Edo Period Corner Part II

[Robert S]

Piers: I'm sure that was a super tough decision... and you're 100% right - no looking back!

[Bugyotsuji]

On 5/16/2025 at 3:57 AM, Robert S said:

I'm having exactly this problem with a 1932 Rolls Royce 20/25 Sports Saloon right now.  Could I afford it?  Well, technically yes.  Should I afford it?  Probably no.  Arghhhhh!  I feel your pain, and look forward to hearing the outcome!

This sounds interesting, Robert. Would you be willing to assuage our curiosity and discuss this some more in one of the Izakaya car threads? 

[Robert S]

On 5/16/2025 at 4:13 PM, Bugyotsuji said:

This sounds interesting, Robert. Would you be willing to assuage our curiosity and discuss this some more in one of the Izakaya car threads? 

Posted a picture on the "What do you drive" page :-)

[Bazza]

And the caravan moves on...

 

BaZZa.

[Bugyotsuji]

To be fair to the dear readers of this thread, it should be noted that the one guy sold all three of his golden-barrel guns on Tuesday. Someone made him an offer and he accepted. They will be sold on surely at double the price, and their new owners will be proud to show them off.

 

And I am free!

 

(Now, about the other one… the one with the notation warding off barbarians… hmmmmmm…)

[Bugyotsuji]

In the meantime, the hybrid Bizen long gun has moved from 2/3rds to 4/5ths complete. I think I will leave it like this before it becomes a viable gun with working lockwork, and therefore requiring full registration. Part of the problem is that Bizen gun parts were largely fashioned in iron, so trying to recreate a rusty iron serpentine etc. for it might be a challenge.

 

The butt was worm-eaten to hell, but I kind of reshaped it with wood putty. Not yet pretty, but better than it was. I have managed to reset the amaooi, fukikaeshi and kusabi wedge section, and fitted Mekugi pins and a ramrod. 
 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

4/5ths complete.

(Actually there would be hard work ahead, the devil being in the detail. The trigger does not even move, for example.)

 

But we can see the main Bizen features already, the Fujioka-Ryū indentation on the butt, the iron lockwork, the ‘pickled-onion’ shaped muzzle, etc. Oh, the bisen breech screw moves now, and the barrel it is signed by a listed Bizen smith.

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Well, you could say that if you have a blade in shirasaya, and you adapt an old Koshiraé to take your blade, then why not?

By the same token, perhaps it is not so very strange to find another stock and reshape it to fit a lonely barrel, especially if they are both clearly from the same rough time and location. Give a semblance of new life to each. Yes/no?

 

(My next step would be to cut back the butt to a clean outline and smooth out the surfaces before re-staining. Mañana!)

[Matsunoki]

Yes. Can’t see any problem with that Piers. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Spot of silver inlay on front sight. Although Bizen guns used mostly iron for their locks and general metalwork, they also inlaid here and there in silver.

Note the Rakkyo-gata (pickled-onion) shaped muzzle.

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

When I said Mañana, you guessed it, I meant never.

But today I picked it up and started reducing the butt, filing it smooth, and forming sharper edges to the curves. Why? My hands seem to be following the original artisan. Who is directing this? 

[Bugyotsuji]

Step 2. Strip it back to expose the wood putty again, shape and restain.
Definitely getting there, but still rougher than I’d like. You often find guns like this, stood upright on an earthen storehouse floor for 150 years or more. The hard wood of the butt will have borne relentless attacks by insect and damp.

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Maybe I’ll leave it like this. (A friend urges to go the whole hog, i.e. fix it up with a working lock and serpentine.)

 

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Meantime I finally got the long Yari down for a health check on the tiny sankaku blade. 

 

Signed Yamashiro no Kami Kunishige.

 

 

Overall

 

About the length of my forefinger.

[Bugyotsuji]

And the Mei

 

Luckily the wife was out shopping

[Brian]

Fix the gun up to working. You'll never be happy until it's complete.

[Alex A]

On 5/26/2025 at 2:54 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

Step 2. Strip it back to expose the wood putty again, shape and restain.
Definitely getting there, but still rougher than I’d like. You often find guns like this, stood upright on an earthen storehouse floor for 150 years or more. The hard wood of the butt will have borne relentless attacks by insect and damp.

 

 

 

Sometimes, like the other day for instance, you notice guns for sale that look to be in really good condition but when you take a closer look there are repaired cracks and worm holes filled in with brown resin or whatever. Ive kind of come around to the conclusion its more common than you think and if repaired well, acceptable. Repaired a pistol with a crack in it a few years ago using epoxy resin glue and wax fillers, could hardly see it when finished. They do various wood shades in those hard wax sticks, just heat them up.

[Bugyotsuji]

Sure Alex, it's a tough one, and a case can be made either way. As with classic cars, if it is a part of history, and there's enough good meat in it to enjoy, then why not? Many if not most examples out there have a repair of one kind or another, often old repairs, but not exclusively old. Some new repairs are fine, others plain naughty!

Auctions sites will often mention evidence of repairs.

 

In my case the barrel was mostly fine, a gift from a friend, but leaning in a corner doing absolutely zilch, nada. Then another friend offered me this old battered stock from the woodpile, and I was surprised to see how they fitted together pretty well! As a decorative object, with genuine parts, it's just about got its foot in the door... 

[Bugyotsuji]

Meantime here are some bronze arrow tips found in a kofun period tomb.

 

 

Cleaned up for the local museum

 

 

 

[Robert S]

The shape of those kofun period arrow heads is interesting.  I wonder what the thinking was behind that shape?  Increased mass?  I would expect them to be less good at penetrating, especially any type of armour.

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes, there is a puzzle there, Robert. Japan was producing and using iron arrowheads by then, but they were a different shape. Clumps of them were found in the same kofun tombs.

 

The bronze artefacts tend to be less corroded, in much better condition. I wonder if they were more artistically pleasing, perhaps to be given as gifts, like bronze mirrors but smaller and simpler, as I cannot see them piercing iron 'tanko' armour, as you say. Bronze techniques were probably highly developed, but iron less so.

 

Following a set of bells, and the rusted arrowhead examples. 5th C AD.

 

Arrowheads etc.

 

Clumped together. Apologies for reflections in glass