ROKUJURO

Luca, I am sure you don't need fossilized ivory! You can buy mammoth ivory from knifemaking supply shops, but I have found that in most case it is too brittle. If staghorn is too soft, cattle bones are quite hard if they are degreased and dried properly. In some difficult cases, soft metal tools (copper and brass) can help on iron TSUBA, but they may leave a metallic residue which has to be removed afterwards. Best of luck with your project! Let us know about your results in a few years!

Mick, I have the impression that the warrior on the TSUBA is not at all similar. He looks more like a HEIAN JIDAI SAMURAI to me. But I am no expert in this field.

Ford, as usual your comments are very informative and enlightening. Thank you!

Brian, the photo is upside down and not very clear. Perhaps try again with an enlarged photo and then in the TRANSLATION section.

Ken, ashes are the mineral residue of (in this case) plants, and as grasses (GRAMINEAE) contain high amounts of silica which gives them their incredible strength (bamboo is a 'grass'), a completely oxidized rice hull ash (water free) can indeed contain very high amounts of SiO2. I have worked with this material. Rice straw ash can contain small amounts of carbon if not burnt properly. Rice hull ash (mostly coming from China, but Japan has its own production) is used in large amounts and widely in the iron producing industry as an insulating material to cover the melted iron in an open crucible. It just floats on top of the iron.

In many cases we uninformed Westerners do not understand the Eastern Asian mythical relations we can find in compositions like bamboo and sparrow, tiger and bamboo, turtle and crane, a.s.o. What looks like random to us, may make sense to Japanese minds. Many decorative elements are derived from legends and tales, so for a deeper understanding it is a good idea to read books on these subjects.

Steve, while the forging/welding temperature is about 1.200°C, the melting point of silica is 1.713°C, and rice straw ash contains about 90% of it. I think it must be mainly the clay which works as a kind of flux.

Blade is obviously acid treated. I see no use in continuing this thread.

Mick, that is probably depicting a Mongolian, although the long bow is not typical. At least it does not look Japanese to me..

Yes, makes sense! Or what about a subforum: 'The good, the bad (and the ugly)' to have justice for both sides. There are so many good dealers listed on NMB who deserve a thumbs up!

They usually use TENSHO KANJI. See under https://www.is-hanko.co.jp/shachi/tensho_check.html Hope that helps!

Alex, I always thought 次 was TSUGU. At least it's in the books that way. Sorry, I misunderstood! You meant the different KANJI in the MEI.

From the photos, the MENUKI look cast to me. The TSUBA is signed HIRADO KUNISHIGE. Many examples to be found in the net, mostly soft metal.

What material is it made of? If metal, it might be a paper weight for calligraphy

Plain SAYA, lacquer not high gloss.

Christian, very nice CHAWAN with wonderful shape which reminds me somewhat of the classic O-IDO! Contemporary, I presume? Looks like SHIGARAKI clay without glaze after a sawdust reduction! Is it glazed inside?

Grev, cast lines and pinholes are hints for a crudely made cast TSUBA. Look for a good design, fine, precise chisel marks as monkey fur, nice little faces with eyes in the right place, TAGANE around the NAKAGO-ANA, traces of wear and use on the SEPPA-DAI a.s.o. Best of luck!

I hope this is ironical. I see no resemblance, even if you take into account that the same KANJI characters have been used!

Tai, please sign all your posts with at least your real first name plus an initial, which is the rule here. Your upper NAKAGO photos are upside-down and difficult to read. What I think I can read without books is: KAWA XX HACHIRO FUJIWARA MASA (HIDE). The HIDE is a probabilty, but not safe as the NAKAGO was shortened a bit (SURIAGE). Even if it was a MASAHIDE, it is not necessary SUISHINSHI MASAHIDE, and as there are a lot of faked signatures of this one, it might be more desirable to have a true but lesser famous smith than a falsely signed one. My advice: Take your time to identify the smith, see a real NIHONTO expert for that and get information about care and maintenance. Then go ahead to restoration by Japanese experts (not your scissors-grinder from the corner), if the sword is worth it and if your budget allows.

There is another sign of wrong manufacture; HA-MACHI and MUNE-MACHI are not on opposite positions. You won't find this on Japanese blades.

Grev, to be able to discuss about SHOSHIN or GIMEI, you have to know what it is and how it compares to a certified original. On your photo this does not look like good chisel writing to me, but to get a reliable feedback here, you need to present the best photos possible, e.g. a well focused full size view.

Looking at the manufacture of a good TSUKA, I think it is correct to assume what Lance said. TSUKA offer a three-dimensional fit to a NAKAGO, and a blade holds upside-down in a new TSUKA without a MEKUGI. The MEKUGI should be placed in a way to exert some pressure in the direction of the NAKAGO JIRI. There should be no pulling force on that tiny bamboo pin! If the wood dries out or happens to become wet in use, there might occur fine cracks which could not be compensated by the TSUKA-ITO. As I read the TSUKA was often replaced in SAMURAI times to prevent any risk of a loose blade, and if you remember that special handles (without TSUKA-ITO) were newly made for a blade when testing it (be that TAMESHIGIRI or execution), one might understand the importance of a perfect fit of TSUKA and NAKAGO. I think that the second MEKUGI-ANA was an option to secure a blade the TSUKA of which could not be replaced at any time in use, as was the case in a war. A DAIMYO might have his KATANA replaced at any time, a lower ranking SAMURAI or an ASHIGARU probably not.....

Chris there are some YOSHIHARU in the books. Look and compare, if that might be correct.

I have almost no competence in blades, but for the pure fun of contradicting and creating fire to the discussion, I say SHIN-SHINTO. It might be an UTSUSHI of a BIZEN-style blade, but the SORI is quite shallow and what remains of the original NAKAGO seems to show only little corrosion. So now beat me up!

Perhaps because a DAISHO in EDO JIDAI normally consisted of a DAI (KATANA) and a SHO (WAKIZASHI). DAISHO consisting of a TACHI and a TANTO from KAMAKURA JIDAI are rare, as far as I know.