Soshin

Hi Dan O., Here is the a preparation I found used during the late Edo Period for applying a patina to a Iron tsuba. I am not sure if the preparation was specific to Tosho tsuba but is referred to as a standard method. I also have never tried this and have no idea if it would work or not. I hope you find this helpful. Red clay (mix with water to the consistency of thick cream) 0.391 pt. Pine resin 0.132 oz. Nitrate 1.056 oz. Green Vitriol (Ferrous sulfate) 0.0132 oz. Blue Vitriol (Cupric sulfate) 0.0924 oz. Salt 0.264 oz. The above ingredients are mixed together dry and mixed with a small amount of water. Then, add the clay mixture to these ingredients, adding water until the whole thing has the consistency of cream. Allow to stand for a few hours, then skim the residue off the top. This mixture, skimmed from the top of the water, is then spread evenly over the plate of the tsuba and dried on a charcoal fire. The spreading and drying process is repeated about ten times. After the desired color is obtained wash the plate with water and dip in Japanese vinegar (plum vinegar) for about five minutes, when wipe dry. Then the surface of the plate is covered with wood ashes and rubbed clean. This is repeated about ten times. Then the plate is again dried over a charcoal fire. Next the plate is boiled in a solution of wood ashes for about four or five hours. The plate is then dried thoroughly and sword oil is spread on the surface and the plate is rubbed many times until the oil is worked well into the surface. It will take many years before the oxidation of the air will give the final color and true lustrous patina. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Dan O., Thanks for the nice photos of your work. I do at someone need to get a new training sword for my Batto practice. In regards to the material I agree it is likely the lower carbon tamahagane that is used to forage the plate of a Tosho tsuba. The plate of a Ko-Tosho tsuba according to a book by Dr. Torigoye and Mr. Haynes cited in my paper is forged by a single fold of plate metal. They go on to say that the later Tosho tsuba and Katchushi (armor makers) tsuba are made with a more complex "S" fold design. Other people I have talk to discount this so I didn't discuss it in the article. The piercings I am not complete sure how they would be made. In regrades to the texture that is also really important and the ability to produce fine hammer marks along the surface of the plate is important. You will notice this in all of the early Ko-Tosho tsuba many of the finer Tosho tsuba. This would likely need to be done by hand without the use of a power hammer. I do have a few different offline sources on how to make a patina mixture which is applied once the tsuba is complete. I not sure if they are Tosho tsuba specific. I will do some searching and post what I find. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Dan O., I hope you join JSSUS. The information in the newsletter is more then worth the yearly membership dues. Thinking about it the most important skill required to produce high quality modern Tosho style tsuba would be the ability to forage a nice plate from the traditional Japanese steel tamahagane. I know that tamahagane is graded by its carbon content and I don't know which grade or grades would be best for the plate of this type of tsuba. Skillfully and tastefully performing the hammer work on the surface of the plate would also not be easy. The small openwork design I don't think would be hard but again I never tired to make a modern Tosho tsuba before. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian, I was contacted by the JSSUS newsletter editor and was given the green light to post my tosogu article on the message board in a digital format. Please send me a PM with instructions on what to do next. Thanks again. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Henry, I like that tsuba you posted as I have seen it in hand this photo is poor but I am not sure it is a Christian Cross for the reasons given by John L. and which are also discussed in Fred G. article. Here is the photos of my tsuba and the fine granular tekkotsu along the rim. The black arrows are to highlight the small tekkotsu (i.e. iron bones) I hope the photos also show the fine turn back of the rim edge as well. P.S. Pete, thanks for letting me know about another term used to describe this design. I will check both Sasano's books on my bookshelf. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Thanks for the replys specificly Curran and John L. with the helpful information. I think now the question of the design is answered. I will post more photos of the rim which display a nice turnback once I have a chance after work. The thickness range from 3.5 mm at rim to ~2.5 mm at seppa-dai. I have nice Sanada Tenpo tsuba closely related to the Saotome school in time and place from the late Edo Period that originally lead me and others into thinking it was older then what it was. The really good late ones will do that. Therefore the question of age might not be that easy to answer. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Just read through the four pages of comments about a fairly poor looking tsuba. No disrespect to the original owner as we all must start some where and I have spent 1,000s of dollars on low end tsuba and nihonto when first starting out. Here is a nice tsuba to discuss. I am hoping to maybe get one complete page of replies about what the openwork design is or isn't. I love the hammer work on the surface and iron is also very hard. The rim displays fine grained tekkotsu not the large size ones observed in many Owari tsuba. The measurements are 7.2 cm ✕ 7.0 cm, 3.5 mm at the rim and 2.5 mm at the seppa-dai. It reminds me of Saotome school work circa the Momoyama Period. The design is simple but bold. I was thinking it was a mokko design but when you consider it mounted on a sword with the nakago-ana filled it reminds be a Christian Cross. I remember talking about this to one of message board members at the Florida Show this year after purchasing the tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian and Eric H., Thanks for the replies and Eric H. for his kinds words about my article. It is a good summary of what is currently available on the subject of Tosho tsuba makers in English. I will contact the newsletter editor and Grey D. who is a director about posting the article here on NMB with high resolution color photos of each example. Above is a good example. I will let everyone know once I hear from them. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Chistian M., I stand corrected the inlay technique used does look similar to the tsuba posted. But like I said in the beginning this is not my area of focus. I am not going to comment any more on this tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Lance, Not the right direction that is a signed Umetada tsuba. I would need to look up the mei but it likely dates from the late Edo Period circa 1770-1868 based upon the Kanji used for Ume. The quality of the inlay work is also much better. The surface treatment is similar. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Peter F., I sometimes see this on rusted tsuba so your tsuba is not strange or unique. The classification of unsigned tsuba from the late Edo Period or Meiji Period can be problematic. Mainly due to similarly of the techniques used by many of of the tsubako from that time period. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Peter F., The iron doesn't look like it is in the best condition nor some of the inlays. I agree with the late Edo/Meji Period age estimation. As for school I would like say Shoami. This is just my opinion. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Peter F., Could you post the measurements? Having a photo of Ura side would also be helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Christian, Grev, and George T., I don't see any Nishigaki Higo school (if that is what Christian is referring to) influences on Grev's tsuba. I could be wrong I often am and would always welcome more information about a school I don't know much about. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Jeff T., Sorry for the late reply. I have a Fudo Myo tsuba that some of the senior members hate but I keep it in my collection because I like the theme of the tsuba. I will not submit it to shinsa but I will keep it in my collection for rest of my life. If you like the fuchi gashira set because of the tiger design please keep it and enjoy it for what it is. Keep a look out save your money and really nice set of tiger menuki or even a tsuba might come up for sale on NMB or one of the dealer websites and you can purchase it. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I published my first Tosogu related article in the Japanese Sword Society of the United States (JSSUS) volume 44, number 3 this month. The title of the article is "Overview and Development of Tsuba made by Japanese Swordsmiths". The article contains highlights from my collection and Mariusz K. who is also a member of the NMB spanning from the middle Muromachi Period to the middle Edo Period. I would like to post a archive copy of the article at the NMB if possible but I should talk to JSSUS leadership first before doing so. Some of leadership are also members of the NMB. Please feel free to comment if you have had the chance to see the article. Here is a color photos of one of the Tosho tsuba from my collection featured in the article. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Jean C. and Bob H., For your information the Ko-Tosho tsuba I posted above has just been published in the Japanese Sword Society of the United States (JSSUS) Newsletter Volume 44, No. 3 page 25 figure 2. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi, I would say low end for export piece like circa the Meiji Period. Just my opinion. The inlays look like they were very poorly done. Check out this nice one on eBay of all places http://www.ebay.com/itm/261043349609?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_4326wt_1270. It is a good examples at a fare price. The seller is good to deal with. I have purchased NBTHK papered tsuba from him before. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Steve, I hope you don't live in a "red" state. :lol: Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I agree this is a good idea for NMB members and dealers in Japan like Aoi-Art. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pete, Got to love the autocorrect spelling on my Iphone while riding on a Washington metro. Yours tunely, David Tiles

Hi Franco, I agree a very good point. In regard to the original work that is the topic of the tread I would say it is modern reproduction. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Jean C., Here is a black and white photograph I have of one Ko-Tosho tsuba I have. The ko-sukashi design is clearly of a war fan or gunbai. An identical tsuba was in Sasano's second book on Sukashi tsuba page 48. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curran, Sounds like me talking about some of my Owari tsuba. :lol: For me the search continues for the book. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curran, Am I reading your post correct. Are you selling a copy of Owari To Mikawa No Tanko by Sugawara? I am currently looking for a copy of that book to buy. I already have two tsuba made by Norisuke one of which might be a Yagyu, Ko-dai tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles