Finding Shirasaya For A High End Blade

[Ryan]

I acquired a high end shinshinto blade most likely forged by Kurihara Nobuhide along with a split shirasaya and only one half of the wooden tsuka. I would like to do this blade justice and have already reserved my spot in line to have a polishing done by Dave Hofhine and would like to take care of the fittings in the mean time. Can anyone recommend capable craftsmen to replace the shirasaya/tsuka? Any input is appreciated.

 

Please forgive my ignorance if I have misused any terms as I am very new to the world of Japanese swords. 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Hi, Klaus, & welcome to the forum. If you do a search on NMB (upper-right of screen), you'll find quite a few conversations on this topic.

 

The shirasaya assembly includes the saya & the tsuka, along with a mekugui to hold the tsuka to the blade through the ana.

 

Are you certain that this blade needs a polish...?

 

Ken

 

[Ian B3HR2UH]

Klaus ,  you possibly have a top quality piece here . I am in Australia so don't know Dave Hofhine or his work . Some of the work on his website looks way better than many Japanese polishes that I have seen however if I owned this piece I would tread very warily. Ask lots of opinions and think along the lines of a Japanese  trained polisher . Ken is right it looks in pretty good condition as it is . Take your time and don't rush into things . Ian Brooks

[BIG]

Hi Klaus,

 

http://www.nihonto.eu

 

Best Regards

[Stephen]

that would be a waste of beautiful steel, maybe have a togi such as Ted Tenold or Bob Benson look at it in hand, They would tell you whats up.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Klaus, Bob Benson is the top Japan-trained togishi in the U.S., & would need to see your blade in-hand. But his deshi, Woody Hall, could probably tell you if you need a polish just by seeing some good photos.  His e-mail is hawaii.togishi@yahoo.com.  Woody just finished polishing a blade for me, & his work is superlative!

 

Ken

 

[Stephen]

 

 

some of Woody's work, As Ken said he does most of the work for Bob, Both could tell you what needs to be done, have uchiko ...that will help for now to bring out the hada and hamone

[Greg F]

Hi Klaus, For Koshirae Kam at Jigoku Studios in Brisbane Australia is very talented!

good luck

greg

[kusunokimasahige]

There are only a few people in my view who should touch this sword and polish it if that is necessary at all.

Fujishiro Okisato Sensei.

Fujishiro Tatsuya Sensei

Yoshihiko Usuki Sensei

Tsuyoshi Morodomi Sensei

All can be found on facebook but you can also get people on the board to help you contact them. You could also ask mr. Paul Martin to help you contact them or act as a go between.

At least then you can be certain of supberb polishing quality, notwithstanding proficient Western polsihers who were FULLY trained in Japan,
(which means +/- 10 years apprenticeship with a Japanese polisher)

Please avoid half-trained home schooled polishers. They will ruin the blade.

KM
 

[Stephen]

I have less stressful answer, tell me your sell price and ill call my bank....

[Ryan]

Here are a couple extra photos that show the blade's issues a little better. I really appreciate all the information guys, the waitlist for a finish polish with Dave is 18 months so I have plenty of time to check other avenues. 

[Stephen]

Basically it needs very little  work, two areas on the kissaki need to be addressed now, not two years later. id use a cleaner on the tip to see how much is stain or rust. if rust just oil it. needs to be seen in hand, if active rust you dont want it eating up that wonderful O Kissaki. Just a beautiful blade.

[Ryan]

  On 8/18/2015 at 5:02 PM, Stephen said:

Basically it needs very little  work, two areas on the kissaki need to be addressed now, not two years later. id use a cleaner on the tip to see how much is stain or rust. if rust just oil it. needs to be seen in hand, if active rust you dont want it eating up that wonderful O Kissaki. Just a beautiful blade.

I worked at the tip with a solvent and that seemed to help a little. I think most of that junk is adhesive from the tape which held the saya together for 50 years give or take. I was told to try using zippo lighter fluid on it so I'll give that a go. The blade was immediately oiled (excluding the nakago) when I found it. 

[Brian]

Klaus,

Are you in the USA?

[Ryan]

  On 8/18/2015 at 5:11 PM, Brian said:

Klaus,

Are you in the USA?

Yeah I'm in Baltimore

[Stephen]

Yeah I'm in Baltimore

 

Maybe make a NY meeting, need something bit stronger like oops, that will get rid of the left over tape. Its very close to needing just TLC.

[Ryan]

  On 8/18/2015 at 7:00 PM, Stephen said:

 

Yeah I'm in Baltimore

 

Maybe make a NY meeting, need something bit stronger like oops, that will get rid of the left over tape. Its very close to needing just TLC.

 

I'm in NYC periodically for my work, who would you suggest meeting with? Once again thank you all for your input. 

[Stephen]

Im sorry the NYTOKENKAI  https://www.facebook.com/nytokenkai?fref=ts  http://ny-tokenkai.org/ny-tokenkai.org/New_York_Token_Kai.html

Looks like next meeting is Sept, they take the summer off....good timing good karma...seems to fallow you

 a sword club all good blokes

[Ryan]

  On 8/18/2015 at 9:21 AM, Ken-Hawaii said:

Klaus, Bob Benson is the top Japan-trained togishi in the U.S., & would need to see your blade in-hand. But his deshi, Woody Hall, could probably tell you if you need a polish just by seeing some good photos.  His e-mail is hawaii.togishi@yahoo.com.  Woody just finished polishing a blade for me, & his work is superlative!

 

Ken

I sent him some close ups, thanks!

[nihonto1001]

John Tirado is one of the best choices for shirasaya and is not too far from you.  Look him up on Facebook.

[Ian B3HR2UH]

In the fourth photo in the second set of photographs there is a worrying mark about an inch up from the machi . Is this a problem ? Ian Brooks

[Ryan]

  On 8/21/2015 at 8:12 AM, Ian B3HR2UH said:

In the fourth photo in the second set of photographs there is a worrying mark about an inch up from the machi . Is this a problem ? Ian Brooks

 

This spot? It doesn't seem to be a depression of any kind only a mark on the surface.

[pcfarrar]

It looks like a Hagire so you want to check this spot out carefully. Hopefully it's not.

[Ryan]

  On 8/21/2015 at 3:57 PM, pcfarrar said:

It looks like a Hagire so you want to check this spot out carefully. Hopefully it's not.

not seeing anything like that. Must have been a dog hair lol.

[bmoore1322]

What a beautiful blade..

 

I love the O-Kissaki

 

[Ryan]

Heres a couple more.

[Stephen]

Pix in question of hagire would be under habaki

[Ryan]

  On 8/22/2015 at 5:22 PM, Stephen said:

Pix in question of hagire would be under habaki

It was an inch or so up from the habaki if I'm not mistaken, I added a couple photos of that exact spot and checked it carefully. Fairly certain it was a dog or cat hair. 

[Jean]

Ryan,

 

In the picture outlined by Peter, it does not looks like a dog hair. The pictures you have posted just above to show this area are uselees because the interesting part is in the dark.

 

Could you post two high rez pictures of this area (ura/omote) well lighted?

[Ryan]

  On 8/24/2015 at 2:16 PM, Jean said:

Ryan,

In the picture outlined by Peter, it does not looks like a dog hair. The pictures you have posted just above to show this area are uselees because the interesting part is in the dark.

Could you post two high rez pictures of this area (ura/omote) well lighted?

Here you go.