Not So Cheap

[Spartancrest]

I just had to bid on a Tsuba that was up for auction with a starting bid of 1 Yen -- What did I have to loose? Well I won - cost 1 Yen. Well that was what you would think. Add 400 yen just for winning, 1,188 yen local delivery fee, 300 yen bank charges, 410 yen for packaging charges and finally 2,000 for international delivery, oh and a percentage charge just for depositing the money. That works out that a 1 yen win cost me about $50 Australian. The guard when I received it was actually worse than its picture suggested, the open cut mimi was bent and deeply covered in rust. I managed to straighten the mimi with no cracking which I would have expected if it were cast.The inside edge is rather sharp, the detailing of the leaves is however a little soft, at the same time the bottom of the seppa-dai is cut sharp so I am confused why the leaves are smooth. I have begun to clean the guard up but it is still early days yet but I expect I can get it back to a much darker patina, after all what have I got to loose!

[Stephen]

might have over cleaned or the patina just came off in cleaning, really like the tsuba id check with a pro on regaining the patina. 

[TETSUGENDO]

Sorry, this piece just does not look ""right" to me, it looks like a casting.  All the details appear too soft and the surface overly porous.  Also, the rust originally covering the surface looks unnatural.  I could be wrong but, I think not.

 

-StevenK

[Ford Hallam]

The rust we see in the first images is perfectly natural and the resultant surface condition as seen in the image after cleaning is exactly what I would expect to see as a consequence of that degree of rusting.

 

It's important to understand that pre-modern Japanese steel was never fully molten with the result that when it corrodes it does so at the gaps between the fused particles of material as consolidated in the forging process. This is why it may appear porous and friable.

 

The tsuba itself is a genuine Edo period work and was, when new, evidently quite a fine tsuba. The piercing and carving, the shaping of the nakago-ana and hitsu etc. are all very skilfully done. The 'softness' of the detailing is quite deliberate and is evidence of a skilful carver's hand.

From what I can see the rust was removed by means of an acid pickle which while completely eliminating all trace of rust also leaves the metal looking very grainy and coarse. This is not a good surface to develop a decent protective patina on.

[Spartancrest]

Thanks Ford 

 

This piece was simply cleaned by boiling in a Japanese plum vinegar, a recipe I came across in Japan- trouble is the duration of the immersion varies for each tsuba because the iron always is slightly different. Have had better luck with other pieces and some have required more pickling, but generally within a few months most have begun to colour very well. I enjoy rescuing some of the more neglected tsuba that most people dismiss.

 

These pictures are before/after of another neglected guard, the circled area is a fukure'' I believe, the auction photo was so bad it was invisible with all the rust and dirt.

 

 

Dale

[Ford Hallam]

Plum 'vinegar' is mostly a salt solution (I believe there's a little acetic or malic acid present) that is a by-product of pickling Japanese apricot/plums, ume-boshi.  It will effectively strip off all patination ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Unless the metal is thoroughly neutralised after this process the salt and other residues trapped in the now very 'open' steel structure will reasonably soon begin to rust again.

[Spartancrest]

Yes Ford

 

This is correct but by boiling in distilled or at least potable water and using one more ingredient that I will keep secret it is possible to avoid rusting altogether .The willow tree piece was cleaned over five years ago and is still in good condition, certainly better than when I got it. The acetic acid is the key and can be found in table vinegar which I also use when the corrosion is not so bad. I never treat tsuba that have inlays or overlays nor kinko tsuba in this way. and don't recommend anyone experimenting on tsuba that still retain patina.

 

Dale

[Brian]

[TETSUGENDO]

I wish people would calm down with all this ill considered cleaning.  The result of this acid treatment is disfiguring. Soon, no doubt, someone will be advocating sand blasting.  Act in haste...... repent at leisure!

 

p.s.- Brian, you are a riot.

 

 

StevenK

[SAS]

Sort of reminds me of another unmentionable topic..... appropriate preservation should always be the goal.

[TETSUGENDO]

Steve-

 

Your choice of words makes me believe that your opinion may be akin to my own.  The topic is an interesting one and should be explored.  Do you feel up to kicking the hornets nest?

 

 

-StevenK

[SAS]

Been there, done that, as G. Bush said, "Not gonna do it" 

[TETSUGENDO]

"........SAY NO MORE......NUDGE...NUDGE...WINK....WINK."

 

 

StevenK

[Brian]

The question is....do we really need to?

Members and collectors will already be VERY aware of the whole discussion before we even go there. It is all far too obvious to need repeating every time. Even lurkers will know the advice that would be given.

Sometimes...we have to just let the obvious and/or the past speak for itself.
 

For everything else, there's Mastercard...umm..er.....Ford Hallam I mean.