Shinto katana restoration project

[shepps]

Hi, perhaps a silly question but I feel if you don’t know you ask. Does anyone know if or when cotton was ever used to wrap tsuka? I have been told my sword is an old Shinto katana (I have some poor quality pic’s if anyone’s interested) and I would like to restore it, but the tsuka I have seems wrong. The tsuka seems to be made from wood that has a 1â€groove down both sides with dirty looking ray skin. It feels like it is wrapped with dark blue cotton braid. The menuki appear to be brass with a deep patina and of plant branches with fruit in a gold looking alloy. The menuki appear to be the same, almost like they were cast. I have not seen any reference to cast menuki from the Shinto era. Does anyone know if cast menuki were used? There seems a slight difference in the menuki but perhaps it’s just the wear of the patina or they were cast, and then altered slightly. The fuchi and kashira are iron, very plain; with no design at all just a very deep brown black rust patina. I am a collector of jade, jadeite and bonsai and do a little kung fu. I am very new to Japanese swords so do not understand the terminology well, but I will Google if I’m unsure. Any ideas or suggestions welcome I have some pictures if needed. Many thanks in advance Stephen Shepperd.

[sencho]

Hi Stephen,

 

Welcome to the board!

 

For the terminology bit and to further your knowledge, use this site

 

http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/nihonto.htm

 

or for same site but different address:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Esteinrl/nihonto.htm

 

I started just over a year ago and this message board and the site I just listed have been invaluable.

 

Cheers!

[Brian]

Stephen,

 

Remember that the tsuka might be changed a few times over the life of the sword. Just because a blade is from a Shin-to..does not mean the fittings will be original to it..in fact it is more probable that they are later additions.

The rayskin can be wrapped around the tsuka in 2 ways. The better method was a full wrap, but the 2 panels method as you describe was often done too..prehaps as a cheaper and easier method.

The menuki sound much later than the sword. They are seldom identical, so they may be reproductions added later in a re-wrap of the handle.

Pics will help clarify this. But it is fairly common for the tsuka (handle) to not be orginal to the age of the blade. The plain fittings could be satsuma type, or just cheap fittings used when the primary use of the blade was battle and not flash. Some of the warring periods led to mass production of swords, and looks were not given high priority.

 

Brian

[TAIOSON]

Brian you answered a question I've had for some time. I tended to think all components of the nihonto were produced as a unit, i.e., all at the same time, and remained that way into the future. In regard to your response, would the same hold true for the tsuba also? Would tsuba be mixed and matched, as it were, over a long period of time? I ask this because I'm trying to use the tsuba to confirm the date of the blade and vice versa. Maybe not a good idea huh? :?

[Loki]

Howdy, there are several issues with this approach. Not only did fashion change, and hence sword fittings, there would also be multiple owers through out the centuries, each with their own taste. It is possible to come across blades in their original fittings but these are very rare. It is also possible that "poor" samurai pawned them at times...

[Loki]

Forgot to add my name, just a bit rusty.

 

Thanks

 

Phill Bell

[shepps]

I have added some pics any ideas about the age of this tsuka much appreciated.

 

Stephen Shepperd

[Stephen]

the age looks shinshinto to me...but as Brian said they changed them offten, i think your whole set is worthy of restoration, blade et all.