3D Printed?

[Spartancrest]

I have been collecting images of the "rain dragon" tsuba for several years now [134 so far] and I came across this one today.  https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1146338096  It immediately stood out to me as a modern fake. Then having a closer look I noticed the seppa-dai had rows etched across it and certain areas showed concentric ridges following the contours all over the "metal". What I can't figure out is was the entire guard 3D printed or was the blank used for casting purposes printed?

[Let us for now ignore the dragon has no eye, there is a seam running around the edge of the mimi and that they have modeled the nakago-ana on a coke bottle!]

[PhoenixDude]

Probably 3d printed a model and used it to create the mould.

[Steves87]

I agree with Jay, I have a feeling only steel is 3d printed at this point; however, wax can be 3d printed for casting brass (lost wax casting), so this is very possible in this case https://www.zeal3dprinting.com.au/brass-3d-printing/#:~:text=The lost-wax casting method,in the final product design.

 

[Geraint]

Dear All.

 

Good spot Dale.  Jay and Stephen are almost certainly correct about the use of a lost wax process for this tsuba, however the range of metals now used in additive manufacturing is immense at this point, from one reference, 

Aluminium alloys
Cobalt-base alloys
Tool steels
Nickel-base alloys
Stainless steels
Titanium alloys
Precious metal alloys
Copper alloys

 

Processes used include electron beam and laser fusing, though the properties of the finished component need some working out. (I think that this level of processing would be far too expensive to make it worth the effort for this type of tsuba.)

 

It gets more and more interesting as the days go by!

 

All the best.