Kantaro Posted August 25 Report Share Posted August 25 Am a bit puzzled with this little Habaki (23mmx6mm/weight28 grams) because one side is made of iron. (only 1 side) See picture where the green magnet sticks. This piece seems to me very well made... Wondered if this is common or not? Kind regards 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartancrest Posted August 25 Report Share Posted August 25 This is the matching tsuba. The dots are a dead giveaway! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlorianB Posted August 25 Report Share Posted August 25 Usually habaki are made of copper, often with silver or gold plating, sometimes shakudo is used. Yours look like copper, too. Maybe an alloy with iron or iron layer? FYI: Have a look at this thread: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/32583-cat-scratch-habaki/ with a lot of wonderful examples of habaki. Florian 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matsunoki Posted August 25 Report Share Posted August 25 ??a copper habaki with iron pins in it…..thus magnet sticks to the pins?? ?does magnet stick to the flat sides? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 25 Author Report Share Posted August 25 26 minutes ago, Matsunoki said: ??a copper habaki with iron pins in it…..thus magnet sticks to the pins?? ?does magnet stick to the flat sides? No, it are not the pins beause on the other side where are pins too (small side) the magnet does not stick, neither on the flat sides. It seems a copper habaki with 1 iron side. I made some extra detailed pictures where you can see inside the habaki that the iron side is much thicker. Wonder if other members have such a reinforced habaki? Was this common in a specific period? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B3HR2UH Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 This is an interesting observation that deserves to be treated seriously . I haven't seen such a thing before . Ian brooks 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 7 hours ago, Ian B3HR2UH said: This is an interesting observation that deserves to be treated seriously . I haven't seen such a thing before . Ian brooks Thanks for taking this matter seriously, Ian. Kind regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Seems the triangular filler part at the back that was inserted is made of iron. I can't think of any valid explanation except that is what the maker had lying around, and decided to use. No practical use for that, and it isn't common, so it's just one of those oddities that we'll never know why. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matsunoki Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Possibly a home-made repair or added packing to make it fit although I’m still struggling to see anything that actually looks like iron on it anywhere from these photos. Internally it looks copper, externally it looks copper. Metallurgically can you even fuse iron and copper? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoTanuki yokai Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 The first thing that I think of is that just some iron from the hammer or anvil that got lose was hammered into the material accidentally. But I would think the pieces would be too small to really hold the magnet. Edit: it is possible to fuse steel with copper just search for Cu Mai but I think it is a modern thing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 If I compare the weight of this little spiked "reinforced ironside" Wakizashi Habaki (28 grams) with a regular simple copper Wakizashi Habaki(16 grams) there is a difference of 12 grams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matsunoki Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Simple question…..can you actually see any iron/steel because it doesn’t show in the images? if so can you image it please? Also weight difference tells us little as it depends on thickness of the walls etc….no two habaki are the same anyway. This thread is like an itch you can’t scratch🙂 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 No Colin, I do not see any iron either but I do trust my magnet. There seems to be iron embedded in the copper on 1 side. The weight difference was just an observation with what I had available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matsunoki Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 ……in that case I think Christian is right…..accidentally hammered into the copper. How bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugyotsuji Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 No, I agree with Colin that a slim iron pin could have been hammered into the soft copper in order to stretch it for a slightly better fit. (Does the nakago have a bulge in it? Did you have trouble taking off the habaki?) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 39 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said: No, I agree with Colin that a slim iron pin could have been hammered into the soft copper in order to stretch it for a slightly better fit. (Does the nakago have a bulge in it? Did you have trouble taking off the habaki?) Sorry Piers I do not have the blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNSSHOGUN Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Nickel silver is another possibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 2 hours ago, PNSSHOGUN said: Nickel silver is another possibility? Is not magnetic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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