Barrett Hiebert

Lex, I will put a deposit down to reserve it and make an affordable payment plan after my two wakizashis are paid off from Aoi Art if you are able to wait that long. Please check your whatsapp messages and NMB forum messages. I should of thought of this before I made the deposit to reserve the Aoi Art Fujishima wakizashi as a gift for my friend. I just hope no one is showing interest in such a blade and you'd be able to wait and we would be able to come to an agreement. For I know you know I'm honourable and dependable, true to my word and have the money coming in monthly assured from my lifetime government payouts monthly after military service in Afghanistan. Though I know you are super busy with work... So please get back to me as you are able, preferably as soon as possible if able. I would love this blade to be the Daito with the Aoi Art Fujishima Wakizashi being the Shoto for my good friend for his birthday, as they both have full bo-hi and would be a great interconnected theme. Both blades would be great gifts and it gives me a good philanthropic reason and excuse to study two more blades before gifting to my friend. Then I swear no more blades until more research is done and I save up for a Juyo piece and of course defer to your greater expertise, knowledge in doing so. Though I'd love to help you out more if you'd be so kind and patient to do so as per my finances permit. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Jussi, I agree entirely with you. Such a beautiful odachi. I'm glad you took pictures. I of course, as you know, have a love of odachi/nodachi as well. Though, as I've become more older, wiser and more familiar with what would be better suited to my shorter height, arm length, etc. I do tend to prefer blades that are congruent to such. My Nambokucho O-kissaki Nagamaki Naoshi or Nagamaki Naoshi Zukuri Katana with a nagasa length of 70.3 cms is average nagasa length and was the only blade I was thinking relatively to put on my back theoretically for an art piece. Of course I'm just less than 5 foot 6 inches so short and average height at the top end like the average Japanese throughout history. Of course I was just going to have it moved on to the back for an art piece, only as I had to jump on a Sekishu Dewa Sadatsuna Wakizashi shown here from Aoi Art that I am currently financing. As I absolutely fell in love with it. I'm so excited to have my first wakizashi. It didn't sell at auction so luckily it was available for financing/purchase. : D Such a blade is acting out of fashion for the time period hence why I love it. A total sleeper build. I especially love its flamboyant hamon with almost straight blade and multiple hada. https://sword-auction.com/en/product/29231/as25564-wakizashi-mumei-sekishu-dewa-sadatsuna-nbthk-hozon-token/#:~:text=AS25564 Wakizashi: Mumei (Sekishu Dewa Sadatsuna) (NBTHK Hozon Token) – 日本刀販売の葵美術 And while my 2nd katana, a Oei - Bumei Kaga Fujishima Sunzumari Katana was going to take the larger O-kissaki Katanas place on the obi, the Sekishu Dewa Sadatsuna Wakizashi was going to be in its usual place as the companion sword. See the Sunzumari blade below for reference. https://www.nihontocraft.com/Kaga_Fujishima_Koto_Katana.htm Of course also this wonderful Late Kamakura Ryo Hisanobu tanto I'm financing coincidingly from Lex will be in metezashi position on the left side. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/51709-kamakura-fumei-nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-tanto-attributed-to-ryo-hisanobu-with-koshirae/#comment-564294 Seeing as how my question was mainly for an art piece using my swords in it, I think it would be acceptable, though of course I'm sure drawing from the back wasn't done commonly as such would of been worn by a companion and drawn as you have described. Sam, Yes, I also agree with you knowing how bio-mechanics work in relation to limb length and weapon length, obviously. Though, in the last part of the video you've shown, it shows Atsu, the main protagonist character from Ghost of Yotei , ( an excellent game as is Assassins Creed : Shadows) , with her dominant sword hand throwing the odachi up by the hilt and then catching the bare blade at its lowest most exposed point and then withdrawing it completely from the back mounted saya. Of course again this can be done if you threw up the blade high enough out of the scabbard and then proceeded to grab the bare blade at its lowest exposed point to draw it completely then from the saya. Obviously this would take much skill and practice as would resheathing, but it can be done easier with a shorter blade without the need to grab the bare blade after thrusting up the hilt as high as possible. See video below. I have also seen it done as Skallagrim shows and he breaks it down in greater detail and analysis. Not quite as smooth as in the game by Atsu in Ghost of Yotei though obviously as for reasons stated, shown in the video. Furthermore an odachi can be withdrawn from the obi with the same technique as on the back seen here... fast forward to roughly 7 minutes time stamp to see what I'm talking about. https://youtu.be/hFVL0RzmbbI?si=5Q2yD-1gZIsL3QTZ Though of course if you had the wealth for an odachi/nodachi and the skill to use it you'd most likely, if not always, just have a companion who carries the blade that you would draw from. Just all food for thought. Thanks for your reply Sam. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Piers D. , I certainly agree with you. Speculative and situationally dependant obviously. Though for art purposes from the front I think I could get away with it. Obviously only the handle portion of the back mounted sword would be showing above the body and the ending of the saya would be showing below. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Furthermore... I've attached a picture for position of the tanto on the right hip in metezashi. Per its position in the front right, it definitely wouldn't interfere with the other three blades even if the right hip mounted tachi was worn edge up as a katana. So I think such absolute tooling would be good in theory. Of course the majority of the time certainly the tachi or katana on the back was just for storing when moving. Though I have seen videos of practioners who have practiced proficiently enough being able to draw the back sword easily enough and return to the back saya. So certainly interesting. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Robert S. , Yes, I agee. I also do think a tanto on the right side in metezashi or ebirazashi wouldn't be over tooling but just right. Just as long as no saya from each blade interfered with one another when moving. Best regards, Barrett

Forumites, I am just wondering... Would a samurai ever at all carry a katana and wakizashi in whatever zashi position , (heijo, kannuki, otoshi) , on their left hip in their respective obi, and also with a tachi in seoi-dachi on the back and finally a tanto in metezashi or ebirazashi on their right hip, side ? I just have seen a katana (tachi) and a wakizashi on the left hip and a tachi on the back in the picture provided. It wouldn't be too much a stretch to think they'd additionally have a tanto in their right side respectively in whatever position ? Thanks. Hopefully they did. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Dale and Jean C. , Thank you for the lovely examples. Always great to see. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Mauro Piantanida, Yes, thank you for finding me such. Perfect! Much obliged! I'll definitely be saving that one! Hehe. It's my favorite tsuba style! I don't think such would be a clothes shredder considering how wide and flat the cardinal point edges are. I'd buy it in a heartbeat if it was available and I could afford it. Thank you again for bringing a true itomaki gata type tsuba to my attention. Wishing you well. All the best. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Forumites, Thank you all for the replies. I do admit while I read all the replies I didn't know much what else to reply until now. While it has clearly been noted such a shape is a clothes shredder and hence why we barely , (or not at all) , see any real examples without rims I never thougth this would be the case of the "itomaki gata" if the spindle edges were wide enough and rounded or flat. Obviously I was basing this off the assumption that European medieval swords with their shorter to longer cross guards and "nagel" construction such as we see on the German War Swords, etc. that such would be okay for use, such as form follows function. Obviously I love the itomaki gata shape because it reminds me of a cross guard or nagel at each 4 corners or cardinal points to mimic a cross guard and nagel on both ends although on a flat plain horizontally. Of course I know the weapon guard developments are of two totally different cultures and form follows function but it has been an interesting query none the less. Thank you again to all who participated in this thread. It has been most enlightening. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Forumites, Probably a long shot but I'm putting it out there. I do absolutely love this wakizashi and if ever the owner comes across this thread I'd love to see if I could purchase it. The blade in question is below... https://www.nihontocraft.com/Kaga_Fujishima_Koto_Wakizashi.htm I also do have this Kaga Fujishima Katana and absolutely love it, but a slightly smaller wakizashi would be great to have. Just a little easier to use on the obi, sash theoretically below my daito. https://www.nihontocraft.com/Kaga_Fujishima_Koto_Katana.htm Also, if anyone comes across such a Oei to Bumei , (1394 - 1487) , longer wakizashi length, with relative 1.8 cms to 2.2 cms of curvature in koshi-zori as I love such, please do let me know. Thank you! Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Zoglet (Nich) , Thank you so much. Appreciate those measurments! I'm saving those pictures! Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Jacques, Yes, you are correct. Of course I know it is pure speculation as this hira zukuri blade being an odachi at the time of its forging but it is an exquisite example of its tsukurikomi. As long blades of this length and type are very rare historically. Such a blade looks like a sharp tongue or shark fin to me! I love how the lack of shinogi presents such a clear canvas for the hataraki, hamon, hada, etc. I value more seeing the surface detail over any type of fuller (s) any day ! I of course only being short at 167 cms, not even 5 foot 6 inches, would find this blade suitable to be used two handed. : ) Thanks for the discussion. Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Zoglet (Nich) , Thank you so much! I'd buy that blade in a heartbeat if I could! Such a blade in tsukurikomi of hira zukuri at such a length is very rare! The current owner most likely will never part with such a blade in his lifetime. Though... Do you have any more in depth specifications at all specifically : Moto-haba ? Saki-haba ? Moto-kasane ? Saki-kasane ? Weight ? Nakago length ? Thank you! Best regards, Barrett Hiebert

Nich (Zoglet) , Thanks for the reply and pictures! A beautiful blade. I'd love to have it if I could! If only if we had closer pictures. - Barrett

Forumites, Just wondering were there ever any evidence of hira zukuri odachi that were used in battle ? Best regards, Barrett Hiebert