Tsuba boxes

[JohnTo]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone out there give me the name of a supplier of kiri tsuba boxes that come without inserts.  I'm in the process of boxing up some of my tsuba but I'm not using the standard inserts that come with a one size nakago peg, held in with a couple of steel tacks.  I'm making my own tailor made inserts (see pics) without any nails so that the tsuba does not slide around, knock the peg lose and scratch the tsuba on the nail.  It seems that I'm paying about £25 for a kiri box and then throwing the insert away, which seems an expensive way of doing things.

 

Box 1: tsuba on standard ill fitting pad.

Box 2: box with replacement insert

Box 3: box with replacement insert and tsuba

 

all the best, John 

[kissakai]

I might have a couple, I'll check tomorrow

 

[Spartancrest]

This seller has a variety of cheap boxes, you could do a bulk deal and save money even if you throw the inserts away.

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_ssn=yumi3go55&store_name=mugendojapan&_dmd=2&_oac=1&_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2562

[Bugyotsuji]

If the recesses need to fit the Tsuba comfortably, then each baseboard must be tailor made.

 

Nice result above though John.

[Toryu2020]

Anyone know a supplier of CUSTOM boxes for tsuba, preferably in the Tokyo area?

Any help appreciated,

-tch

[rkg]

John,

 

How good a box are you looking for?  You can often find lots (both in terms of quantity per listing and number of listings) of "base level" Japanese made boxes pretty cheap on YJ and sometimes even fleabay (as Dale alluded to).  you can buy a bunch of these and toss the existing otoshi (or use it as the substrate) .  Just be sure not to get the Chinese ones - they're awful.

 

For a while I was buying old tsuba boxes on YJ, but you have have to be careful not to pay a lot as sometimes base/lids are mismatched (and,like most everything else on YJ, anything good has started to get bid up to crazy prices - so YMMV).

 

Unfortunately the company making the "mid grade" boxes everybody used to sell went out of business - hopefully somebody will chime in with contact info for the high end guys/a box maker us gaijin can interact with.

 

Good Luck,

rkg

(Richard George)

[kissakai]

Hi John

I said I'd find some boxes which I did and then PM'd you last Monday. As we are both are in the UK I thought that would work
Now four days later no reply
Have you been inundated with offers and haven't had time two PM back?

 

[JohnTo]

Thanks everyone for you replies, and offers.  I'm following one up.  For others buying boxes the following may be of help regarding costs and quality based upon my purchases on Ebay.

Bulk buying from Matsu Kage.   10 standard boxes with cushions for £150.  But when you add on postage, UK import tax, admin costs for collecting the tax the cost goes up to about £22 per box.

Second hand 5 tier double box from Japan about £86, thats £8.60 per tsuba, but it means that you have 10 tsuba in one large box.

Small (10 cm square) boxes on ebay, 6 for £50, thats about £8 each.  Poor quality finish (Chinese?) and only really suitable for wakizashi size tsuba.

 

thanks again for your help, John 

 

[Spartancrest]

You can always make your own boxes or at least recycle something suitable. I just up-dated an old [1937] cutlery canteen into a display/transport box- I found there is a weight limit to what you can comfortably carry - even 24 iron guards starts to add up the weight [box and guards 7.5 kg / 16.5 lbs]

[Bugyotsuji]

Dale, fantastic box, but how have you fixed them on, and what's to stop them banging into each other when you close the lid?

[Spartancrest]

I used soft brass flat buttons and a thick string to secure the buttons to the padded backing board, the buttons pass through the wide base of the nakago-ana then slide up to the top - when the box is moved I have a thick pillow between the lid and base to stop any contact. The guards on the base are mounted so that they hang down when the box is lifted by the handle so basically their own weight holds them in place. I bought a brass handle to match the box fittings so it can be carried like a suitcase. It was a very well made cutlery canteen with torn interior so it was good to give it another use. I don't expect to use it for long term storage it is more for a portable display rather than taking two dozen kiri boxes to a fair or exhibition.

[Japan2112]

Very clever. I just hauled a group of tsuba to and from the Chicago area sword show in a back pack. The repurposed brief case looks to be a much better option.

[Spartancrest]

but I forgot to show the padded cushion to stop contact between the lid and base tsuba. It makes a good handling sheet as well, all my own work. [You can tell I am no great seamstress!]  The fabric was sent to me by my son's fiancé from Japan. 

[PhoenixDude]

i could use an extra cheapo box if someone has one to spare

[Spartancrest]

Looks like someone had the same idea of a display box - shame they chose modern fakes. Screwing tsuba with the seppa to the backing board would not be my first choice.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/Japanese-sword-decorated-tsuba-lot-of-9-74101-c-1ca4c47a23#