Forgotten Weapons does tanegashima.

[Geraint]

Just stumbled across Ian's take on tanegashima, nothing very remarkable but nice to see.   

 

 

All the best.

[Bugyotsuji]

Better than I expected. A few bloopers in that video, but generally a surprisingly good grasp.

[Alex A]

What's the bloopers, Piers?

 

Just guessing, but anything to do with these guns having regional characteristics?

[nulldevice]

I like Ian's videos.

 

Was happy to see one on Tanegashima.

[Bugyotsuji]

On 5/10/2024 at 1:22 AM, Alex A said:

What's the bloopers, Piers?

 

Just guessing, but anything to do with these guns having regional characteristics?

Oops, Alex, missed this. For some reason Tanegashima updates do not appear among the new posts every day.

I'll go back and make a list of bloopers when I get a minute. Overall though, it is nice to see something like this.

[Bugyotsuji]

OK, this is not meant as a criticism, so if Ian is out there reading this, I did enjoy your talk!

 

Perhaps the word 'bloopers' was way too strong, but here are some things I noticed during the video, having watched it twice.

 

1. Portuguese with guns landed on Tanegashima Island in 1542 or (1543) depending on who is talking, not in 1534.

2. Tanegashima carries a strong accent in Japanese on GA, (not on 'shi') somewhat like Tane' /GA'shima, but perhaps in the West the accent is different.

3. The matchlock did not stay 'stagnant or stable' during the Edo period as massive improvements and refinements were made in their strength and weight, etc., but all within the matchlock remit. By Western standards, yes, there was no automatic evolution to other locks, this is true. Although flintlocks and wheel-locks did make occasional appearances, they were not encouraged for a number of reasons. 

4. The various-sized holes in the serpentine (not all had holes) could have been used for a pin to hold the match, but generally they weren't, and as you say, loading would have been extremely dangerous with a fixed match there.

5. The longer 'wall' guns were fired from castle wall loopholes, but the fat hand-cannons of up to 30 kg were fired by hand, or rested on bales or mounds of earth on the battlefield.

6. The stocks were not made in 2 sections. There was a slit most of the way below the ramrod on many but not all guns, but above the ramrod the wood was solid. It was a kind of flexible figure of 8, the upper section gripping the barrel and the lower section gripping the ramrod.

7. From what I understand re the barrels, they were first a single sheet wrapped around a steel rod, then the kazura makibari spiral helix was performed over that. (see Sawada's book for illustration.) A double helix was better, as you say, and three twists were considered the best. (More than two were generally alluded to by the smiths as So-makibari or 'complete' helix work.

8. You mention not being able to see any writing on the gun, but there is an imprint seal of the lockmaker on the brass lockplate. The barrels were signed underneath, but you would need to remove the barrel to see if it is signed there with a place and name, and a date if you are extra lucky.

9. You mentioned they were made until the end of the 1800s, but this is true only for very rare commemorative examples. They were completely obsolete by 1870, having been superseded by foreign imports (and native versions)  with improved loading and firing mechanisms and rifling during a process from about 1840 to 1860, i.e. mid-century.

10. Sugawa's book has been a stop-gap lifesaver for people in the West, but for multiple reasons it needs really serious editing.