ROKUJURO

Ford, I also enjoy your expert comments as eye-opener, and I am as well thankful for any opportunity to learn to distinguish between the quality levels. Being able to compare fine items which I probably will never be able to hold - that is so much different compared to my rookie times in the seventies! This is really a valuable improvement in the learning curve! Thanks, Ford!

Chris, in the mid seventies, they had Japanese film weeks in Frankfurt, Germany, and they showed classic SAMURAI films like 'Seven SAMURAI', YOJIMBO, TSUBAKI SANJURO, RASHOMON a.s.o. every other day. Among these was a film I liked a lot, and in the years since then, I tried in vain to see this film again. It was difficult as I did not remember the title, and unfortunately only a part of the contents. To make a long story short, it took me about 40 years to find that film again on YouTube (UGETSU MONOGATARI, 1953). So, with a little endurance, I am sure you will have your film one day!

Curran, do you have an explanation for the strangely shaped NAKAGO ANA seen in some items? Is it meant to fit a KATANA NAKAGO as well as one of a European rapier? Thank you!

Vern, first thing: get the cat out of the bed. Then take some close-up photos of the tang with the signature, avoiding reflections. If inside the house, try with light from the side, the signature is clear enough so you need no special tricks. Use daylight, if possible, but not bright sunshine. The pictures seem to show a really nice NAGINATA. Shape is o.k. but the damages of the tip might be a problem. To help you, well focused, sharp photos are needed.

Chris, I wish you the best of luck with your quest! Of course it is a bit selfish as I hope to see that film one day, too!

Zac, Japanese are very conventional people. Have you ever seen a SAYA decorated like this? The drawing is quite nice, I would love to see it on a KAKEMONO, but definitely not on a SAYA.

Zac, why don't you show us your SAYA and a sketch of what you want to add as embellishment? We would then be able to help and give advice. Paint isn't lacquer, and sometimes the wrong paint can ruin the underground. Please sign all posts with at least a first name as per the board rules.

Christian, this is basically the book I mentioned, but obviously for free.

Antti, a recommendation to read would be 'Steel Metallurgy for the Non-Metallurgist' by Prof. Paul Verhoeven (2007). It is available also in German language since last year. It is not an easy read as the title suggests, because it covers the subject in full detail and depth, and my personal feeling is that it is best understood when practical experience with steel is given. Otherwise it remains a quite dry and theoretical book. The difference to many other books on the subject of steel is that it uses latest research technology to better explain the facts. Concerning TEKKOTSU, I will send you my own research results and interpretation via PM.

Antii, TEKKOTSU and traces of folding are closely related. I have observed that TEKKOTSU can be quite irregularly distributed in the steel (showing mostly in the MIMI), while folding seams are more streched-out and often in one level. Both features can be easily confused, but even the finest crack in it will define it safely as a folding seam. Looking at the inside of the NAKAGO-ANA, evidence of layered construction can sometimes be seen quite clearly. This depends to an extent on the way the opening is cut.

Antii, a very nice TSUBA! All steels from all pre-industrial manufacture had to be folded and fire-welded to homogenize them. TEKKOTSU can be related to insufficient homogenizing so there remain larger lumps of iron in the steel. Industrial steel means steel made in a blast furnace which to my knowledge was not made in Japan before the end of EDO period. Nevertheless, Japanese smiths had imported NANBAN TETSU at their disposal as early as about 1600, so roughly at the beginning of the EDO period. I don't know if it was easily to be had by any smith at that time, and I don't know if TSUBASHI used it the same way as sword smiths. The latter sometimes signed with the additional remark 'NANBAN TETSU', but I don't remember having seen this on TSUBA. Features on the TSUBA directly related to layering are sometimes encountered as narrow linear TEKKOTSU (as on your TSUBA) or as small cracks or fissures, sometimes both in one place. Although still often repeated, TEKKOTSU does not form from wear.

Ford, I wonder how they could have made a TAKABORI decoration on an 'AMIDA ray' (is there a correct term for it?) underground unless they used iron ZOGAN technique on iron. What do you think?

Sorry, P.A., I was wrong! Now that you mention it again, I can see the AMIDA YASURI ME in some spots! The photos are really not great, or is it my 'shakey' eyes?

That would make it a really precious thing, and you should sell it immediately and buy loads of nice TSUBA instead! The bad pictures do not show much, but it seems to be a WAKIZASHI size, EDO period iron TSUBA with TAKABORI execution, but what you see as AMIDA-YASURI-ME (which is applied radially) is in fact the depiction of rain (SHOKI, the demon queller, with a damaged umbrella on the front and an ONI looking for shelter on the backside of the TSUBA). Others may tell you more. Please sign all posts at least with a first name.

I cannot open or upload them either. I only get Japan Science and Technology Aggregator, Electronic An error occurred. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Please view from the J-STAGE top screen

Thank you for posting this interesting link!

Ken, before using the chalk, I would use a brass wire brush and get rid of the red rust, especially in the grooves of the MEI. I hope you get a good contrast then so that it becomes readable. Interesting item, by the way!

As Chris said, you would have to grind even the cross section cut and then polish it without inducing too much heat. In Japan they would bring out different steels or hardnesses that way, but a composite construction can also be made visible by etching the cut with ferric chloride.

You may have snow in Berlin, but hopefully no TSUNAMI.....

Gentlemen, just for a decorative high-light I would like to show again a set of MENUKI which I had put on display a while ago and which has been classified by many here as 'EZO style'. As I have learned later, they are very likely from the late MOMOYAMA period or from early EDO, as they are signed NARA. To contribute to this discussion I ask if it would be correct to say that EZO was a style or design elements historically based in earlier periods like KAMAKURA, but obviously used by later artists as well?

BaZZa, an interesting TSUBA with some unusual (NAMBAN-ish?) elements! It looks somewhat older than the other ones which may have to do with corrosion. I have the impression that a different technique to fix the SHINCHU than that described by Ford has been used. Could that be?

Henry, as she is now or as she was half a lifespan ago?

David, as usual, I don't get along with your website! The only TSUBA in the for sale-section I can find is the TETSUGENDO (sold). Is it me or the software of the site?

Andrey, I am sorry, yes, the first position was correct and I was wrong! Thought to be sure, but KAISHO script seems to be too difficult for me!

Gabriel, the MEKUGI-ANA look like they were drilled, not punched.