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Tsuba Appendage


IJASWORDS

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Wow, Neil. Are the other ones on a diagonal like this one? Never seen anything like it! It doesn't seem to be lined up with an opening in the tsuba as one would expect if it were for leather retention straps. If they were only on gunto fitted with combat saya, I'd agree with steve above, but that wouldn't make sense on a standard metal saya.

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Dan,

 

Certainly true, however the metal saya, with locking clip would have no need for a leather retention strap, unless, the spring was broken on the clip and this was a field repair to add a leather strap.

 

Neil, your pics don't show the orientation. I'm assuming the added device is on top, outside of the body? Also, in the one in the pictures, does it have the release button? Seems that it would be blocked from use by the open dust cover.

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Hi Bruce, north, south, east, west orientations. I am sure that because the sword had/has a perfectly functioning securing latch, there would have been no need for a redundant leather strap. In fact there are no holes in the tsuba for a strap to pass through, and if therefor, you would expect the staple to be on the underside of tsuba if it was for a strap. Cant imagine TWO blade securing systems, would be a nightmare in battle.

This is why it has got me puzzled.

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post-3858-0-76722000-1506653287_thumb.jpg

post-3858-0-05997400-1506653301_thumb.jpg

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  • 4 years later...

Great find John and keep them coming.  Those two characters on the scabbard release latch are for Iida 飯田.  This is the last name, technically incorrect as it is the name that comes first in Japanese, of the shop owner which of course you already know but others may not.

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G'day Guys,

I think it may be an alternative attachment place for the sword tassel. You sometimes see the same thing for sword knots on British swords. Here is a British 1796 pattern light cavalry officer's sabre with a similar staple attached to the ferrule at the base of the grip. The sword knot is normally attached thru a slot in the top of the knuckle bow.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

RCT RCIN 61678.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Maybe showing my lack of knowledge but could it be for a wrist strap to ensure sword cannot be dropped or knocked out of hand? I have seen images of these on a military sword in an officers hand….but can’t remember where. It may have been on this forum in last 6 months. 

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Hi John, many thanks…yep I understand….but I have definitely seen an image where something other than the tassel was wrapped around his wrist. Modern version of the old two holes through (mostly old Tachi?) tsuba which were for wrist ties? They seem to have cropped up mostly on Iida latch mounts ie upgrades so why not a belt and braces approach if you didn’t want to cripple your nice tassel and have something a bit more durable to attach your sword to your wrist? Also would be interested to see if the swords with this feature also have the usual tassel loop (sarute I think it’s called)……

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Yes, very true. The effectiveness of the tassel as a lanyard was more or less entirely dependent on the strength of the Sarute. These varied wildly in suitability (cord, soft & malleable brass or thin gauge wire) and were perhaps viewed with deep suspicion by many officers as to their value as lanyards for practical use.

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  • 3 months later...
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