Tsukamaki

[Baba Yaga]

When was the Tsukamaki silk wrap 1st introduced? My old brain can't recall and I haven't had any luck searching. 

[Larason2]

If you want to know your Alder's acid content, dissolve some alder sawdust in distilled water and use some of those inexpensive pH strips to test what it is.

 

If you're going to make a tsuka for a nihonto, I'd only use imported honoki, and only honoki meant for tsuka.

 

This paper has alder at pH 4.9 (acidic):

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353504883_Changes_in_the_Physical_and_Chemical_Properties_of_Alder_Wood_in_the_Process_of_Thermal_Treatment_with_Saturated_Water_Steam

 

Honoki is a type of cypress. This paper says that pH of wood varies according to its environment, with cypress woods varying from 3.3 to 6.4 in the papers surveyed:

 

https://www.proquest.com/openview/cea5592742f8f785925d2616b6341206/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1446337

 

The cypress they looked at in the paper were a bit less acidic, between 5.1 and 5.9. 

 

So, we see that Honoki is probably acidic relative to pH7. However, it's traditional, and we know it doesn't affect the wood long term, and that's what counts. For a reproduction, there's nothing wrong with buying some other kind of cypress. That's what I did!

 

However, for both alder and cypress, the nature of the wood makes a big difference. You can get very soft and pretty hard cypress and alder. Usually young trees are pretty soft, and they get harder and tougher as they age, especially the heartwood.  For a saya, you want pretty young/soft wood to protect the blade, but for a tsuka, you want the wood pretty hard and tough to hold its shape and prevent deformation/cracks. If your Alder tree was old and you got the heartwood, it may be good for a reproduction tsuka, but if it was pretty young and soft, save it for some other project.

[Baba Yaga]

Tsukamaki Article from JSS/US

http://www.montanairon.com/tsukamaki.html

[ROKUJURO]

Carlos,

it seems that HINOKI is cypress. HONOKI (magnolia wood) is different: https://www.lorberg.com/en/company/news-events/post/magnolia-hypoleuca-honoki-magnolie/

[Larason2]

Ah yes, Jean. You are right, I was in error! I would think like most wood magnolia is also acidic, and that the acidity varies with environment though. Magnolia is an interesting wood, being an angiosperm that doesn't lose its leaves.

[Geraint]

Dear Carlos.

 

Puzzled by your last statement. Honoki is Magnolia Hypoleuca  or Magnolia Obovata and is deciduous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_obovata

 

All the best.

[1kinko]

The honoki that Namakawa Heibei sells (and ships quickly) is also 2 matched planks, cut to curve, and dried. It carved very easily, unlike poplar.

[Larason2]

Gereint, you are partially right. They can be evergreen or deciduous, depending on where they grow.

[DoTanuki yokai]

Using 2 different woods for Saya and Tsuka, where does this comes from ?  (Larason2)
 

They are always made from the same piece and you can see the grain continue. 
You can cut out a little angle if your wood has not enough Sori for the Nakago. 

[vajo]

You can use all tulipfera woods and theire genetic neighbours like linden, poplar, alder and others.

 

 

[Garrett Petrie]

Greetings Members of the Board,

 

I have little time to respond today, unfortunately. I also have very limited access to Internet on any given day, and even less skill at using it effectively. So, for all of that I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding.

 

I mostly wanted to take a minute away from a hectic day, to thank everyone who has taken valuable time away from theirs to comment and offer input. I truly appreciate it.

 

Everyone here has offered valuable insight and information that I will apply to my learning experience. So thanks again.

 

I also need to make one thing very clear. I am not working on true nihonto. I have two antique Japanese swords, both of which are in need of qualified restoration work. But to be very, very clear: I am not doing anything with those swords, other than storing them carefully and keeping them safe. I have two much more contemporary Japanese swords, which are indeed made in Japan, but for the tourist trade. Those are only for decorative purposes.

 

The only actual itomaki, or tsukamaki, that I have undertaken has been with a replica, modern reproduction blade. I would probably have taken an entirely different approach to an actual Japanese made blade. I really don't pretend to know very much, or claim that I'm qualified to pursue the attempts that I have made, but just so that everyone here understands perfectly well: I have too much respect for nihonto, and the craftsmen that forge them, to subject them to my amateur efforts. Probably I never will... But if I did, I'd spring for the genuine Japanese Honoki wood.

 

Have a great day 

[ROKUJURO]

1 hour ago, Garrett Petrie said:

.....I have two much more contemporary Japanese swords, which are indeed made in Japan, but for the tourist trade. Those are only for decorative purposes.....

Garrett,

what kind of swords might that be? IAITO with zinc-aluminium alloy blades? Newly made sharp blades are not allowed in Japan unless they have been traditionally forged from TAMAHAGANE. Not really tourist souvenirs!

[Garrett Petrie]

1 hour ago, ROKUJURO said:

Garrett,

what kind of swords might that be? IAITO with zinc-aluminium alloy blades? Newly made sharp blades are not allowed in Japan unless they have been traditionally forged from TAMAHAGANE. Not really tourist souvenirs!

@ROKUJURO

 

I had typed out a more detailed response, but it failed to send for some reason... 

 

My break time is almost over, so I'll have to be quick. Gotta get back to work.

 

The blades are most assuredly stainless steel of some kind, not sharpened. A daisho, displayed on a black-painted katanakake. 

 

Both swords have fuchi and kashira of stamped metal. The tsuba are cast, with the English letters to spell out "Made in Japan" as part of their decoration. The ito is synthetic, as is the samegawa. The saya are wooden, and a surprisingly good fit on both swords. The saya have painted-on koiguchi and kojiri. 

 

They were a recent gift from my father in law. He purchased them in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., back in the 1990's. 

 

Have a great day 

[ROKUJURO]

Thank you Garrett!

[Larason2]

DoTanuki Yokai,

 

You may be right, if the wood satisfies all the requirements for both the saya and the tsuka. However, if they are made from different wood, or the same wood but different properties, you'd want to make sure the wood was appropriate for the job.