side is easier to do, but not that strong. I belief one Mekugi should/ can be enough, also for bigger swords with longer nakago. Greetings ruben

Don´t speak nor understand much of Japanese language thanks to my lazyness, maybe someone can help out!? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dsymby1wEs Greetings ruben

Hi Gentlemen, interesting examples :lol: . The Hayashizaki Ryu I found is very intersesting, old lore and stylized. Must say its hard to understand this kata in detail, even as a good swordsman, I am shure,... its an other tradition just. I studied Musō Jikiden Eishin Ryū and also with a huge sword, we were forced to do it, that was not funny at all some times. And it goes back to Hayashizaki interestingly, but thats long time ago. Lets say good that it survived, there is I belive Hayashizaki´s sword as well. I heared he himself was wearing his sword adge up first to take revenge for his fathers death, who nows? Tanaka Sensei,... I don´t now But he is showing some massive sword´s. lol Sekiguchi Sensei is or was a good swordsman, no question. His sword is soo huge for his size (hira-zukuri), that his saya´s get broken, it happens cause its difficult to handle. Greetings ruben

Dear Ken, 14 iches... about 35 cm... that is huge, it is a sword for two hands, made for primary two hands. But how does it look like? A picture would be nice of course. Is the nakago straight, I suppose not!? Greetings! ruben

Hi Ken, interesting topic again :D . May I ask why it should have a tachi mei? For an Uchigatana it´s long maybe, but in general 32" nagasa shouldn´t be a problem, regarding strength and the drawing issu . Greetings ruben

Dear George, what you don´t want in Iai for example, or rarly seen is sword´s with "too much" Sori. It becomes little hard to make "noto", especially a deep torii Sori would be hard. Of course its possible, but it will result in some little diffrent motion. You have to ask your self, what is a good technic and why, hard to answear though... There is so much out there, and also much crap. You must find out your self, as it is in every martrial art. 90% of the people claiming to be someone and knowing somthing, but if you bring them in a situation were they must show .... Regarding your sowrd, it is very short. I´am pretty shure it is intended for one hand use/ as well or the soldier was just a short person. I would use it as shoto, but I´am 188cm. I think sword drawing comes interesting after a length of 75-80 cm Nagasa. Everything under it is not a big deal, possible with bad technic as well. When it comes to 90cm plus, just the arm length is not enough, you will understand to use your hip more. (Tai Sabaki) Greetings ruben