WW2 ? handle wrap binding , unknown material ?

[phil reid]

Have what i assume is a wartime wakazashi but stumped on the handle wrapping , has a finish like leather but where its been damaged it looks like multiple cord thats been coated , has anyone come across anything like this ? metal fittings actually quite nice on this and the menuki which are nolonger present appear to have been cemented on!

[SwordGuyJoe]

Looks like a lacquered leather wrap. Which makes me doubt WW2 on the blade. Can you share some pics? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

 

Edit: And the fittings are most certainly not war era. Looks like an older blade with a leather cover.

[Lance]

I had a tsuka that was lacquered to look like leather, but really made using some kind of paper folded and wrapped with lacquer applied over it; was very well done and except for the wear spots I'd never have known. I've also seen some examples that were said to have been made using hemp (string) Due to the stands visible, if not leather I'd say your's has some kind of string underneath?

As Joe mentioned, from the tsuka it looks like an older sword mounted for war-time use, probably by adding a hanger and leather cover to saya.

 

Regards,

Lance

[phil reid]

blades older but thought the wrapped blade maybe newer , leather sheath is ww2 ofcourse , have tried to add photos of blade for those who asked . Wrap isnt leather but some sort of hard plasticy (only way to describe it ) substance over a core of thin cord ( you can see these protuding out in the 2nd initial photo where the wrap around where the hilts pegged has been damaged)

[SwordGuyJoe]

Looks shinshinto to me

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning all,

 

I agree leather wrap and the style called Katatemaki:

 

http://www.thejapanesesword.com/forum/v ... f=29&t=118

 

The glue that held the menuki is called Matsuyani:

 

http://www.johnstuart.biz/new_page_22.htm

 

High five for John

 

Cheers

[phil reid]

Katatemaki certainly very similar , so leather wrapped around a core of "cotton" thread to bulk it up as per the thread coming out where theres damage to the wrap where the hilts pegged

Many thanks to all

Phil

[leo]

The blade looks pretty obscurred, so the age and school would be difficult to determine.

The nakago looks o-suriage and reworked, so it could be anything from Koto to Shinshinto. Anyway it is an antique blade. My guess would be Koto. On the full picture it seems to have a bad chip in the Ha, so it might not be worthwhile to polish it.

 

Still, if you get an old style black ishime laquer saya for it (in addition to the historic military sheath), you will have a good looking Uchigatana!

 

Regards,

Martin

[phil reid]

As ive been asked about the blade , yes , 1 big nick and 5-6 minor ones , light pretty bad and still havent worked out this HD camera to knock out glare but tried to capture the faint hamon which id describe as large crested waves (sorry about the junk in the background but twisting around trying to get the best exposure) ill try again in the morning but hopefully itll give those who asked an idea

 

phil p.s. the 2nd photos in my replies arent downloading for some reason and will have to be clicked on if interested

[leo]

Oh, I did not see these large toran waves before. If these are genuine, it is probably a later blade, maybe Shinto or later. Attribution to a individual smith or even school imho is not possible.

Anyway, with the big nick in the shadows and the fact that it is unsigned, blade restoration, which is very expensive, economically makes no sense.

 

Regards, Martin

[phil reid]

Not suprised you didnt see the hamon in earlier shots , you have to catch it in the right light and near impossible to catch on the camera. temds to pop out better in dusk light than daylight , tried to take photos today but nothing came out better than already listed . Your insights are greatly appreciated

cheers

Phil