Restoration or not?

[Kai-Gunto]

Why would someone restore a tanto , new saya,new tsuka,new seppas,new horn tsuba.

When they got a complete mount. F/k set with matching kojiri and a iron tsuba.

 

For me and in my nihonto world , only a shirasaya ,a tsunagi and a new ito would have done it all.

[Geraint]

For what it is worth I would agree with you Thomas, though Chris clearly had a different view. From memory we have discussed the creation of new koshirae several times with varying opinions. I have a friend who bought a straightforward tanto in shirasaya and had complete new koshirae made for it. He enjoys it and no one will ever be the poorer for it except my friend who will likely never make his money back on the project. If the tanto was mine I would want to go down the route you suggest and retain the original koshirae as fully as possible but it's not my tanto and Chris has put a lot of thought into it I am sure.

 

Each to his own.

[Jorgensen]

In my opinion according to the picture, I think its incorrect having a new koshirae made, as the old original koshirae only needs tsuka-maki and tsunagi to complete it and of course the blade in shirasay. Also it would be lower cost. What really bothers me, is that the fuchi/kashirae is matching the kojiri and have now in some way been separated instead of kept together on same mount.

 

The new saya is too wide and does not have this slim elegant look as the old saya would have.

 

To me, its the "wrong" way to do it (and in this case also the most costly). I think one should care for keeping things as original as possible.

 

However, very nice fittings and blade, I like this very much.

[NihontoSeeker]

wow another piece of history lost forever.

Reuben Nihonto Seeker

[Kai-Gunto]

Yeah, i liked it too the old "way".

Is it just the restorer who wants to earn a lots of money and comes with a lot of good idears for the new comer?

 

The new seppa near fuchi is way to big. Dont like that horn tsuba!