Steves87

Thank you Ford, I can relate to your 'gummy' explanation quite well.

Good question, I often wonder if there is a way to tell unpatinated shakudo from unpatinated copper. Following thread!

Hi Robin, this one had interested me a fair bit, I cannot put my finger on it exactly, but it could be the diamond on mokko that I find mesmerising. Congratulations! That is a Tsuba I could view and ponder for hours

Thank you Ford, in perfect conditions that is no time at all! Jeremiah, you have a wonderful Tsuba here and I hope you can share any work that Ford will accept to carry out.

What time frame are we talking about? months, years, decades?

Wow 307.6!

Bought the Museum book, excellent work! Ive been able to see a few similar examples in the book of Tsuba designs I have wondered about. I have only done a preliminary flick through, but I can see hours of viewing pleasure from this, thank you!

Good point! Interesting...

Hi Ken, 2.55 but it is steel not alloy Iaito. Having said that my Tsuba is regular sized and my kashira is 'solid' for lack of a better explanation.which is another way of offsetting weight

I quite like this, I saw it last night and I'll be watching it! I have swapped out many Tsuba for balance reasons in the past. Bo-hi (or not), nagasa, nakago length, 'distal tapers' mixed with the actual applications of the final assembly (Iaido, Tameshigiri) a Tsuba at 155g is not a bad or weird thing. I of course, can only relate to modern times, but I can imagine reasons for it in the past also. To my very inexperienced eye, it almost seems the thick mimi was for the soul purpose of the nunome.

Hello! In the pursuit of trying to contribute something to the forum, I'd like to share this Jakushi style Tsuba with you. Yes, it has seen better days but I felt it was maybe different enough from the regular dragon style and even landscape style Jakushi that is often seen. Initially I was not a fan of this type but it has grown on me immensely. The human figures and possibly the house roof, are of shakudo and the nunome continues onto the mimi. The iron colour is almost exactly as the pictures show. My grandparents had a painting from HongKong very similar to this when I was a young kid, it was hung in the room I would board in when visiting. Im able to let go of Tsuba for sale generally, but the memories I get from this Tsuba, I feel I may never let this one go

Id love to help Robin, but im here to learn about it also. That is a wonderful Tsuba which id love to have myself, Congratulations and happy birthday!

Hello! on photos, I thought i might take the opportunity to test the waters a bit. Ive been trying to get an acceptable personal standard of posting pictures. Please can I have feedback (positive or negative) on below picture. Lighting, clarity and size of pic is what im trying to confirm. Ive found diffused white light with a neutral background gets the closest to actual Tsuba colour. The Tsuba above is actually more of a chocolate colour for perspective. Edit: I can see my cropping may be no good. I hope it is ok, i have posted this here. I can start a new threadif im out of line

already sold by the looks of it !?

Not the same, but somewhat similar. This is currently for sale on the internet. I can forward you a link if you are interested.

Are those two little guys Shishi?

Wow, great buys! I really like second one.

Thank you Mauro, I had not heard this expression before, ill be googling this shortly! Jean, it is a wonder, I agree! It seems only the moon has fallen off. Im fairly selective with my purchases (always have a reason to buy) and for the first time, in this particular case I actually bought this for the fire scale!? I like the locations and edge shapes of it, but more than that, the colour really threw me...

Hi Jean, I guess Im still surfing down in the lower value Tsuba more than i should, so it seems like a lot have it. One of my personal problems is I cannot relate to ancient times and way of life easily, so when I think of the rarity of fires nowadays, I automatically think of it as the way it's always been. I own one example attached here, but I was reading through old posts today and came across fire scale being mentioned a lot. Edit: so in short, i think you quite simply answered my question

Hello All, I keep seeing Tsuba with what people describe as fire scale. I know what fire scale is and I know how to create it and0 I know how to remove it. What I do not know or understand is why so many Tsuba have it? I mean, it is mostly the lower value Tsuba anyway, but why or how are Tsuba so frequently exposed to fire or such extreme heat that so many have it? If I could please be enlightened, I really feel as though fire scale seems to be on every second piece Cheers

This is a similar tsuba as per Alan's post. currently for sale (not mine - on online sales site)

Thank you Richard, I apologise, I did not realize it was a 360deg picture and again, great work! Interesting points on shows and meetings, I guess I haven't thought that far ahead as I'm still looking to attend my first for both, haha

Richard, this is a great example to help explain the 'cladded' style inlays (I apologise I cannot recall the correct name). The top decoration on the front is worth 10,000 words.

Thanks Richard, Generally I'm viewing these threads on a mobile devise and I sometimes miss or missunderstand key info (like the lacquer infills) due to the size of screen, but this time I have also not noticed the inlay as you point out above, how I missed it I cannot work out, but it is so obvious now. Initially I was thinking it was a partial/half loss of a single inlayed line and so a replacement piece was added in to make up the remainder of what was missing. I couldn't quite understand as I could not see any join, but standing back I see a whole piece was replaced (and maybe not necessarily in the same artistic style) and what you are also indicating is, due to lacquer age, is not a recent fix. Apologies for being so slow on this. I would love to find a study group to join, simple info like the 10% rule would be learnt in no time. I know of collectors, but I am unaware of any meetings that may take place. I feel a vast majority of my questions would be quickly and simply answered there. There is usually a Nihonto display show once a year here in Perth, which I have missed the past two years (been on while Im away), but hopefully I can attend this year to see what is available to join up to. I have often wondered about the 'Excellent' Tsuba we may not get to see, I can only hope that if we study for long enough, at some point the occasional piece will show itself. also, I quite like the rice bowls Tsuba you have, I am assuming the 'ropes' that finish at an edge on one side, continue to the centre on the other? cheers

Thanks Pete, when I first posted earlier I didnt quite understand, but it totally makes sense now... I didnt realize the lacquer was used as the fill with no soft metal replacement beneath. Untill today, I had no idea of this method of repair. It is great to know though as Im 100% sure I have seen this in the past but overlooked it. I question a lot of things, but I just didnt twig on this.