Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Mark, thanks for this thread. Anything more ?

Thanks Jacques. Sometimes me too "have to have fun as I can". :lol:

*This* should have been the reply of a "very long time experienced particioner". Thanks for that Ted.

I knew you had to say this :D . Thanks I know the technical therm. I was sarcastic due to the fact Brian was supporting a mistake of yours.

These parts are not interested by the topic and you should know this. The hand is what slips on the blade, not the wrist. BTW the lower wrist (unarmored) is not protected by the Tsuba anyway, that's why it's a target. This works *against* the theory Tsuba act as a protection. Actually I was writing to avoid misconceptions for less advanced forumites and surely not to make you worry. I'm confident they can now make their own opinion. Of course I care less then nothing what *you think* I know about Katori Shinto Ryu

Guess both of you forget some holes placed either in the tachi's handle and in Katana's Tsuba *exactly* to hold... what ?... a string to avoid this very occurence? This doesn't work the other way around, toward the blade. And as per how much Japanese swords were used as trusting weapons in battlefield *against armor*... I'll skip. Ya know, is late for us kids...

I know, you're not the only one having long years of training under the belt, even if you're the only one that dare to use a Ryu name to achieve a predominant position in forum catfigt with the risk to put shame on it if you're wrong. And just to find how you're right : Seppa act as you quoted tsuba should do, absorbing shocks, and as per defending the hand with all your experience you should know that at least from Kofun the hands of warriors were armored needing no further protection (did I mention "evolution"?) until the Edo "dueling" period which seems you're still sticked to :

Strange idea of a "soft metal". And you belongs to *this* Koryu ? Sorry Jacques, I was under the impression you were serious. But it's obious you're yet again "having fun as you can". Iron Tsuba appeared much before the leather ones (as evidences tell us so far).

This is because most of the present-day Ryu focuses on duel *not* battlefield tactics. Soft metal ? This would rule out the mass of tsuba made of iron. Early Tsuba for Tachi used on battlefield were of laquered leather. Hardly the best material to parry or balance anything. It's undeniable that as a *secondary* purpose they can be useful in protecting the hand, but that's not what they were historically intended for. Some Ryu even teach the use of Nodachi placing one hand on a cloth wrapping the "forte", on the habakimoto, meaning the Tusba is useless in therms of protection in close-combat using long swords.

Lorenzo, as you can see John used Santa's reindeers to pick up a copy... :D

More about cats and mices contemporary armor http://jeffdeboer.com/Galleries/Catsand ... fault.aspx

I'm at work now and based in my second house in Venice for the night, so no catalogue available to watch at the period of Edo they belongs to. Guess Lorenzo, if read this, can give a more quick reply.

Thanks Ian. Just found on Samurai Archives (posted there as a joke) :

Hi Lorenzo. Not read the captions of the catalogue yet. Effectively it's small but not as the usual ones for indoor play.

The bow has been cut out from the pic. It's small, possibly to play indoor.

And this is for Ian (same as above. Giuseppe, the beers I owe you now are 2)...

Piers, got something for you. Sorry for the cellphone camera bad quality but while I was visiting the exposition my reflex was in the (dangerous) hands of my wife to take pictures of my children horseriding. :lol: The catalogue (recommended) has a much better picture but I know the curator and wantn't be disrepectful to his work (Giuseppe, whish you forgive this) .

And customers. Sometimes Rheinard breaks eggs in somebodyelse's pocket. Hope your resentment is not due to this but simply to good willing for newcomers..

Germans and Japaneses are renowned for their precision. That's why in WWII Italy was added to the Axis: to balance the matter. Results proved we balanced far too much... :lol:

I should visit more frequently the Tosogu section... Thanks for sharing, Jean.

Looks a good one Franco, thanks for sharing. Whish the pics were bigger to appreciate it even more.

:D

Piers, it's far ogg-topic for this forum... I'll venentually take postla stamps to be sent to you

Piers, this year is the 150° anniversary of the battle of Magenta (June 4th 1859) and we'll have Sarcozy and Carla bruni as hosts so guess the re-enactment should be even bigger then usual. If you like historical re-enactments I can pick up a "souvenir" for you (hardly something that belongs to Carla, sorry... :lol: ).

No, I use the traditional ones, but my mother and grandmother had.