How to get my yari mounted in koshirae?

[MikeyJ]

I've been searching for someone that can mount my yari (images attached) in a pillow sword length shaft with fittings (makura koshirae). 

 

I was hoping to get my yari mounted for < $1000 USD, but I haven't even found anyone that works on yaris. Nor have I found a source for yari poles and fittings (gyakuwa, dogane, ishizuki, etc.). 

 

Before I give up, I want to understand if there are options for mounting my yari, and if so, how should I proceed?

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

Mike J

[DTM72]

For fittings, I recommend Raymond Yan. He had a table next to mine at the show in Vegas earlier this year. He sells on Facebook as well, in various Nihonto groups.

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trkparms=folent%3Araymo-ya|folenttp%3A1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l71971&_ssn=raymo-ya

 

As for who can make a complete koshirae, I have no suggestions. Nice yari though!

[jesse]

Mike, I was scrolling through Yahoo Japan and came across this yari koshirae.  

Kelly Schmidt <kschmidt1127@gmail.com> offers a service (at a cost) to bid, get the paper work done, and shipping of items on Yahoo Japan.

 

This is the link to the yari koshirae:

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/v1087195918

 

Warm Regards,

[jesse]

Mike, and another one:

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e1087191938

 

Warm Regards,

[MikeyJ]

4 hours ago, DTM72 said:

For fittings, I recommend Raymond Yan. He had a table next to mine at the show in Vegas earlier this year. He sells on Facebook as well, in various Nihonto groups.

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trkparms=folent%3Araymo-ya|folenttp%3A1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l71971&_ssn=raymo-ya

 

As for who can make a complete koshirae, I have no suggestions. Nice yari though!

Thanks for the reply Dan! I've been following Raymond Yan's yari eBay inventory for a bit (and I bought a nice kogatana from him). I'm in the once bit twice shy category for buying fittings before confirming with the craftsman that they would work for the project. 

 

I feel like with all the yaris changing hands there have to be some craftsmen that fit them out, I just wish I could find one to work with! 

[MikeyJ]

59 minutes ago, jesse said:

Mike, I was scrolling through Yahoo Japan and came across this yari koshirae.  

Kelly Schmidt <kschmidt1127@gmail.com> offers a service (at a cost) to bid, get the paper work done, and shipping of items on Yahoo Japan.

 

This is the link to the yari koshirae:

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/v1087195918

 

Warm Regards,

Thanks for the reply Jesse! I've been watching the yahoo jp site but I'm reluctant to buy anything before I find a craftsman that knows how it would all fit (or not fit) together. From what I have gleaned, the yari pole and fittings are even less interchangeable than the tsuka of a katana. So I am hoping to find a willing and able craftsman before I buy a pole or fittings.

[Larason2]

It's not that easy. One option is to get a reproduction one and modify the existing koshirae to fit. The Paul Chen/Hanwei ones have the best reputation:

 

https://casiberia.com/category/Japanese-polearms/4300

 

I'm guessing traditionally the black ones were made with urushi, but it is not that easy to get urushi work done for you these days. Maybe you could check with someone who does urushi work in Japan if they know someone who could mount your blade, then have them urushi it after. It won't be cheap though!

 

 

[Tensho]

Buy the fittings first. Better yet, find a pole you like and buy it with all the fittings on it. The ishizuki doesn't really matter, as it can be fitted to whichever ebu you have made. 

 

From the ishizuki up to the top of the ebu, the shaft tapers. The fittings are NOT all the same size and not supposed to be. All yari ebu are not the same size as well. Just to give you a rough idea I have gyakuwa that measure 18mm up to 26mm(inner diameter) so, better to get a complete ebu just for the fittings.

 

Yari shaft construction is pretty straightforward if you go with just inletting the wood(red oak) for the nakago and insert a strip of wood to close it. A woodworker of any merit should be able to accomplish this.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

You sometimes see yari with cut-down nakago. Perhaps they once faced the same dilemma?

 

Last year a friend bought a naginata in shirasaya. Over the New Year I was half forced into buying a good solid oval-cross-section naginata pole with all the fitments. Ishizuki, the lot. No saya though. I lent it to my friend to try out and almost forgot about it. Last week he called to say that it is close enough and he is having it fitted.

 

From the above, my only additional advice is not to rush anything, but continue as you are. It's like fishing in some ways, listening and learning, with an element of serendipity.

[MikeyJ]

3 hours ago, Tensho said:

find a pole you like and buy it with all the fittings on it.

This is the direction I was headed in, if my yari won't fit I could cut-off the tachiuchi, fit my yari to the pole, and then re-taper the pole to fit the gyakuwa. There is a yari with pole on AOI auction that would probably work since it's 8 feet long. I just hate to start down that path before identifying a craftsman. .