Tagane-ato punch marks on tsuba

[Dan tsuba]

So all,

 

I find this of interest.  I thought that tagane-ato could not be punched deep into a cast iron tsuba.  When I saw deep punch marks on the seppa-dia of a tsuba I figured that it could not be made from cast iron, otherwise the cast iron would split and break (cast iron being very brittle).

 

Well, I was wrong (once again!).

 

Below are pictures of an obviously cast iron tsuba with fairly deep tagane-ato punch marks!

 

So, maybe if the cast iron tsuba was properly annealed, deeper looking punch marks could have been made in the seppa-dai?

 

Anyway, just a thought!

 

Further, what is interesting about this somewhat "delicate looking motif" sukashi tsuba, is that there is no need for conducting noninvasive metallurgical testing to determine that this tsuba is definitely made from cast iron!

 

The adventure continues,

 

With respect,

Dan

 

 

 

 

[Kanenaga]

So perhaps the punch marks were on the original model tsuba?

[ROKUJURO]

Of course, Les!