Dan tsuba

From the above post- "Ich auch nicht, Peter. Du warst nett und ich habe es geschätzt! Dan ist ein Unruhestifter" Google translation- "Me neither, Peter. You were nice and I appreciated it! Dan is a Troublemaker"

So, there we go! Stephen said I was stupid (although I never said the tsuba was made in the Edo period, only carbon dating can prove that). And then Jean (always good for belittlling people-he probably considers himself one of the gate-keepers of this forum) stated that I am blind! Thanks guys! Do you know what KMA means?! No? Figure it out!

I don't know! I can't see a cast sekigane in the pictures. All I see is tagane-ato. It doesn't matter. Matt has shown that a tsuba that appears to be hand forged is actually cast. What is the problem? We can debate age of the tsuba and no one will ever figure it out! This tsuba stuff is a mulit-million dollar a year world wide business! No one will admit anything for fear of disrupting the status quo! Let the downvotes continue!

No! Tagane-ato could have been added with the cast iron tsuba annealed and re-heated. What Matt has shown is that a tsuba that appears to be hand forged is actually cast iron! And no, we don't know when the tsuba was made. Unless carbon dating is done, the flat-earthers will always be out there! My opinion!

OMG Matt! Super cool! So what do you think the results show? I mean the tsuba looks like it could be hand forged, but evidently it isn't! Are you just a rebel like I am? Do you have any idea what your experimental test will show to others? Remember, you are messing with a multi-million dollar a year world business! So do you agree with my posts on this thread or not? You said the sekagane are cast with the tsuba. Did you mean the tagane-ato punch marks? I don't care! Just the fact that you did the experiment is great! Get ready for the downvotes! Thank you so much for taking the time to verify what I have been trying to tell others for almost 3 years! Onward! With respect, Dan

So, it was stated in a previous post here by a member that- “I do respect your interest in this field but it honestly feels like you're trying to ram it down everyone else's throats.” Remember, nobody is forced to read this thread! People are doing that all on their own! If they feel that I am ramming the information down their throats, then just don’t read the thread! Simple! Onward!

Hi Curran. Merry Christmas! Your tsuba looks like some sort of water wheel. I will leave the cast or hand forged aspect of it alone (don't need any more downvotes!). Ha, ha, ha, ha, etc!

Off topic here! Hey Sam, As stated in the first couple of pages of my book (and on the back cover which you were so kind to post), only my posts on this thread are included (and not even all of them), no one else's posts. As you stated "Is it all just your comments, minus the dissenting opinions and viewpoints discussed here?" Yes, that is how it was done. No information was collaborated from others posts on this thread. Now, can we move on! Merry Christmas!

Thanks, Dee, for letting me know that some people are overly obsessed with finding out information about someone else! Heck, I should feel honored that you were so interested to find out information about me! Thanks! Also, several people review their own stuff on Amazon to generate interest. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, so why must you belittle me for doing it? I mean it seems to me that you are really trying hard to put me down, by posting all the stuff that you did about Amazon! And thanks for your post referring to both my books. Maybe now someone will actually purchase one copy of either of them on Amazon! Although forum members can get more information just reading this thread. Ha, ha, ha, ha, etc! Maybe next time, it would just be better to keep the background information you find out on people to yourself. How many others on this forum have you found out information about? And yes, this thread is probably an obsession with me (more like a passionate interest in a subject). But who are you to say that it is leading nowhere fast! Also, I am very confident about my own theory and argument. Hey, when you have authored a thread that has generated a whole lot of interest (with over 30.8 thousand views) then maybe you will be speaking from experience! Merry Christmas!

Hi all! So, Dee in her post stated- “I do respect your interest in this field but it honestly feels like you're trying to ram it down everyone else's throats.” Just trying to point out that I think there were other methods and alternate ways of making tsuba in the Edo period besides hand forging. Maybe this thread may keep a collector from spending a small fortune on something that turns out later to be cast iron. It has always come down to non-invasive metallurgical testing (which is too expensive to do nowadays). So, developing a good eye may be the only way to determine cast from hand forged. Also, it has been stated (somewhere in the beginning or middle of this thread) how cast iron can be annealed to make it less brittle. Then it could be re-heated, so maybe tagane-ato punch marks could be done on cast iron? The lasl couple of posts have asked me to do a punch mark or hammer test on cast iron. Of course doing that the results would be obvious, the piece would crack and break. How about those that asked me to conduct that test do a test of their own? Take a piece of cast iron. Anneal it. Then re-heat it and try to put tagane-ato punch marks in it. Remembering that some of these tsuba craftsmen were specialists (maybe going back 2 to 6 generations (?) or more in some families) in heating and working metals. I would figure that they knew a lot more than anybody else does that makes a tsuba today. Onward!

Hey Michael, I am not sure if that tsuba is an authentic Edo period antique, or if it is a modern copy. Other members will let you know that. But, a tsuba does not have to have tagane ato punch marks around the nakago ana. The tsuba could have been only used on the blade that it was originally made for - perfect fit, no punch marks necessary! Or maybe it was never mounted on a blade (possible but probably a rare thing that it was never mounted). Onward!

I just can't help posting papered tsuba that appear that they were cast! Below is a tsuba that is papered. What do you think? Cast iron or not? I have circled the questionable areas in red that appear as casting flaws (maybe you can find other casting flaws?). Would a hand forged and carved tusba have those flaws? Onward!

Hey Michael, Welcome to the wonderful world of tsuba colllecting! Once you get started, you can't let it go! Amazng things to figure out and a world of knowledge and expertise awaits you. Remember that the members of this forum are more than happy to help you out. For a quick reference to the names and parts of a tsuba I refer you to the below link- https://www.hanbonfo...ifferent-tsuba-parts Onward!

Hey Michael! Welcome to this great forum! The tsuba look real (authentic tsuba) to me (but I could be wrong on some of them, other members will tell you more). Some of the tsuba have good tagane ato punch marks around the nakago ana (center triangular slot-indicating that the tsuba was hammered with those punch marks to fit the tang of the blade). And some of the tsuba have sekigane (copper or another metal filler) in the nagako ana indicating that the tsuba was mounted on a blade (probably indicating that the tsuba was mounted on more than one blade). Also, some of the tsuba show wear marks where the seppa (small copper washers) left their wear marks around the nakago ana (again indicating that the tsuba was mounted on a blade). Anyway, just my opinion and I could be wrong! Onward!

Hey Dee! Very interesting! How did you know I have a Jeep Gladiator Overland? Before I pass, I will just load up my Jeep with all of my tsuba and other stuff and let one of my kids drive it away! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, etc!

Thanks, Dee, for the pictures of that painted tsuba! Yep, that tsuba appears to have been painted and the person probably thought it was easier to paint it than clean it! But I don’t think flaking paint is shown on my tsuba (again picture included below). I still think that it shows a flaking of a softer metal that was applied over a harder metal, or some sort of galvanic corrosion. Anyway, the seller hasn’t shipped it to me yet from Japan. When I receive it I will take pictures with my digital microscope and try to figure out what was going on with that tsuba. Onward!

Hey Derek! Yes! But don't tell anyone. Just eliminate your post! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, etc! Onward!

Hi Tony! Thanks for the interesting information. Much appreciated! But I was just floundering around on the internet again and I found this when I inquired if molten cast iron can be poured onto steel- “AI Overview Learn more Yes, molten cast iron can be poured onto steel, as long as the steel is properly prepared to withstand the heat and potential thermal shock; however, this is typically done in controlled industrial settings to create specific composite materials or for specialized applications, as the different properties of cast iron and steel can lead to issues like cracking or warping if not managed carefully. Key points to consider: Temperature difference: Molten cast iron has a lower melting point than most steels, so the steel must be preheated to a suitable temperature to avoid rapid cooling and potential cracking. Mold design: When pouring molten cast iron onto steel, a proper mold design is crucial to ensure controlled solidification and prevent uneven stress distribution. Application: This technique might be used to create a bonded layer of cast iron on a steel component, providing wear resistance or improved surface properties.” Interesting stuff! I have read that some tsuba craftsmen were like alchemists in how they could mix and fuse different metals! Maybe something like that was done on the tsuba that I have pictured on my previous posts? Or maybe not? Just guessing here! But that tsuba does intrigue me and raises questions. I will try to find out more when I receive the tsuba and can take pictures. Onward!

Thanks Alex and Jean! Now that is interesting. A galvanic reaction (corrosion). This is part of an article that Alex referred me to with his link in his post- “When you connect two dissimilar metals, you can have what is called galvanic or bimetallic corrosion due to the different electrochemical potential of the materials. In order to have corrosion you need to have an electrolyte in which the two metals are immersed. The electrochemical potential depends on the type of electrolyte, eg in sea water is different from potable water. Copper and Carbon steel, the reinforcing steel are usually a carbon steel materials, if connected and immersed in an electrolyte will give you galvanic corrosion, copper will be cathodic and not corroding while carbon steel will be anodic and corroding.” So, why is there more delamination on the omote side of the tsuba shown in the original post on this thread than on the ura side? Well, maybe it could be because the omote side of the iron tsuba is attached to the blade by a copper seppa and that seppa rests against the tsuba and tsuka. Now the tsuka would apply more pressure over a larger area on the omote side of the tsuba than the ura side of the tsuba which is attached to the blade using a copper seppa which rests against the smaller pressure area side of the habaki and the tsuba. So, when the galvanic reaction occurred, it would occur over a larger area of the omote side of the tsuba than the ura side of the tsuba? Just as shown in the tsuba in the original post (pictures included again below for easy reference). But then again, as Alex stated- “…...that when copper and steel are in close contact there can be issues with corrosion under the right circumstances. Though then i wonder why we don't see it more often.” Anyway, just some more interesting stuff. We will see when I receive the tsuba and get it in hand! Onward!

Thanks Thomas and Stephen! So, first to Stephen. Yep, I already viewed that video about inlay. It was very interesting! Now to Thomas. Very nice daisho tsuba that has been lacquered. Wow! Do you have any pictures of a lacquered tsuba that has motif carved on it? I would find that very interesting to view pictures of a tsuba with a raised motif that has urushi on it. Onward!

Hey Derek! Thanks for the information. Found urushi on the internet- "Urushi" (漆) in Japanese means "lacquer," specifically referring to the natural sap from the urushi tree which is used to create a highly durable, glossy coating in traditional Japanese crafts; essentially, it's the Japanese word for lacquerware made from this tree sap.” Hey, who are you calling a sap! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, etc. (I crack myself up!). Spartancrest did mention the possibility of urushi in his first post to this thread. I am still interested if anybody has pictures of a tsuba with urushi or a thick patina. Anyway, bought myself a newer digital microscope that will magnify from 10 to 200X (only about $45.00 with shipping) that will work on my newer laptop. Can’t wait to get the tsuba shown in my original post here and post pictures of the delamination, or whatever it is! Onward!

O.K., maybe you can teach this old dog new tricks! So, I was looking around on eBay and found a tsuba that I think has patina that has flaked off it or been worn off. I have included pictures below with the areas of the flaked off patina circled in red. My question is – is that patina that has flaked off? Or is it something else? If it is patina that has flaked off, that patina must be as thick as a light coat of paint. And if the craftsman applied something like that, wouldn’t it mess with the fine detailing of the carving on the tsuba? Out of all the tsuba I have, and I lost count at about 150, none of them shows what must be a thick patina to have worn off like the one shown in the below pictures. Does anyone have pictures of a tsuba in good condition with a thick patina? Is there such a thing? Or is the tsuba in the below pictures showing something different? I don’t know! Thanks, and onwards!

Thanks Gustavo! I particularly liked it when you stated, “keep up the good work”. I also got on the internet, like you suggested, and saw some pictures of delaminated iron. There was a really good image of steel delamination that I couldn’t post here because it is copyrighted. So, I have included the link below- https://www.alamy.co...-image222898758.html Now, that shows something similar (I think) to the tsuba shown in my initial post. Although, I think there are still some interesting questions that could be brought up about that tsuba. We will see when I receive the piece and have a chance to get it in hand. Thanks, and onward!

Thanks, Stephen, for the pictures and information, much appreciated! You staterd- “I admire your quest for cast Tsuba, but this particular thread will not add to the supporting evidence, if this is where you were heading (maybe you were not?)”. Thanks very much for admiring my quest, that made me smile! But that is not where I am going with this thread. Although your pictures appear something like the tsuba in my initial post, they still leave some interesting questions to be asked! Anyway, I went ahead and purchased the tsuba in my first post (I figured it needed a good home!). I will use it as a study piece, and then it will be placed on the wall with my other tsuba. I should receive it in about 2 weeks (from Japan). When I get it, I will take better pictures of it (maybe even some under a microscope with an attached digital camera set up – yes, I have that but I don’t know if I can set it up on my newer computer!). Then I will post the pictures on this thread. Anyway, I just think this baked on (?) finish is interesting to figure out. You also stated- “It is an applied finish (not metalic) that has been burnt (or 'cooked') unintentionally onto the metal plate. When the metal starts to corrode (below), it pushes the accidentally baked/cooked finish off the corroding metal plate.” I don’t think the tsuba craftsmen did anything unintentionally. But I will see when I receive the piece. Maybe you are correct, nothing to figure out and I will add it to my collection! Onward!

Hi Gustavo! Thanks for your opinioins. But I am not sure which piece you are referring to in your post. Is it my initial picture of the tsuba on this post? Or is it the picture that Thomas posted? Because when you stated "Maybe it is just delaminating due to neglect or moisture intrusion" that would mean that there may be two different metals involved in the tsuba shown in my original post (harder iron and softer iron or whatever!). Just giviing it my best guess! Onward!