Wrapping a Tsuka

[sencho]

I have an modern tsuka and was trying to wrap an ito on the bloody thing tonight.... a little success, but I am wondering if there is any web pages that anyone knows of that details the proper process, like the goos ones detailing the tying of sageo.

 

Anyone?

 

Thanks!

[John A Stuart]

Hi Nigel, This site has step by step info and suggestions. Worth filing. John

http://pages.prodigy.net/tlbuck/tsuka/tsuka.htm

[andreas]

Yes, it is hard but not so after couple week pract.---> http://www.nihonto.fi/andreas/instr/

Collected few images from different websites when i was into "it"

 

One thing more, sorry if i violated someone's copyright

[pcfarrar]

Can anyone explain the process of making rice glue?

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

[andreas]

Works well on shinken etc, but nihonto. hmmm should ask professional help.

 

 

How to Make Sokui;

 

1. Take a small amount of one- to two-day old cooked short-grain rice and place it on a clean, flat surface. A board works well.

2. Wet a strong, flat stick, such as a bamboo spatula and mash the rice.

3. Add a drop or two of water, and mash again.

4. Keep adding water as needed.

5. Continue mashing the rice until it becomes a sticky, glutinous mass with no lumps.

6. Gratulations ..You now have basic sokui.

 

How to Use Sokui

1. Use a small sliver of wood to spread a bead of sokui over the necessary area.

2. Press together the pieces to be glued. Hold them firmly in place using a cord, rubber band, or other similar device until dry.

[John A Stuart]

Hi Andreas, There is a rice that is especially good for this. It is a glutinous rice and really sticky. I have a big bag of it for rice balls. Don't know its' name. Just scooped mine into a plastic bag from a big bin. John

[Brian]

I thought most of the Japanese short grain sushi-style rices were ok for the glue.

 

Taken from a kinfe care page:

 

To make the glue take a small quantity of Japanese rice and cook by boiling until edible. Cover for a couple of days in a small container to reduce moisure loss and allow to sit. After sitting for two days work it into a paste with a bamboo spatula. Distilled water is added to achieve the correct consistancy. When all lumps have been eliminated and the texture is smooth, it can be further refined by pressing through a layer of clean white cotton. Use 8" x 8" squares and place the rice glue in the center. Gather together the edges and twist until the glue is extruded in beads through the fabric.Dab the joint surfaces with glue until they are covered but do not get glue into the interior. Do not over glue as the excess will be squeezed into the blade cavity.

 

I see our own Ichi wrote on Dave's Nihonto Site:

Use a glutinous rice (one of the kinds that tend to stick. Something other than a long grain rice. Perhaps a pearl rice from Tailand. Put one cup of rice and two cups of cold water into a heavy pan that has a tight fitting lid. Bring the rice - water mixture to a boil. Remove the rice from the heat after 5 minutes of boil. Set aside, with lid on. Let sit Two days (One day is minimum!) After two days Remove Lid and remove a portion of the rice (a table spoon or two). MASH the rice with a pounder or fork to make a paste. You may add a little water, but try to not add very much. Use this Very Sticky mixture as the glue

 

Brian

[John A Stuart]

Hi Brian, This rice I am talking about is so short it is almost round :lol: ,but the main thing about it is that it is really sticky. John

[mike yeon]

It is the sushi rice. Short grain. You can find bags upon bags in any Japanese or Korean market. Those of us who grew up Japanese or Korean were raised with the indignity of using mom made rice glue for arts and crafts projects while the other kids used elmers...

[John A Stuart]

Hi Mike, At least those mom's could be sure that their kids were eating something healthy. The paste I had in primary school in the 50's was eaten by quite a few constantly, it smelled like peppermint. What was in that ? Rendered horse hoofs? Whew!!

[johnb]

It's relatively easy to do an ok job when re-warpping a tsuka, it's bloody difficult to do a great job. However, it's a bit like painting a wall...preperation is every thing. Lump and bumps under the ito will be magnified in the end result. Some menuki are much easier to bind in than others. (It's the short ones I struggle with). But the real secret is the HISHI-GAMI (THE PAPER WEDGES). Get these right and along with surface preperation and you'll definitely see it in the end result. The other secret to a great result is ... http://pages.prodigy.net/tlbuck/tsuka/tsuka.htm

it's the best site I've found for Tsukamaki. Fantastic illustrations, and very clear directions. Thank you Mr Buck.

 

Hope this helps.

 

John B

[raaay]

Hi can i suggest a short cut that i have tried in the past ,

just for the fun off it and the practice .

 

it's a bit of a cheat and going against the traditional way of tsuka wrapping ??

 

So here goes if you do not want to make all the paper triangles and folding paper forever try using Balsa Wood easy to cut and soft enough

to shape to the tsuka and gives you the perfect shape every time and it comes in all different thicknesses .

 

REMEMBER, I SAID ONLY FOR THE FUN OFF IT

 

ray.