Andi B.

How many Ko-Hoki Yasutsuna blades are known/existing today? There was one to be inspected at the Tokyo sword museum on 31/10/19 - does maybe someone who was also present there knows more about this blade?

I suspect these on the images are one big strand only and then carved to a rope appearence (???). Hard to make...

Could this be caused by inertia forces when you draw your sword very fast over a long period?

Good to know. I'm fully equipped now.

Steve, working with urushi (or any other lacquer which requires clean air) is not an option for me...living with these fleecy fellas under one roof.

Ian, thanks a lot for this answer! (I know a small shop which sells this stuff in various forms...:-))

Hello, I want to maintain an urushi lacquered zunari kabuto and hanpo. There is some damage on the bowl and minor spalling on the edges so I asked myself (now you) if there is any reversible method to stabilize these damages. Cleaning and minor conservation should be sufficient (at the moment I don't want let these pieces fully restored...I have no problems with the used look). Is there any transparent soluble lacquer which could be used on the brittle spots (with Q-Tip)? And how can I refresh the shine? (I don't want to do anything which would cause unnecessary work for e.g. David Thatcher...or would lead to a lifelong NMB ban)

Black Tigers...

(But be careful with cloves and fine inlays not to tear them out...) Is it possible to 'repair' spots only? I know completely repatinated iron tsuba which look great again but I fear that is - if any - 'acceptable' only for low price tsuba without any original patina...

Thanks for organizing these events!

For transport (limited time) I put the tsuba in bubble wrap bags and then in the boxes. I don't worry about dropping the boxes - at least not more than worry about dropping a naked tsuba or a tsuba in a wooden box...

Maybe as an idea: I use data cartridge cases to transport tsuba. They have nearly the same size as wooden boxes.

Thanks BaZZa, I'll have a look at the link! (In my books lots of images are there of Kinko and/or iron tsuba with plain descriptions of the designs only...)

Hi Brian, Years ago - before realizing that collecting Nihonto & Kodogu is an option - I thought I have to make fittings etc. on my own. During this DIY time I had the idea to etch nanako ground by using a copper sheet coated with photo copying laquer, a printed tranparent foil made with the PC and a facial tanner for exposure. Eventually I didn't used it for fittings because the time changed and I converted to the real thing...Halleluja!

Hello board members, I grabbed this kogai in passing but I wonder, if it is made by hand. For my untrained eyes, the shape of the warabite is very strange and looks somehow cast or embossed... And the uniform nanako ground looks very suspicious too. It reminds me at my own nanako etching tests a decade ago (before knowing and appreciating the real thing). I don't know the quality range of real kogai so I'm unsure, whether this is still authentic or a kind of replica. Can someone please enlighten me?

Great blades, great tsuba, great people! I enjoyed the entertaining debate about artistic value of kinko vs. old iron tsuba - you won't find these thoughts in books...

...I can share this blurry one...

Reminder: the armour exhibition starts today...

I remember having read that split shira saya can be closed by moistening the gap (actually the dried and broken rice glue in the gap) and then by pressing the gap till the reactivated glue is holding again. Rubber Bands can leave ugly marks on the wood if left there for years...

...I don't know much about wabi and sabi... But I like this piece, BECAUSE it it has no decoration and is a simple plain Tsuba with an aged surface...it FEELS good in hand...

Hello, from Utrecht Samurai Art Expo I brought this (mu-mei) Ko-Kinko Kogai. Design is pomegranate and a clove. I'm not familiar with Kogai, so I'm interested to learn a little bit more about e.g. which main categories/schools do we have (Ko-Gotô, Ko-Kinko, Ko-Mino,...?) and what are the differences. I heard, that e.g. the Warabite and the shape of the "shoulders" have some importance to judge a piece, but of course I have no clue, in which way... Any input (general and regarding this piece) is welcome! Thanks!

That's why I ask... Wax will “freeze“ the appearance so I want to find the intended balance of luster and copper patina before applying. Will shibuichi also naturally age? I think, shibuichi is artifically patinated and so it can be preserved but not restored...(?)

I think it's shibuichi...

Here they are:

Hello, I want to protect some of my tsuba with Reaissance Wax. But before applying I would like to know, how e.g. copper inlays should actually look like. Below octopus is relatively dark at the moment. Should it be slightly cleaned before to look a little bit more vivid?