Kabuto Analysis

[John A Stuart]

I hope some find this of interest.   https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270005713_Phase_composition_mapping_of_a_17th_century_Japanese_helmet

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Thanks John. Downloaded.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Yes, thanks, John.

 

 

[IanB]

There is quite an interest in studying Japanese material using neutron beams that shows the different iron / carbon phases within an object like a sword or helmet with the utmost clarity. It has also revealed construction details we knew nothing about. One surprising find was that the famous uchidashi helmets in the shape of conch shells were not, as was believed, embossed from one piece but rather cleverly assembled in sections by brazing. The armourers concealed the joints by turning up a small lip on the edges to be joined, brazing them together and then hammering the turned up edge down over the joint to conceal the brazing material. By arranging the joints in the various grooves embossed in the shell's surface and then giving the helmet the usual russet finish conceals all traces of how it was done.

 

Ian Bottomley

[uwe]

Ian,

remember the x-rayed "Saotome" once in Florence. Introduced at the first symposium!

[IanB]

Uwe, I do indeed - that was a surprise. This was an analysis of a Saotome helmet with the outer part of each plate curved outwards to leave a space between it and the plate behind. What was discovered was that the rivets, whilst centrally through the outer plate did not run straight across the space but at a considerable angle. This may have been to avoid compressing the space whilst hammering the rivets closed.

 

Also surprising was the 3D view of a sword, that could be rotated in any direction, that showed all the inclusions and the different alloy steels in its composition. 

Ian Bottomley