Cut saya

[French nihonto]

Hello sir. Yesterday I was doing the annual re-oiling and inspection of my blades. I had a thought about a cut on one of the Saya, quite deep and clean. It reminds me a lot of the cut on the saya of the "Izumi no Kami Kanesada". Placed exactly in the same place by coincidence. I was wondering if you often encounter this type of mark on Koshirae? If it was rather common or not.

[Alex A]

Id say it was common.

 

Had one on a saya of mine when i was a kid. Don't know how it got there, it just did.

 

Probably my cousins or something sword fighting with it, when i wasn't around.

[ROKUJURO]

Maxime,

in my eyes it does not look like a serious battle scar, so probably an accidental cut.

[Rivkin]

Its not a hard-hard wood. A solid bump leaves a trace.

[French nihonto]

Thank you for your reply. I had already seen some minor damage to the saya. But a clean cut of 0.4 inch and quite deep. I had never seen that before on one of my saya. So I found it a bit strange, I wondered what could have caused it, but yes surely normal wear damage. I tried to take a better photo 

[Lewis B]

Looks like an edged blade strike although not hit with much force. I would expect a much more substantial impression if a sword had made contact even at minimal speed. I would say the impression in the saya suggests an accidental contact. 

[Tohagi]

Maybe a training incident during Batodo or Iaï, it happens... looks a blade cut to me.

 

Best regards, 

Éric 

[French nihonto]

Thank you for your reply. I'm just rambling on in my mind between two rather tedious Kantei training sessions that I'm doing at the moment.

About the story of the Saya of Izumi no Kami Kanesada. Probably stories to amuse the tourists. 

If a Saya held firmly in the hand is used to parry a blow. The Saya would surely be deeply cut, even cut in two depending on the power of the blow.  
I'm still a bit curious to know the damage of a katana strike on a saya slipped into an obi, with a certain freedom of movement. We've all tried to cut a large and rigid tree branch with a machete or something. The branch will be cut in two cleanly. But if you hit a small elastic branch, sometimes the machete will plant itself in the branch, and follow the movement of your blow. 
The branch will have a small scar but nothing more. 

[Tohagi]

In the last picture you posted, it could be an arrow, you have  two parts of the same "trajectory".

 

In that case, why not?

 

Best regards, Éric VD 

[Benjamin]

Hello Maxime,

 

Where exactly is the scar ?

If it's near the tip and on the flat part. A trivial hypothesis could be an unfortunate shock against a door frame wearing the sword in hand at 45°.

Parrying cut should be on the center and on the edge of the saya.

 

Benjamin

[Alex A]

Sadly, your never going to know how it got there.

[French nihonto]

4 hours ago, Benjamin said:

Where exactly is the scar ?

If it's near the tip and on the flat part. A trivial hypothesis could be an unfortunate shock against a door frame wearing the sword in hand at 45°.

Parrying cut should be on the center and on the edge of the saya.

It is located more in the middle. I'm sure it's not a door edge. They are quite common and look more like a bump. In my case, it was clearly cut by a sharp object. The cut is clearly visible.With a fine cutting edge. I'll never be what unfortunately. 

 

4 hours ago, Alex A said:

Sadly, your never going to know how it got there.

Unfortunately not, Alex. Sometimes I try to make the blades speak. But they rarely respond. 

[Baka Gaijin]

But they are listening Maxime.......

[Jeffo]

Hi there, 

I also own a saya with Marks like that. Was wondering if its Marks from a defense move they would be much deeper or through..

 

Kind regards 

[French nihonto]

8 hours ago, Jeffo said:

 

Hi there, 

I also own a saya with Marks like that. Was wondering if its Marks from a defense move they would be much deeper or through..

 

 

It does look like the cut mark on my Saya

[Tohagi]

I may have a smoky theory...

I was 3 day ago to a Kenbu representation and in one classical danse (battle of saginahara or something) there was a movement were the kenbu artist cross hard the sword hamon side with the mune side of the saya, in the middle, like hiting the saya.

Samourai likes play kenbu to express feelings, give courage or have fun telling storys betwen wariors. Maybe... Who knows...

 

Best Éric VD