Your Opinion

[Stephen]

If you were building a koshirae in Uchigatana style and your ready to have a new saya started

 

 

your vote please

 

 

A:    plane saya no pockets

 

B:    one for kozuka

 

C:    one for  kogai

 

D:    two for both kogai and kozuka

 

Thank you for your answer.

 

searching images i have found all the above

[hxv]

My personal preference is A.

 

Hoanh

[Lance]

If I had the right fittings something like  Tensho  or Higo two pockets.  More typical Edo  style no pockets 

,

 

Regards,

Lance

[Stephen]

blade is koto

[ROKUJURO]

Plain SAYA, lacquer not high gloss.

[Guido]

I've seen all of the above mentionend possibilities, but A. is "the norm", followed by C., which is not terribly uncommon. D. is rare, B. is extemely rare.

[Henry Wilson]

I would go for A. If you are planning to get a koshirae made, I would recommend spending as much time as possible with the National Museum book 'Uchigatana Goshirae'

[Ed]

A, is my vote.  I might lean toward a second choice depending on the fittings you have planned for use.  Can you show the sword and fittings to us ?

[Stephen]

New tsuba coming from AA after restor ill show the before and after, tsuka has been shown before

[Marius]

A. 

 

Less is more. Cheaper, and you don't need to worry about kozuka/kogai.

[george trotter]

Hi Stephen,

I too would go for A...IMO it seems the more correct for the period of the blade and for uchigatana koshirae of that period.

Regards,

[Barrie B]

Stephen,

 

Does your Tsuba have kogai and kozuka ana..? Because that would dictate the Koshirae, to a certain extent… 

 

A would not only be cheaper, but traditional for Uchigatana; however, C always looks nice IMO.. But, as I said before, the tsuba would often be 'plugged' with A. An example provided..

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/uchi-katana-koshirae

 

I haven't seen your Tsuka sorry, but some Fuchi are just not designed to accommodate a kogai because of the position and (raised) height of the design.. Anyway, good luck with it mate.

 

Barrie.

[Stephen]

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies,  personally i was torn between A and C. I do like the look of kogai, but leaning to none now.

 

Which leads me to second question, plug both ana or leave open?

 

 

 

this before pix

 

 

link shows tsuka, ive had a change of mind on the one posted, which ill never sell as its a favorite. 

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16526-new-tsuba/?hl=%2Btsuka+%2Brepair&do=findComment&comment=172087

 

the frog tsuba and its  gold highlights plus the kurikata from elders having gold on leafs brings it all together with the gold in tsuka?  all opinions welcomed. 

[Johnny Barracuda]

It depends. If you have relevant kogai and/or kozuka, or better a matching set of both, contemporaneous to your blade, one or two pockets could be marvelous.

 

On the other hand, if you have no such kogai and/or kozuka or only later examples, A remains a sound solution, but I am not exalted by tsuba-plugging.

 

 

[Guido]

Stephen, many katana sized tsuba have ana, even if they never were intended to be used - they're just kind of a design element. I listed the "traditional" preferences already, but it's up to you, whatever floats your boat will be fine, you're assembling *your* koshirae after all, and it doesn't matter if it's a crowd pleaser. A. is usually the traditional choice, and probably would be mine as well, but I'm pretty conservative (ar least when it comes to koshirae). Less is usually more.

[Stephen]

Thanks Guido, It will me "MY" choice, and if the right kogai comes along, it would be my guess C will rule out, im in no hurry. 

[Stephen]

Tsuba came today showing how they look together.

i rather like it, sad part is were going to have to add more to cost to have the restorer, whos going to clean and reset patina, to add sekigane, very lose.

[Rich S]

Might think about making your own leather seppa. Very easy to do and can be made to tighten up the fit (also much less expensive).

Just a thought.

Rich

[Stephen]

thanks Rich I have tools to make copper one as well,  too much back and forth , or would that be up and down...

[Alex A]

Looks good Stephen

[Stephen]

Thanks Alex, cant wait for the verdigris to be removed and new black patina. 

[Alex A]

Im sure it will clean up real nice, now i want a project lol

[Stephen]

sorry Barrie we were posting at same time, i missed your question. Leaning to gold plate plugs, unless that one kogai comes along and then it would just be one.

[Barrie B]

Hi Stephen,

 

Your Koshirae (Tsuka and Tsuba) looks really nice.. We have all have seen many Koshirae with (both) Hitsu ana open, so it  will work…

 

 

Just to reiterate what I was saying though, here are two of my Wakizashi Tsuba That have only Kozuka fitted (as is the standard for Wakizashi), but I personally would not bother fitting plugs to an antique Tsuba, simply because of the cost; I hate spend money.. LOL. Your koshirae will look great as it is… As Guido - and every one else - has stated, its your Koshirae.. We do this for 'us'.. no one else.

 

Looking forward to seeing the finished product… 

 

Barrie.