Addicative Behavior

[dhusker]

My wife is worried. Two swords in two weeks, first a Katana, next a Wakizashi, and now i spent all afternoon carving a Tsuka. I bought a bare blade Waki, so I grabbed a two pieces of wood, some wood chisels, and sandpaper and 4 hours later my new tsuka. I am not a woodworker, but I thought I would try....I know it's not great, but I like it and my blade no longer has a bare butt.

[Guest reinhard]

Welcome to the NTAnpA (Nihon To Addicts not perfectly Anonymous). One hole for mekugi is sufficient, BTW

 

reinhard

[dhusker]

Welcome to the NTAnpA (Nihon To Addicts not perfectly Anonymous). One hole for mekugi is sufficient, BTW

 

reinhard

If one is good, two are twice as good :lol: Actually I started with one and made an error so I went with two, I guess I should fill one.

[Brian]

Dan,

I don't want to discourage you, but remember that there is a good reason Honoki wood is used by the Japanese, and has been for centuries. You can't just use any wood. Differences in moisture and acid content will affect the nakago, and cause unnatural aging to the tang. Also, remember that sandpaper is never used inside the tsuka or saya, as tiny grains can be left that will scratch the blade or nakago.

I do suggest picking up a copy of the Craft of the Japanese Sword which is excellent and cheap book. It will explain a lot. I don't suggest attempting a saya yet, as that is an art in itself and has the potential to damage a blade.

As I said, don't mean to put your attempt down, but don't want you to damage your blade either.

 

Brian

[dhusker]

Dan,

I don't want to discourage you, but remember that there is a good reason Honoki wood is used by the Japanese, and has been for centuries. You can't just use any wood. Differences in moisture and acid content will affect the nakago, and cause unnatural aging to the tang. Also, remember that sandpaper is never used inside the tsuka or saya, as tiny grains can be left that will scratch the blade or nakago.

I do suggest picking up a copy of the Craft of the Japanese Sword which is excellent and cheap book. It will explain a lot. I don't suggest attempting a saya yet, as that is an art in itself and has the potential to damage a blade.

As I said, don't mean to put your attempt down, but don't want you to damage your blade either.

 

Brian

Thanks Brian.....I appreciate the help. I did it mainly as a stop gap until I can send it to Lohman for a shirasaya. I must admit that I also wanted to show off my blade. One friend said "you paid what for that, ...it doesn' even have a handle." I am actually proud that I did think about the sandpaper issue on the inside.

 

Is American magnolia the same as Honoki when it comes to the tsuka, as both are of the same class and order but not species? Thanks again.

[bluboxer]

Hello Dan,so post a picture of the blade and start showing off already!

Alan

[dhusker]

Hello Dan,so post a picture of the blade and start showing off already!

Alan

 

Alan, Here is the blade, it also came with the original scabbard

 

[Grey Doffin]

You did well to put a handle on the sword, no matter what it looks like. Without a handle and the mekugi passing through the nakago, the blade is vulnerable; there is nothing holding the kissaki away from the bottom inside of the saya and the kissaki is very easily chipped.

Swords shouldn't be stored inside a saya without the tsuka.

Grey

[Brian]

Ah. When you first posted you bought "a bare blade Waki" I assumed it was just that, with no saya.

Grey is of course 100% correct. In a saya, a sword has to have some form of tsuka to prevent damage to the kissaki.

 

Brian

[dhusker]

Ah. When you first posted you bought "a bare blade Waki" I assumed it was just that, with no saya.

Grey is of course 100% correct. In a saya, a sword has to have some form of tsuka to prevent damage to the kissaki.

 

Brian

Thanks guys, that is exactly why I wanted a handle.....to prevent the tip from hitting the bottom of the scabbard.