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New shirasaya

brillone
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brillone Enthusiast

brillone

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I will probably buy a new sword in the next coulpe of days, but it doesnt have a shirasaya. I will get a saya that it will have in the shipping to protect it.

So my question is whats the easiest way to get a shirasaya for the blade? Can you buy new shirasayas that u can fixa to fit youre blade or do you have to make one from scratch?

Kevin Community Regular

Kevin

Posted
Posted
I will probably buy a new sword in the next coulpe of days, but it doesnt have a shirasaya. I will get a saya that it will have in the shipping to protect it.

So my question is whats the easiest way to get a shirasaya for the blade? Can you buy new shirasayas that u can fixa to fit youre blade or do you have to make one from scratch?

 

Given the variations in sori, blade thickness, taper and length, and the variations in dimensions for the tang, I'd figure that it would be better to either make a shirasaya from scratch for that particular sword, or else get one made. The alternative is that you have a high chance of finding that the blade or tang either doesn't fit a shirasaya found at random, and it won't go home, or else it will fit (with a bit of bashing, which isn't good) but now it sticks, or else it does fit and the blade rattles around inside because things are too loose. Then again, you might get lucky and find one that fits perfectly. However, there's still the question of how clean an old reused shirasaya might be inside and whether it's going to scratch up a good polish. I've seen some brutally mucked up shirasaya that have had rusted blades in them, with rust particles rammed into the grain of the wood. Rust is a wonderful abrasive - you find it as an ingredient in jeweller's rouge. Just what you want next to a nicely polished blade. :(

 

OK, with a tight shirasaya you could split it and start altering it; you might even be able to line a loose shirasaya if you're very very good, and you could split and clean a dirty one. All this however depends upon your skill; with enough skill and knowledge (somewhere roundabout good cabinet maker level), it might be a reasonable solution. However, on balance, getting a new one made is, I feel, the best solution.

 

Kevin Jones

Grey Doffin Grand Master

Grey Doffin

Posted
Posted

Joakim,

If the sword is shipped in a saya, without a tsuka and the mekugi through the tsuka and nakago, the saya won't protect the blade; it stands a good chance of seriously damaging the blade. If the package were dropped the blade could crash down inside the saya and shatter its kissaki (point) in the botom of the saya.

If it's not to late to stop the shipment, here is how to properly pack the blade and saya. Wrap the scabbard in a few layers of newspaper and tape. Tightly wrap the blade all over in quite a few layers of newspaper, making sure that the paper is folded over both ends, and tape shut. Now, securely tape the blade bundle to the scabbard bundle, with the point of the blade above the bottom of the scabbard, and it's ready to pack and ship.

To answer your question, you need to have a shira-saya made for the blade, and a habaki also if there is none. The chances of finding one to fit the blade are astronomically small. I could suggest someone in the States; maybe someone in Europe could suggest someone there (closer to Stockholm).

I know you've spent your budget but now you have a responsibility. It is your duty to see that the blade isn't damaged; it needs a properly made shira-saya and habaki.

Grey

brillone Enthusiast

brillone

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I think he has wrapped the blade in some sort of paper, and its already on the way so i cant stop the shipping.

And ofc i (probably) spent my budget now but still i have my responsibility as grey said, so i will do my best to find someone who can help me to make a shirasaya. He had a habaki that maybe would fit so he sent one.

 

I will probably have the sword tomorrow so then we will know how the shipping went.

 

And if the kissaki is damaged i dont have to buy it, casue he shipped the sword so i can have a closer look at it and if i like what i see then i will pay for it.

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Brian

Brian

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Posted

Joakim,

To be honest, I wouldn't bother even trying. It is incredibly complicated for someone who doesn't know the fundamentals yet, and you have to understand the geometry inside, and the use of chisels only (no abrasives inside) and how it locks in with the habaki and how to offset the edge and how to make the blade not contact the shirasaya except for the shinogi etc etc.

If you purchase "The Craft of the Japanese Sword" it will explain everything well.

The wood is Japanese Magnolia (Honoki) and there may be a few substitutes, but many will damage the blade with acids or retained moisture.

Rather spend the money and get someone to make you a temporary one, there are guys everywhere who do a fair job. Not trying to put you off, but a shirasaya is a lot more complicated than it looks.

 

Brian

brillone Enthusiast

brillone

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Hehehe that doesnt sound so hard :D

 

Well i think i will get my mother to try to do an shirasaya, she is an artist and she has done sculptures and som so on so maybe she will give it at try just to see if it works.

But when i have the money to buy a shirasaya from someone who really knows what they are doing i will.

Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Veteran

Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Posted
Posted
Hehehe that doesnt sound so hard :D

 

Well i think i will get my mother to try to do an shirasaya, she is an artist and she has done sculptures

 

Joakim, this will almost for sure result in a scratch on the blade. To make a Shirasaya is not a matter to just carve wood, but also to carve the wood in the exact way it has to fit the newly polished blade. A person not used to handle a NihonTo can either hurt himself and/or the blade when taking measurements and checking for fit. And as Brian said, Shirasaya really is not an easy work.

brillone Enthusiast

brillone

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The sworsds on the site seems to be without but he has offerd me some tantos in fittiings, i will ask him about that. Do you think you should be on your watch if no sword has fittings? im off to work now see you all tonight

Brian

Brian

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No..not really. Especially when the seller offers to send the sword before payment.

I expect he is an amateur restorer who buys up project blades, does some work on them and then passes them on. Lots of small guys doing that everywhere. The board's feelings on amateur polishing are well known, so we won't get into that right now again. let's see what the blade looks like when it arrives. Price isn't terrible. let's hope the hamon and lines are all ok.

Hada is described as muji...so that probably means the polishing methods have not brought it out.

 

Brian

brillone Enthusiast

brillone

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Hopefully ill have the sword tomorrow. One thing i dont like with this seller tho is that he doesnt respond to my emails about the shirasaya. And also he just stopped answering my emails once before when i was asking him for prices on his tsubas. He said he didnt answer cause he didnt have a tsuba in my price range but still he didnt tell me that he just didnt answer. Well atleast he gave me a pretty good price and downpayment so now i hope the sword is as described.

brillone Enthusiast

brillone

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I have searched google but havent found any europeans making shirasayas. I have also asked jesper here on the forum if he knows anyone but i dont think he has been online, cause i havent gotten an answer. I also posted on a swedish nihonto forum but that forum seems dead. So it really looks like US is my best shot but i will continue my search.

Does Mike V have a website. I have also mailed Moses Beccera asking him for prices and so on, anyone who have delt with him?

Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Veteran

Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Posted
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I have searched google but havent found any europeans making

 

You can try with Zenon Van Damme. Can't provide the site or e-mail just now (at work).

I was requested to refuse a polish for Marco Quadri so Italy is out of supply...

Others from UK can surely give you good names.

 

Guess we miss a lot Laurent Milhau . :(

Jean

Jean

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I know of two people making shirasaya in Europe :

 

Van Damme Zenon in Bruges (Belgium) and Dusehu Jean-Claude in Le Havre (France)

Jean

Jean

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Jean-Claude Dusehu

110, bd Albert 1er

76600 le avre

Tel + 33.2.35.44.14.62.

e-mail: jean-claude dusehu ;

 

He made shirasaya for Robert Burawoy

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