My new Kabuto and Menpo

[Justin Grant]

With the expert help of many including Ian, Moriyama Sama, Thomas, John, and Uwe, the Mei was translated in the Translation Section, so I thought I would post some photos. This is not a high end item, but a good example of a late custom kabuto. I don't have a date on the menpo, it is not a matched set. The maedate is a modern piece, just added for flair.

 

 

 

 

The shikoro are leather faced. The mabizashi is doubled over the stock zunari peak. The bowl is gold urushi on the inside. It also has a hanger (forget name for it) on the back for an agamaki bow. The bowl is sabiji.

 

Once I figure out where the maker worked and what school, I'll be jazzed!

 

Thanks

 

Justin

 

PS, these are the sellers photos.

[estcrh]

Any sign as to if this was the original finish or if the whole kabuto was previously lacquered. Here is a link to the Wikipedia commons Category:Kabuto (individual parts) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Kabuto_(individual_parts)

 

Kasa jirushi no kan, A ring at the back of a Japanese helmet (Kabuto) designed to carry a small identification flag, but on later helmets an agemaki bow was tied to the kasa jirushi no kan.

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[Bugyotsuji]

Recently I bought a Kabuto, so it was interesting to see what you have there Justin. Congratulations.

 

Nice link, Eric. There was a last-legs molting/moulting bow and tassel tied to my Kasajirushi-no-kan, which I was advised to whip off and substitute with a real Kasa-jirushi, (quite similar to a Kata-jirushi or a Yari-jirushi).

The Kabuto seems to be based on an older Zunari bowl, but it has been covered in 24 tsuji, with black lacquer and topped with a Hachimanza. It also has a Mabisashi a little like yours, Justin. Shikoro and odoshi-ito in good condition. No Mei, sadly. I have replaced the Ukibari (not Uke-, I believe) and the Shinobi-no-o as I plan to use this kabuto on display days and alternate to lessen damage to the Namban toppai.

[Justin Grant]

Eric-

 

No indication that it was ever anything more than Sabiji. The red urushi is still on the inside of the mabizashi, and the gold is still very present in the bowl. There are no signs of urushi under the shikoro, and the odoshi looks original, so I don't think it was removed and then the lacquer removed and then re-laced.

 

 

Piers, would love to see you new find.

[uwe]

Hi Justin,

interesting kabuto! Looks a bit like a late copy of that hineno-bachi, published in J.C. Carbonnier`s book, page 52/53.

Congrats

Uwe

[Bugyotsuji]

Justin I certainly do not want to butt in on your thread here, but it was the mention of the Kan for the Agamaki/Kasa-jirushi that caught my eye as this is something I have just been playing with and it could add to the debate.

 

Here are a few shots of my recent purchase. Urushi does not seem to be so popular here in Japan right now, the trend being for people to want tetsu-sabi-ji. You will notice that the Kan is offset. I have reinstated the original bow and tassel for comparison against the Shirushi/jirushi (genuine, but too long: strictly speaking for a Yari I believe).

 

When I pulled out the old uki-bari? (uki/uke = floating taught, a bit like a trampoline?) the insides were pure zunari plates like yours, apart from the hole for the hachimanza. The three string loops for the shinobi-no-o had been cut and the remains were rock-hard (impregnated with lacquer?) so I replaced them with black leather thong/strips.

[Justin Grant]

Piers,

 

Did you make your own liner? I need one for my kabuto. Pointers welcome!

 

It is hard to see the Zunari in your kabuto. The transformation is unreal.

[IanB]

Justin, Making an ukebari (that is how I have always spelt it) isn't difficult, just infinitely tedious. Cut two squares of linen / hemp and if you have some, a similar square of red silk chirimen crepe for the inner surface. They need to be considerably bigger than the diameter of the bowl, say about 2' a side. Stack the two hemp pieces at 45 degrees to each other and then add the silk if you have it. Mark the centre and start sewing. For some reason I have never really fathomed, the originals are sewn with green thread about the thickness of crocheting thread. I suspect that the original makers bought thread by the 10,000 momme from a wholesale supplier who only had green in stock . Start in the centre and just do small in-and-out stitches in a spiral spaced about 3/16" apart. It goes very quickly at first and then slows down as the spiral get bigger. When it is about 6" across, start pulling the thread a little as you go along to form small puckers in the cloth. Carry on doing this until it is big enough. I found it easiest to form it on a polystyrene wig block to get the shape. Good luck, it takes a long time.

Ian Bottomley

[Bugyotsuji]

The very first liner I did myself, conscientiously, generally as per Ian's instructions above, until my wife rather firmly said she would take over. When finished you could see my minute stitching to the half-way point, beyond which it started to go large wild and wobbly as she discovered what she had taken on. :lol: (Shortly after I sold the kabuto, at a loss, it appeared in an antiques shop with a shockingly high price attached, and immediately sold, so someone must have appreciated the handiwork.)

 

Since then I have learned a trick or two, such as cutting the rim off a particular type of pressed cotton hat and using the crown etc.

 

In this case I was handed a ready-to-fit uke-bari (I have seen and heard both terms uki- and uke-, and each makes its own kind of sense but you are right it seems!) and told to use a rubberized quick-drying glue, cutting three small slits for the shinobi-no-o loops. I do not know where these ready-mades are made but heard that they cost about 50 dollars each. Possibly Kyushu. I'll ask. Anyway I did it in one evening, much to the surprise of the members, but it scared the life out of me having to rely on my native wit and derring-do, above all not wanting to harm the Kabuto. I have a big head relative to this rather small Kabuto, so I had to set the cloth deep into the hachi.

 

The construction of the above Kabuto looks as though it has to be overlapping iron triangles, but... it is actually 'neri' and nuri, paste and lacquer applied over the zunari (now completely hidden) and fashioned into that style. There were unused holes in the Zunari suggesting that the hachi itself may be older, used at a later date as a base for the present style.

[IanB]

Piers, Justin, This thread has pulled up two interesting helmets. The one, a signed zunari kabuto with a none standard peak, the other a zunari kabuto modified to look like a regular helmet. I am in the process of re-building my new neri gawa armour (I posted a picture of the mask a few days ago). The helmet bowl of this armour is a very stylish shape, modelled to look like a 16 plate goshozan bachi. Unfortunately the shikoro plates have spread outwards a little through bad storage. Even worse the back has been packed in the box in such a way that the shoulder straps have bent downwards from their original position. The shikoro is now in pieces with the ends of each plate tied together with string to pull them back into shape. The back is undergoing more severe treatment - in a wooden frame with heavy weights applying tension to the shoulder straps. Every hour or so I give them a blast with the wife's hair-dryer to warm them up. So far the treatment is working - they are almost back to where they should be and the lacquer is still undamaged. What worries me is that they will revert back to the wrong shape when released from tension. I might have to mount the armour on a stand for a few years with heavy weights inside so that there is constant upwards pressure on the shoulder straps.

Ian Bottomley

[Bugyotsuji]

Fascinating stuff, Ian. A photo or two would not go amiss :lol:

 

First things first though. I must apologize and bow to superior knowledge. I hate to say it, AGAIN.... Ian, I have checked with some Katchu people and although there was some argument among them at the table this evening, the end result was Ukebari is how to pronounce it, although if read as written it should really be Uki-bari. Often the i and the e sound in old Japanese was interchangeable depending on who was saying it and where. So, just to make sure I looked in your eminent Sasama Sensei's encyclopedia and there he also says explicitly that it is properly pronounced Uke-bari. (Like oo-keh Barry)

 

So I get a choice of 'humble pie' or 'crow pie' for dessert. I have gone back and altered earlier references to the wrong reading.

 

And Justin, I asked, and apparently these liners are sold over the J internet!

[IanB]

Piers, Humble pie is not needed in the least. It is after all only the romanisation and the -i and -e sounds can sound similar. I mis-pronounce things regularly and often have to think carefully what I am saying.

Ian

[Justin Grant]

And Justin, I asked, and apparently these liners are sold over the J internet!

 

Piers, would you by chance have a name or a link? I have no idea what to search for. I did secure a rather old (1920's) Asa (Hemp) male kimono online, and plan on using it for a liner if I have to make one.

 

Ian, I think the reason the katchushi use such thick thread is that Hemp only comes in small rope sizes! I have looked all over the web and the smallest I can find is 16 gauge!

 

I called the local "hippie" shop in town, they are all "hemp" people, and they too have never seen a decent small sewing type hemp thread, and they use cotton thread when making the "tree hugger" outfits.

 

Maybe the thicker thread added strength and toughness?

[estcrh]

Justin, if you watch yahoo Japan they regularly are for sale, next time I see one I will let you know.

[Justin Grant]

Thank you Eric.

 

Ian or Piers

 

Is it more of a spiral or perfect circles that one sews, ties off, and starts another circle?

 

Can I use the current band that is still sewn into the rim? I assume I can remove it.

 

Thanks

 

Jg

[Bugyotsuji]

Justin it is a spiral that starts at the center/centre and just keeps going forever it seems... this spiral gradually draws (or should) the crown shape into it. You'll need to stretch, pull it every so often to make sure a nice shape is appearing.

 

If the current band looks old (genuine) and if you can remove it, then yes, I would. (I have saved the old liner and sections of band this time in a plastic bag, just for reference. The stitching is minute! Sadly it is mostly torn and rotten.)

 

You may want to use Fabreze or something on the rim/band to counter centuries of sweat and dormant bacteria.

[Luc T]

I once saw a very similar zunari with mabezashi, signed Azai Tomoyuki.

I think it was end edo.

[IanB]

Justin, Here is how you do the leather band:- Once you have the fabric lining big enough to fit the bowl, tack it to the helmet using the pairs of small holes around the lower rim making sure the top of the lining is not touching the top of the helmet. With a zunari kabuto there would be about an inch of space between the lining and bowl when worn. When all is well, you can then cut off the excess fabric level with the rim of the bowl. At the front, over the eyes, there is usually a strip of metal that continues the rim under the peak. This will also have pairs of holes in it. If not, the front part of the lining will have been glued to the underside of the peak. You can now take the lining out again and fit the leather. This is sewn about 1/2" to 3/4" below the edge of the fabric and about 1/8" from the edge of the leather, inside out and upside down. In other words, when it is sewn all the way round, it will be folded down over the sewing and extend a good 1/2" or more beyond the edge of the fabric. You then sew the fabric back into the bowl using a long length of thread that runs from one pair of holes to the next on the outside of the rim. I always do two or three stitches through each pair of holes before taking the thread along to the next pair of holes. At the front, the leather has to be folded around the fabric itself before sewing so you need to slit it on either side of the peak. When the fabric is sewn in, fold the leather over the rim and hold it in place by pasting it to the running thread round the outside of the rim. There you are.

Ian Bottomley

[Justin Grant]

Ian, What is you shipping address? I have a large box on they way that needs your attention :D

 

I'll give this a go, but have a feeling I'll be making several until I get it right.

 

I am guessing a sewing machine is out of the question when it comes to the spiral?

[Justin Grant]

Well, the band is out. It was anchored in by the hachi tsuke-no-byo in three places and the shinobi-ne-no-o anchors.

 

The real trick will be stitching it back in. The space between the ni-no-ita and the hachi sandwiched the leather band in. Need to think on this step without removing the shikoro.

[IanB]

Justin, I'm afraid the shikoro really needs to come off. It would be a near impossibility to sew the new lining in as well as wrap the leather around the koshimaki. One thing to watch are the copper shanks of the rivets - they have a nasty habit of breaking off when you try to straighten them. Unless the holes are big, you will also end up with cords that are difficult to put back. I wrap Scotch tape around the end to make them easier to thread. You can then pull if off afterwards.

Ian

[Justin Grant]

Ian, with this new information, I would suggest you keep an eye out for a box from the US. :D

 

I'll give it a try.

[Justin Grant]

This spiral sewing to not easy. After a few circles, it started to look like a blind person started sewing. After removing all of the thread, I am going to draw a pattern in chalk to follow.

 

Justin