Fuchi and Kashira

[Andrew G]

Hi all!

 

I took my sword to a polisher for some feedback on restoration and I found out that the Fuchi, Kashira, and Menuki are missing from my sword.  I'm looking to source some that are appropriate for the time period (made in 1824 by Miyoshi Masanaga),  however with no shows in the near future, finding a set that fits is rather difficult.  We are also trying to figure out what those pieces with jagged edges are sandwiching the Tsuba (one is on the other side not visible)  Does anyone have any suggestions? 

 

The measurements for the wood supporting the Kashira are 32.4mm x 13.5mm x 7.5mm. The wood for the Fuchi measures 33.5mm x 16.6mm x 11.1mm.  If there is someone local to the Southwest, I could pay a visit if they have many we could test fit.

[Babu]

Are you saying your sword polisher doesn't know what the seppa are? Is he polishing with a buffer perhaps?

What's the southwest ? USA?

[Tanto54]

Dear Andrew,

 

If I translate Adam's response into polite speech, he is saying that you should be very careful when getting your sword polished.  There are very few people (1 or 2)  in the US who are qualified to polish swords (even though many claim to be qualified).  Those who are not qualified will ruin your sword.  You should not use any abrasives or power tools on your sword, just wipe a light coat of machine oil on the blade.  The "jagged edged" things are called seppa and yours are very nice quality.

 

When a sword is polished, it is not put back into its original saya (the scabbard) because the saya will have some grit and dirt inside that could scratch the newly polished sword.  Therefore, any qualified (or reasonable) polisher would recommend that you get a new shirasaya made for your sword (a simple wooden scabbard and handle without "fittings").  Then the old scabbard and fittings can be restored and will be held together by a tsunagi (a wooden copy of the sword).  Often the shirasaya (with the metal blade in it) and original koshirae (scabbard, handle, tsuba, etc. with the wooden tsunagi blade in it) are displayed together (so it looks like two swords to the uninitiated).

 

The really great news is that because the koshirae (scabbard, handle, etc.) of your sword has to be restored some and the blade won't go back in it, you can get almost any fuchigashira (when fuchi and kashira are put together as a word, the "k" changes to a "g") and menuki that you like.  The person who restores your tsuka (handle) will be able to make almost any fuchigashira and menuki work.  Alternatively, if you want the sword to be back in its koshirae, then you will have to have a new saya made (so it won't ruin your new polish) and you will have to find fuchigashira that work for your blade (once again, the size of the tsuka is less important because it should be remade in the restoration anyway).

 

If I were you, I would contact Ted Tenold (you can find him on this site) for some help.  I don't know him personally (and I have nothing to gain by recommending him), but I understand that he is a very honest and helpful person who will probably point you in the right direction.  

 

 

[Babu]

Thank you George.

I found it incredible the polisher could not recognise a seppa....so clearly the term polish is going to be interpreted as just that, a buffing. 

Even Ned my 7 year old said ”thats a seppa ” when I asked him.

That whole statement had me moderately worried.

[SteveM]

I would be more than moderately worried. Its just unbelievable that the seppa and their function would be unknown to anyone working with Japanese swords. 

Its also unbelievable that a restorer or polisher wouldn't have already advised Andrew of the steps to restoring a sword and scabbard. 

 

 I don't think the current saya/koshirae is worth restoring. I think you should make a new one. Keep the old parts as part of the provenance of the sword, if you like, but unless there is some redeeming feature to these parts I think you should retire them and make an entirely new koshirae using vintage metal bits. The koshirae you have now is a funky ww2 koshirae with a badly degraded leather cover, and a tsuka that is literally falling apart. There is no significant historical value in these items. Better to make a new koshirae with vintage parts than to try to bandage up a much-degraded mid-20th century koshirae.

[SteveM]

Even the badly-rusted tsuba is a problem. I am not saying throw it away, but I definitely wouldn't want that tsuba touching a newly-polished sword. 

[Surfson]

The polisher is Woody, I believe.  

[MHC]

I have been viewing the various sword sites and such from Thailand and South east Asia as of late. I have seen several Tsuba's that appear to be the identical style to that one shown, with the lotus blossom piercing pattern.

 

Is this a pattern that may have been copied by the Thai. from a Japanese style? 

 

Mark

[Ken-Hawaii]

Woody is an expert. Assume that any other interpretation is on the part of the OP.