Eric H Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 The importance of a "perfect" fit of a tsuka should not be underestimated. In a real encounter that could be a question of life and dead. Remember that YouTube Video where the sword has flown away. Therefore an imposed change on the battlefield is most probably impossible, but who knows, perhaps it has be done. The following is an excerpt from the article: Koshirae: Nihon Token Gaiso by Guido and S.A. Takeuchi "The nakago has to be inlet very precisely to avoid any looseness that could lead to the wood breaking when stress is applied on the tsuka during use. The two halves of the tsuka are not aligned at the center of the nakago, but slightly offset so that the edge of the nakago faces solid wood but not the seam line to reduce the risk of breakage...The friction on the blade's tang caused by a perfectly inlet tsuka is another very important factor, perhaps even more important than the mekugi itself". I remain always surprised how all these components make a perfect sword :D Eric
Guido Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 Your vision of the Japanese history is too superficial.Glad we have *you* on board, Jacques, to set us all straight. OTOH, if you were less abrasive people would take you more serious - but I guess that's science fiction ...
Brian Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 Jecques, Before you criticise someone else's post as just opinion, remember that your own quote of "On the battlefield, when a tsuka is broken, it is easier to recover a tsuka on another broken blade and to drill a new mekugi-ana to fit the tsuka than to make a new one" seems to me to be highly unlikely and pure opinion too. In fact, a lot of Nihonto info is opinion or speculation. I wouldn't be so fast to disregard other's opinions. I am rapidly growing weary of personal feelings influencing posts here....on all sides. Brian
Jacques Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 Hi, I would love to know the theory about a second mekugi-ana on an ubu nakago. Surely the first ashigaru during the Onin war were rich enough to afford a sword with a second tsuka. quoted from Ashigaru 1467-1649 by Stephen Turnbull,Howard Gerrard The name Ashigaru (light feet) indicated their lack of armor footwear or even weaponry until all three were looted from a defeated ennemy.
Brian Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 I would love to know the theory about a second mekugi-ana on an ubu nakago. Surely the first ashigaru during the Onin war were rich enough to afford a sword with a second tsuka. Well...I am pretty sure rechargeable drills were not invented yet, so any possibility of someone picking up a tsuka off the battlefield and quickly hauling out his Black and Decker from his backpack and drilling a new ana is pretty remote. I don't think this was a quick job, and still unlikely. As for theories on multiple ana on ubu nakago..that is like assuming all nicks are from battle, when in fact most come from kids playing, or other amateur fiddling. I am also sure that in ancient times, they cared less about collectibility and more about function, and a new ana was not detrimental when fitting a new tsuka for whatever reason. Lots of other theories, but again...they are all just opinion and it's not like someone is going to say something and everyone else is going to go "Aaaah! solved. No more confusion, your opinin is now considered fact" :| Brian
Jean Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 Everybody is going to be surprised or not ( ) but my Japanese culture is very feeble/weak. All my comments on the board are based on common sense and observation. Adapting Tsuka on a battle field: If you have read the different posts on the Board, it is a direct invitation for Boothill (even without facing the Clanton's clan at OK corral - good movie but not worth "Shane" IMHO). That there is only one mekugi ana location for maximum efficacity on an ubu nakago, I doubt it because I have seen a lot of nakago (some ubu) riddled with bullet holes (mekugi ana) - I have owned several, and they correspond to new koshirae. Now, to be honest, I must confess that I have not met any samurai able to tell me which of Jacques or my theory is the good one. But sorry, I must confess that my evil twin likes to tease him probably because he reads a lot and spend a lot of times studying and that at the opposite I read less but spent more time thinking. A good compromise will be to merge both of us but it will deprived NMB of our "chamaillerie" - Time for you folks to learn French -
Jacques Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 Hi, Jean http://token.alldiscussion.net/generali ... o-t149.htm
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted October 17, 2009 Report Posted October 17, 2009 quoted from Ashigaru 1467-1649 by Stephen Turnbull,Howard Gerrard The name Ashigaru (light feet) indicated their lack of armor footwear or even weaponry until all three were looted from a defeated ennemy. Wow, you read Turnbull... great source. Anyway you have just agreed with me : In the case such spare swords wouldn't be available (any reason for high ranks, lack of them for lesser Samurai in Sengokujidai) and the battle still was on, better to pick up the whole sword from a dead. As per the quote you refer to : " L’immobilisation du sabre, le coût de l’opération aboutissait à la récupération de poignées existantes. Il était alors plus facile de percer la lame à l’endroit du mekugi ana de la poignée que de modifier cette dernière." Kitsune is a member here too. Would be interesting to know by him the source of this very interesting (to me) new information and what he thinks about safety of tsuka not specifically made for the blade it is mounted on. Seems to me to remember he's a Martial Arts Master, so surely he knows safety requirements for a sword. To me it looks like he's describing the situation of late Edo impoverished Samurai forced to spare money rather than a practice in use when samurai were real fighters .
Jacques Posted October 18, 2009 Report Posted October 18, 2009 Hi, To me it looks like he's describing the situation of late Edo impoverished Samurai forced to spare money rather than a practice in use when samurai were real fighters . And why not? I'm still waiting your sources. and the battle still was on, A battle is like a boxing match, it doesn't run without break because tactic, troops needing some rest etc..., night can take place and breaks fight until the following day. Some battles can run on two or three days even more, so warriors have time enough to fit another tsuka on their blade piercing a new mekugi-ana but not enough to make a new one (and a tsuka which not fit perfectly was always better than no tsuka).... That is only an example, there are others ps, i don't think you are allowed publishing on public place that is said (by Kitsune) on our forum (reserved for members only).
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