Andi B.

One note: On Paul Kremers' website tsuba.info for excellent tsuba and kodogu, he shows how to make a kozuka dai: https://tsuba.info/making-a-kozuka-dai/ Because it worked perfectly, his instruction inspired me to build all kinds of boxes for various items.

Part 2 To keep it in shape, I tap the silk with a little bookbinder's glue (it's viscous and doesn't seep through easily). The glue acts like "hairspray"... That's the bottom of the top layer. On the bottom of the top layer I glued a layer of thin cardbord. Then both pieces are glued together and the silk is glued in the kashira indentation. In the box there are two squared pieces of wood glued so that the fuchi silk doesn't touch the bottom, when the inlay is in the box.

I made some boxes for fuchi-kashira sets taking below steps. Not sure, how professionals are doing it, but for me it worked fine. Silk, kiri wood, card board, plywood... Holes cut. (That's the three pieces together but not glued.) A fuchi template is used to bring the sik in shape

It is interesting that the act of collecting seems to be more important and fun for collectors, than the actual collection items. Some people collect stamps 😐, others tsuba 😃 or Danish beer bottle caps 🤔 - and sometimes change the topic to start a new collection. I like Japanese antiques and if they are nice and affordable, I maybe buy them. So unintentionally I accumulate pieces and this becomes a kind of collection, but I won't call me a "collector". Because I don't have the urge to "complete" any set based on defined rules, but simply like to be surrounded by curiosities 🏯...

I think I figured it out with some styrofoam and rubber bands... I'll try to explain: This moving part has two "fingers" which come in contact with the match holder and a notch for the trigger. If the match holder is cocked, the disk is locked by the trigger and the holder is locked by the "top" finger. By pulling the trigger, the disk can rotate a bit and releases the match holder, because the first finger moves inside the base plate. Bang! 💥 By manually moving the match holder back in the cocked position for the next shot, the second finger will be grabbed and the "disk" rotates back, the trigger locks it again and the first finger locks the match holder again. Here is a little video of my attempt: http://www.zatoichi....B/matchlock-test.mp4 According to my web research this special matchlock type is called Gaki Karakuri / 外記カラクリ and has been invented by a guy named Inoue Kyujuro Masatsugu (~early 17th century).

yes, thanks. It's really hard to explain in words. Everything is clear except how this below part actually works: which edge is locking which part and how far does it move etc. Only from pictures without seeing the real thing in motion it's a little challenging... 🧐🤔

I found a top view of the one I'm interested in - but it's a bit blurry...

I think there are two types of release: no.1 with the sear mounted directly to the shaft (parallel to the base plate / bigger coil spring) and no.2 with an outer leaf spring and this mysterious 90° mounted sear reaching through the base plate and locking the match holder arm. However - it's fascinating what these guys invented...

Thanks for your efforts, Brian! Below thats a different type of lock but a view from this side >>> would make it easier to understand, how this disc part is located in the mechanism.

Thanks Brian, I could figure out all parts, and how they should be assembled. Yes, the circled part can rotate, there is pressure by a riveted leaf spring on one side, pressure on the outside from the match holder and it is locked by the trigger part. (Sorry for the confusion: the big outside leaf spring is missing in the initial picture - the circular spring is for the trigger part) But how it moves in action is not clear. Maybe I have to simulate it with a cardboard model... Some side viewes might help.... All parts (image from www):

Hello, I would like to understand below type of matchlock mechanism - especially how the locking part works. Which edge of the rocker catch locks the match holder and how does it move when unlocking/pulling the trigger and the match holder moves? And also how does it rotate back, when the match holder is cocked again? (How does this mechanism looks from the sides or top?) Can someone please enlighten me?

I can show you a tetsubin with a crab in low relief...

"Behind nearly every proud man with a sword there stands a woman shaking her head..."

Here's a Mito school fuchi kashira set with Tsukushi 土筆 (horsetail’s stobilus) design. Depicted are horsetail branches (Tokusa, 木賊) and the eatable spore stems.