Sword stand

I am going to buy a sword stand soon for a tanto. I am wondering how a sword should be displayed on one. The end of the koshirae will rest on one support but what about the tsuka? Should the tsuka be spported on the other side or should the koshirae only be supported on both sides?

Does that make sense?????? :?

Not exactly sure what you're asking, Henry. First, I've never seen a tanto in koshirae, per se - those are usually saved for wakizashi (often with kogatana & kozuki), katana, & daito/tachi. Are you sure you don't have a fairly plain wooden shirasaya with an aikuchi (close fitting) tanto?

Are you displaying the tanto IN its koshirae? If so, then the koshirae should be positioned with the blade facing up, & the tsuka to the left as you face it, & generally centered on the short katanakake.

If you're displaying the tanto separately from koshirae, the tanto will be mounted on top, again blade up & with the tsuka to the left, with the koshirae underneath on a second katanakake support, matching the orientation of the tanto.

Hope this helps, Henry, but I'd like to see a photo of your tanto koshirae.

Not exactly sure what you're asking, Henry. First, I've never seen a tanto in koshirae, per se -

quote]

 

http://www.nihonto.com/11.5.06.html

 

http://www.nihonto.com/5.6.06.html

 

http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/tanto/imag ... shirae.jpg

 

http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/tanto/imag ... shirae.jpg

 

do i need to go on? :?

Stephen, I didn't say that there aren't any tanto in koshirae, just that I've never seen one - should have said that I've never held one, & certainly don't have one in my not-so-vast collection. I do have several nice aikuchi tanto in shirasaya, one modern tanto in saya.

But thanks for the links. I may have to start looking for a tanto in koshirae for myself.

was the outcome of the Ebay tanto that you showed the list awhile back. I sent a PM to you with link to a ebay Knife or somekind of dirk but never heard back from you.

I bought that tanto, Stephen, & it's being shipped from the East Coast today. I'll post some photos when it arrives.

I just checked my PM, but don't see anything from you. Sorry about that.

Thank you for the replies Ken and Stephen

Sorry about the fuzzy question....

To clarify, I am used to seeing long swords on stands and always the sword stand is supporting the sword across the koshirae and not touching the handle.

When displaying a sword on a stand is it OK for the handle to rest on one of the supports of the stand as this is probably going to be the case with the stand that I am considering buying

Here it is below:

http://www16.plala.or.jp/katana-iimura/tantoushitan-e.html

Looks like a pretty decent stand, Henry, but it might not be appropriate for your tanto.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but if you're displaying a blade, why in the world would you want to leave it in koshirae? It makes a lot more sense to me to display the blade by itself on the top level, with a lower support for the koshirae. That's certainly what I do for my Nihonto. If the blade is in shirasaya, it's a toss-up whether you want to just lay the shirasaya flat in front of the katanakake, with the blade on the single support.

There are actually some good reasons for displaying Nihonto this way. Shirasaya tend to collect humidity, which doesn't do much good for the blade. And if you have the whole assembly in a climate-controlled case (I use a Dry-Rod), then the blade has much less chance to rust.

Anyway, to answer your question, yes, it's okay to have the tsuka touching the katanakake support. For longer blades, however, the support may end up in front of the tsuka & tsuba, with the mune of the nagasa lying on the support.

To clarify, I am used to seeing long swords on stands and always the sword stand is supporting the sword across the koshirae and not touching the handle.

I understood your question at the first post.

You should use Saya instead of Koshirae in the context to be understood.

reply deleted

Just to clarify. It is difficult on the internet to know who is who, and who is a beginner and who is not. It is the nature of internet interaction, and leads to confusion occasionally.

Henry is an advanced collector and enthusiast in Tokyo, and is fully aware of the koshirae vs shirasaya reasoning. I think you confused us a bit Henry, but using koshirae where we should have read saya :D (As Koichi pointed out)

Basically the question was the positioning of the 2 rests on a stand when displaying a tanto, and I think that Guido elloquently answered that with his posted picture.

It was something I had been wondering too for a while, so good to get clarification. Thanks all.

Regards,

Brian

Thanks all....... yes sorry saya...... Not a scabbard guy Got my terms wrong. Thanks for the pic Guido just what I was after.....

I am off shopping tomorrow!!!!