Restoring Samurai Sword

[jackthesword]

Has anyone seen a genuine Samurai with two menuki on each side of the handle?  Is this significant?

[ROKUJURO]

Yes, there are quite some around these days, but they get easily angry, so I don't dare to ask them why.

Unless Jack is your name, please sign all posts with at least your first name plus an initial as is the rule here on NMB. 

[jackthesword]

Sorry about that; this is my first post on the board, and my daughter had to show me how...pretty much computer illiterate.  Gary B.

[ROKUJURO]

Gary,

welcome to the NMB board!

Reading your post a second time, I am not so sure that you meant to write SAMURAI, but perhaps KATANA? If so, I am pretty confident that there is only one MENUKI per side.

By the way, restoring a handle with its TSUKA-MAKI is no easy job and requires a lot of knowledge and experience!

[jackthesword]

Jean C. Yes, katana, and no, I won't attempt to do the rewrap.  I'll be looking for suggestions/referrals soon. As to my question on the menuki: I was given this sword completely intact about 60 years ago by my grandfather. There were four menuki on the handle mounted as the photo with the damaged (Tsuka-Mati ?) shows.....Two on each side. Those I have spoken with have never heard of this, so If I try to restore this, should I leave off the extra two? I appreciate your comments.  Gary B.   

[Stephen]

Gary are all four the same menuki,? my guess somewhere before Gpa someone added two.

 

pix of other side?

[Greg F]

Hello Gary and welcome, I personally havnt seen 4 menuki on a Tsuka before. Maybe it was a former owners preference for personal grip reasons or just wanted extra decoration.

 

Greg

[jackthesword]

Stephen C. Two warriors on horseback racing toward each other on each side of tsuka, positioned as they appear in the picture of the tsuka with the damaged wrap. The other picture shows the two "different" in direction only menuki. They are without doubt a matching set of four or two matching sets. I believe that the fittings and the blade are from the same period (early 1700's) as I have NTHK papers on the blade and tsuba from Feb. 2016 Tampa Shinsa. The handle appears to have been on another blade. Note the two different holes in the picture..still plugged with bogus pins. No pix of the other side, everything is disassembled. P.S. What is Gpa?                             Gary B.

[jackthesword]

Greg F. Thanx for the response, others have said that, too.   Gary B.

[Stephen]

lol grandpa 

[Brian]

Think they were maybe once part of a daisho, and someone decided top mount them on one sword out of sentimental reasons? Maybe the other sword was destroyed.
Either way, no it is not common and not traditional. So just an oddity with no legit purpose really except for someone's choice.