ROKUJURO

It should absolutely be restored professionally. This will not work with alcohol or oil. f corrosion persists, there is a risk that inlays may fall out in the end.

This kind of random stippling is just easy to make, and many tools will be at hand for it. The above TSUBA with no SEPPA-DAI and made with a wrong tool (too sharply pointed) looks like amateur work to me. No machine needed, just a steady hand and some endurance. Generally, the use of mechanical machines is overestimated. For individual workpieces, you would have to make a work-plan, create an adjustable fixing device, and control the work progress. Non-flat surfaces remain a challenge. Modern CNC machines can do that easily but they are uneconomical with small series of only a few hundreds, and in comparison, all work-pieces will look exactly alike..

It will have to be something non-reflecting of course, and photos are best made in a dark room with only spotlights.

Jinsoo, we have a TRANSLATION section for these requests, and our experts will certainly look there to help you. With better photos on a dark background, it may be easier to read.

Than you Tim, I know that. I was puzzled as you used YAKITE in context with swords: ...what I was taught about sword kantei - look at the sugata, jigane and yakite.... and that was new to me.

In theory, practice and theory should be the same, but in practice, they are not. Generally, making good photos of swords isn't too difficult, but some practice can be helpful. Also, helping in identifying a sword from images is easier if the photographer knows what may be important. Not so easy for beginners in this field! Try to post images that are: - well focused, not foggy or blurry - made with a plain dark/black, non-reflective background for good contrast (not white, not patterned!) - made in a dark room, using spotlights - made with light from the side (may not apply to HAMON photos) - made directly from above (not at an angle) - made with correct orientation of the blade (straight vertically tip-upwards, especially NAKAGO photos) - without HABAKI, showing the MACHI and NAKAGO JIRI - made in high resolution to see details like BOSHI, HAMACHI, HAMON, HADA, NAKAGO JIRI etc. - presented as cut-outs so very little background is showing! Quite often, even when following all advice, the condition of a blade may not allow to see the necessary details on an image! Good photos do not depend so much on an expensive camera, a professional set-up, or on special skills, but mainly on observing the results. Only really good photos will be useful!

Hi Tim, what does YAKITE mean in this context?

Travis, it will be sad for you to hear, but this looks like a cast TSUBA with no collecting value. Do not be disappointed, there are many much better ones waiting for you out there! Looking at good TSUBA here on NMB, in books, and exhibitions will train your eyes soon so you can tell bad from good. Cleaning off rust with antler: Using powdered antler is obviously a misunderstanding. What you need are pointed pieces like those on the photo I am attaching. You can also use bone, ivory, or even bamboo. Removing red rust is good, but it will not restore a blade. You will need the help of a traditionally trained sword polisher for that. Do not attempt anything yourself! If you find a way to show your sword to a NMB member near you or to some dealers on a sword show, you will probably get more information on it.

Travis, welcome to the NMB forum! If you cannot see exactly what it is while having it in hand, these not so sharp photos do not help much. As Piers stated, there might have been a signature, but as there seems to be a second (distorted?) MEKUGI-ANA farther down, I would not exclude a massive forging action on the NAKAGO that could have blurred or erased any chiseled KANJI characters.

It is certainly not a bronze TSUBA.

Dear members, I need some kind help please for an assessment of this TSUBA. What tradition might that be? It is not as elegant and refined as HIGO in my opinion. Thank you in advance!

These are certainly not the 'natural colours' but the results of patination.

SASANO-SENSEI used pointed tools made of antler, bone, ivory or bamboo to scrape off red rust on iron TSUBA (see below). He also exposed TSUBA to humid air by hanging them out on a string. After some time, he rubbed them with clean cotton and carried them for a long while in the pockets of his trousers. He said the moisture evaporating from the body and the very light rubbing of the fabric resulted in a good and natural patina. On the other hand, Mrs. SASANO was angry with him about that method as she had to mend his worn-through pockets ever and ever again! He also recommended to handle iron TSUBA with bare hands while soft metal TSUBA should be handled with cotton gloves.

Many of the really early iron TSUBA like KO TOSHO or KO KACHUSHI were lacquered black from the beginning. Remains of the lacquer can sometimes be seen on them still today. Calabrese, you asked: ....Just for my personal edification, if it were urushi, how does it get removed, im assuming from your previous comment, acetone may not be enough.... Old URUSHI is something very resistant and cannot be removed easily. You will have to grind it off which is often not possible in case the surface is not completely even. Another possibility is heat. While URUSHI is relatively heat resistant up to more than 100°C, it will disintegrate with temperatures exceeding 200 - 300°C like any other form of plastic or organic substance. Thank you for showing the MYOCHIN TSUBA in full. It does not look cast to me at all.

Hi Calabrese, what can be seen on that single photo does look a bit suspicious indeed. I don't get the impression of a cast TSUBA, but I would not completely exclude it. There seems to be 'something' on the surface, but the gloss could also be the result of an intense but soft brushing with something like polishing compound. The usual solvents like alcohol are on the 'soft' side, so I would try acetone (don't inhale it!) to see if something like clear paint or wax will come off. Old clear URUSHI would indeed be quite unruly.....

Wax is a micro-crystalline substance which does not offer good corrosion protection if applied in a thin layer. It works better with a thick layer, but then the TSUBA will not be visible any more.....

In the long range, I hope this will happen. There are perhaps a few well-known smiths specializing in YARI which may narrow down the search. And of course, Ray and SteveM can read EVERYTHING....

Both look Chinese to me.

...and only one of all the Princes who had come from far and wide to take part in the contest could solve the riddle, and he married the King's beautiful daughter and later became King himself. And if they didn't die, they are still living a happy life.... That is a difficult task with these photos!

Hi Ron, it looks as if you got a beat-up WAKIZASHI - likely SHINTO/early EDO from the SUGATA - in former HAN-DACHI KOSHIRAE. As always, quality and conditition are what counts in terms of value; age is not very relevant. As George stated, it looks like a project sword, and your task as its caretaker would be to preserve it and prevent more damage. I don't see much rust which is a good thing, but a damaged SAYA is not a good protection, so have a friendly and competent NMB member near you have a closer look at your treasure and plan measures. Showing the sword to dealers on a sword show might be another possibility. Keep it dry and don't work on it yourself!

That is how we Westerners would see it. Japan is another world in which most people can do repetitive work for a lomg time without complaining. It is another topic, but you could compare that to medieval times in Europe when poor people were happy to have cereals/porridge to eat twice a day - and nothing else for years! Coming closer to the subject, the apprenticeship in a forge in former times often consisted in filing workpieces by hand to exact dimensions. Sounds like boring work, but it lead to strong arms and shoulders and a good sense of precision in the work.

The stroke count will only help properly in case you know how to write. As an example, KUCHI (mouth) 口 is three strokes.

TACHI MEI trying to look like KANEUJI? Questionable positioning and execution in my eyes.

No one said so, at least I didn't. I wrote "....NANAKO-JI or ISHIME-JI was often outsourced and done by young non-artisans...". Please remember that many TOSOGU-SHI saw themselves more as craftsmen than as artists. In addition to that, a good TSUBA by a famous maker is not devalued in case the super-fine NANAKO-JI was made by an apprentice or employee. Of course, we would never know.....

It's nothing I 'invented'. Ford told me, and I think I also read it somewhere. To me, it makes sense as this is repetitive work that can be learned (as well as tool and workpiece preparation). Ford did not say it was always done by helpers, but when the eyesight of the elderly masters diminished, it was even necessary.