Kozuka Question...

[JonnyO]

So what is an acceptable method to 'glue' the kogatana into the kozuka?

Moving a couple of them around ended up with neither being very secure anymore.

Can I just use a drop of gorilla glue? ( which is kind of a pliable rather than brittle adhesive when dried, I've found.)

Thanks!

[drbvac]

Any that I have had are not glued in at all but the tang on the kogatana was not "Exactly" flat and it was a friction fit into the slot on the Kozuka . It had almost a little wave in it that held in in place -may not be correct but thats what I have had and seen personally.

 

Hopefully some experts will clarify as you certainly wouldnt want to ruin the tang on any "special" little blades

[John A Stuart]

Try; http://www.johnstuart.biz/new_page_22.htm John

[Stephen]

broken link John,

 

i use the bend method as well

[John A Stuart]

OK, try again. http://www.johnstuart.biz/new_page_22.htmJohn

[drbvac]

John::

 

That link worked and that certainly will keep it from falling out and as most are signed on the blade rather than the tang but = must it all be heated again or possibly placed in boiling water to remove it ?

 

There is probably many types of natural goop that will keep it from dropping out when removed from the saya without being a pain in the ass to remove the blade or clean up the Kozuka afterwards?

[Jean]

Brian,

 

Have you any example of a pre-Meiji kogatana signed on the tang? I have never seen one.

[Ford Hallam]

Sorry, I simply have to interject here...not merely on this kozuka matter but because it highlights  an interesting tendency on the part of us 'moderns' to 'know better'.

 

The quote is from the site linked to earlier.

 

Most kozuka that I had come into contact with that had the kogatana were either loose or just placed with a bent nakago to wedge itself within the kozuka. This would surely be unsatisfactory for such an utilitarian knife.

 

Here we have the observation that most, we may even suggest almost all, blades are loose in kozuka.

 

That is the undeniable fact the historical artefact presents.

 

Yet because this contradicts the expectation of someone who has no actual experience and understanding of what kogatana/kozuka were really about a 'solution' is offered to improve matters. A kogatana must be functional despite the obvious evidence to the contrary. No hesitation is in evidence during which the actual reason for the looseness of historical examples is examined. So a chance to 'see' kozuka more clearly in the appropriate cultural/'functional' context is lost.

 

And another aspect of sword history/culture is muddied by altogether well meaning yet culturally myopic commentary.

 

As is commonly quoted in artistic circles, "rules are made to be broken" ...but only when you completely understand the rules.

[drbvac]

Brian,

 

Have you any example of a pre-Meiji kogatana signed on the tang? I have never seen one.

I believe I stated they are signed on the blade and not the tang and no I have never seen one signed like a Katana on the nakago - I thought they were usually signed on the side that was filed down or sharpened and it is above the tang where it goes into the Kozuka. 

[drbvac]

Ford = is it possible then that as these little blades were probably not used in a stabbing manner that blade itself did not need to be too firmly fixed into the kozuka and would allow an easy change of blades should one break or get lost >?

[ggil]

I think what Ford may be saying is that traditional Japanese hold the sword as sacred, and spiritual artist of all accessories felt similarly. All parts of the sword ideally should be flawless. The methods of achieving all this, were painstakingly derived secrets that were not given away lightly. besides would the receiver have even an ounce of what it would take to actually DO it well? How could they possibly?

 

But we are some do it your self types. This behavior has likely caused us grief in the past with nihonto, but we shall persist, we all know it's true. How about we try and keep it as traditional and painful as possible though, out of respect shown to a very dignified way of being.

 

I propose: make honoki pieces/slivers to press an interference fit against only the thin edge of the kogatana tang. Since one piece of the kozuka is a "c" shape, force exerted there won't split it as easily. If you were careful, patient, had eyes/light to determine the sliver sizes, and willing/ able to use your hands, this may work. You could lacquer the pieces (use the stuff that will mess you up) to minimize corrosion from the wood. Being mindful of galvanic corrosion, it would be wise to lacquer the tang also. This Assumes the Kozuka is brand new on the inside. If the slivers were too wide than the kozuka would be damaged. (Sorry, this post is mostly an example of how smartphones are making people dumber)

 

Now my delimna is that if I propose this method, I am sort of going counter to the traditional attitude, as telling untrained to fiddle with what is so meaningful and special is insulting. Especially coming from me as I have no training, only a wild ass guess.

- Grant

[Andi B.]

Hi, I didn't get the point 100%:

So when kogatana were in use in former times they were glued with kusune in the kozuka?

And today collectors use other more reversible methods to bring them together for display?

[Ford Hallam]

Gentlemen,

 

the confusion, perhaps too strong a word but you get my meaning I'm sure , over the use of the kozuka makes my point. We don't really know what the function was, was it actually a tool that saw real daily use?

 

The fact that we almost never find the blades securely fixed seems to suggest that it wasn't regarded as a real tool for most of it's history.

 

In the beginning it was the kogai that was more likely to be seen on an uchigatana, and that did have a daily use as an ear cleaner and hair 'fixer'.

 

If this was in any way supposed to be a proper utility knife why turn the handles into some of the most delicate and fragile art in metal the world has ever seen?

 

Way back when uchigatana first sported little accessory knives perhaps they were handy when on campaign but certainly by the start of the Edo period the kozuka and kogai, along with menuki (all that post hoc 'grip improvement, justification for munuki aside), had lost any utilitarian function and were essentially sword jewellery, status symbols.

 

Most antique pieces I've handled were a simple spring fit. The tang was given a little wave/bend that then allowed it to fit in the ko-tsuka (little handle) under tension.

 

Sometimes the tang was also, or instead of, wrapped with paper to provide a snug fit, but not so tight it was jammed in.

 

Ko-tsuka are sometimes found with traces of rosin/resin inside but we must be careful about jumping to conclusions as to what that means.

I have a bag of 24 silver blades and forks that were removed from ko-tsuka. This conversion was seemingly not uncommon back in the Meiji, and I imagine even Taisho periods, when tourists avidly bought them as curios.

[Jean]

Sorry Brian,

 

My question was relative to your sentence: "as most are signed on the blade rather than the tang", you did not say they were All signed on the blade.

 

In my scholar English "Most" is different from "All", thus my question as there are always exceptions in the Nihonto world

[Ford Hallam]

I think it's best not to take the 'mei' on ko-gatana too seriously, I wonder how many such signed blades would get Hozon papers

 

edited after Jean pointed out my slip up. :-)

[Jean]

You mean ko-gatana Ford i have kogatana with authentic mei, forged by Mino smiths specialised in kogatana circa 1680.

[Ford Hallam]

I do indeed, Jean

 

Your Mino kogatana sound very nice, it's the one's signed by Kiyomaru and the like that I'm suspicious of

 

What you need to go with your Mino ko-gatana is a Ko-Mino katana.

[Jean]

At the time being, I am at Naoe Shizu, Ford

[JonnyO]

I could see a little bend in the kogatana and simply increased it a bit and VOILA!

 

Thanks for the tips!