ROKUJURO

Kin, this would have been a topic for the TOSOGU section. In my opinion. it is a tourist souvenir. I hope you did not pay much.

Florian, as far as I know, the above described technique has nothing to do with YAKITE KUSARASHI (or KUSARAKASHI) but it is the way to create TSUBA with a shallow design as in KAMAKURA BORI or HOAN style. Removing URUSHI after the etching is no problem as it is an organic substance. Not much heat is necessary to get rid of it. I once discussed YAKITE SHITATE and YAKITE KUSARASHI with Ford, and we shared the opinion that all information available on these techniques lacked metallurgical knowledge and were written/posted as assumptions only. But it is safe to say that YAKITE KUSARASHI is a chemical treatment of iron TSUBA using heat and acidic substances at the same time to speed up artificial corrosion on the surface. Depending on the nature of the used iron, different surface structures can be achieved. It is important to note that these processes do not necessarily need pure or concentrated acids as we know them in the West. If time was not important, natural sources of acids work as well. We know this from other cultures where etching has been a standard technique on weapons for hundreds of years.

Yves, to me this looks like an EDO era KACHUSHI style revival piece with a nice DOTE MIMI.

Hi Lex, looking at the KANTEISHO, I think I can read NAGASA: 2 SHAKU 0.9 SUN which would roughly match 63,4 cm

Nazar, for photos with good contrast, the darker the better!

I thought it was signed NAGAYOSHI? Not Nagaesi which is not Japanese.

Jeff, imagining the smith tried to make a "RAI KUNIMITSU" sword, what era and school characteristics would you expect? It might be very difficult to get clear evidence for a certain "faker"..

Ed, that is probably a question for the military members, not so much for the translation section. Generally, a dark background is providing a better contrast.

George, perhaps the first thing to learn is what we would call a "matching" KOSHIRAE might not be the same in a Japanese view. In fact, there are (often valuable) KOSHIRAE with TOSOGU en suite coming out of the hands of a renowned craftsman, but this is far from being common with all SAMURAI. As I have read, with "average" class SAMURAI, KOSHIRAE were put together following individual taste and available money, and easy-to-change parts like TSUBA, TSUKA, or SAYA were probably exchanged a few times in the life of a good sword. So, not even looking at the historical changes in general styles and use of a sword, there were many factors in the choice and combination of sword parts that we are not always aware of. In many cases, we have to learn about Japanese taste, about their mythology, religion, nature, tales and legends, folklore and customs, a.s.o. Just to give an example: in the West, we would consider martial symbols fitting a weapon, but in Japan, you may find a FUCHI with playing puppies, or a (matching !) FUCHI-GASHIRA set with a peaceful farm scene with hens, chicks, and a cock. So, studying and understanding Japanese beliefs, feelings, and taste in the historical and cultural context will certainly help. Reading books by Lafcadio Hearn might also help. I don't think there is a fast and easy way.

Short reply: Know what you are going to buy, and buy from trusted dealetrs.....

Hi George, looking at the motif, size and pins, it may be a KANAMONO for a tobacco or money pouch.

Luba, get into contact with our boss, Brian. He will tell what you could find and see in S.A.

Jaco, if ever you should happen to pick up something Japanese, please refrain from cleaning, grinding, or polishing! The patina is often a hint to age and value, so NEVER touch it!

Ed, the white background, photos taken at an angle or out of focus are not helpful.

Dale, the NAKAGO ANA of the decoration TSUBA does not look Japanese to me. Where does that come from?

MASAKUNI, TACHI MEI. I cannot read the fourth character of the date, but if you would use a dark/black, non-reflecting background, a dark room, and light from the side for all photos, all should be readable. No chalk on the NAKAGO!

John, if I remember correctly, John Wayne always had two.

Did you purchase it from a FUKUSHIMA or HIROSHIMA located collector?

Thank you Rohan, it is not on my computer screen, and as I can see all members' names except this one, I was a bit puzzled. I do not use a mobile phone for the forum. So all good in case you see it, in future, I can memorize WEI's name!

I am very sorry, but I don't see it on my screen. A technical issue on my side ?

Unless my monitor is defective, your name does not appear in your posts, so it would be nice if you could arrange for that. As we all get it done, it cannot be difficult.

W.H., please sign all posts with your first name so we could address you in a polite manner. It is a rule here on NMB. You can add your name to your profile, so it's very simple and convenient.

If you look for GURI BORI, you will find the same technique that is used for MOKUME GANE. It is a very nice little TSUBA! Perhaps a goldsmith who is familiar with TOSOGU can solder the fissures without it being too obvious? MIssing Ford and his competence here again.....

Hi John, as Florian states above, not having distinctive layers can be seen as positive, documenting a completely fire-welded TSUBA blank. Seeing three layers in the NAKAGO-ANA is probably more of a "relaxed" way of fire-welding, as in the context of protective qualities, it would not make much of a difference, so it is accepted as "typical" for many AKASAKA TSUBA.

Experimenting with the quenching/hardening process has limits. Steel made from TAMAHANE is quite pure in regards to alloying elements, containing only carbon as desired component. These steels need a rapid cooling to achieve a satisfying hardness. This is why traditional YAKI IRE (quenching) has to be done with (warm) water. Caused by the blast-furnace method at much higher temperatures, modern industrial steel inevitably contains elements like manganese and silica plus smaller amounts of chrome, nickel, and many others. This leads to a different "behaviour" of the steel in the quenching process as the temperature drop in the steel is increased, there are more carbides built up, and the hardening also goes deeper into the steel (pure carbon steels have an in-hardening depth of about 4 mm from each side). These processes are described simplified here; in reality, there is much more to say about it. Experimenting in this field is difficult because modern steel will suffer from a drastically increased risk of failure when quenched in water. On the other hand, traditionally made carbon steel will not harden properly when quenched in oil. Interestingly, warm oil will yield a FASTER cooling rate in quenching than cold oil. This effect can be explained by the lower viscosity of warm oil, compared with cold oil.