What is the material on the scabbard and handle ?

[Dennis Smith]

Please excuse my ignorance. 

 

Can anyone identify the material that covers the scabbard and the material under the cord wrap of this Chounsai Emura?  The literature says ray skin for both of them, but can a ray skin have two such vastly different textures?   

 

I would like to clean the scabbard.  Would a leather cleaning product (like saddle soap) be suitable?

 

Thanks for you help.

[Ed Harbulak]

The scabbard appears to be covered with textured lacquer while the material under the handle wrapping is called same' or shagreen in English. It's the skin of a ray. I'm sure others will give you more information about cleaning although it doesn't look like it needs more than perhaps a gentle brushing with something like a toothbrush. 

[b.hennick]

Use a toothbrush and foaming soap. It is usually sold for use with children. 

[robinalexander]

Hi Dennis, 

 

Just to add to Ed's note, I have a Kai Gunto with the same finish on the saya (called Ishime).  I asked a very knowledgeable sword guy here is Oz and I'm glad to be able to share the information (below)

 

Ishime is a type of lacquer work which during the war was time consuming and expensive. Perhaps not so much on Kai Gunto as they already had a much higher quality of finish overall than Shin Gunto but this type of lacquer on Army swords is associated with better quality fittings. The downside is it's very fragile, especially after 70+ years of temperature changes, wear and tear etc etc.

 

Rob

[Stephen]

I once owned a gunto which saya was covered with same* then the hard lacquer.  I don't think the saddle soap to harsh use just a mild mixture on a rag wiped on then off. Nice pick up. Love Emura swords.

[Dennis Smith]

Thanks for everyone's help!   

 

Upon closer inspection, the material on the scabbard appears to be a skin or leather of some kind.  I'm lost when it come to the skins of different species stingrays and sharks!

 

I removed the mouth piece from the scabbard to get a better view.  The scabbard is steel, with a wood inner liner.  The steel is covered with "leather" that was trimmed down so the mouth piece would fit.  The leather has cracked with age. 

 

It's hard to get a good picture, but looking inside the crack, you can see cords that appear to hold the ends of the leather together.  

 

How they made such things is a mystery to me.  Kind of like the pyramids.   Anyway, a product that nenews leather and stops it from shrinking might be helpful.   

 

Stay tuned for more questions!

[vajo]

that looks like a nice Type3 Rinji Seishiki Koshirae with a valued condition. Hope you didn't damage it. The saya is leather with urushi lacquered. I bet there was a Gendaito in it. The same of the Tsuka looks great. The ito is red lacquered. Green and red colors on the koshirae looks lovely and it is rare. If you loose the screws, many members will kill you  (joking)

 

Please do not further dissamblings and pull it together without any scratches or something on the patination. And stop further hobby science - please.