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Got an axe to grind


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A friend pulled out an armful of old guns and gunstocks and asked me if I wanted any of the stocks on their own. "Too much trouble to source barrels for them" he said,"and I cannot be bothered to put them on fleaBay."

 

They had most of their locks and other bits still attached. Well, one was a nice example of a long hosozutsu Kishu gun, and I was certainly interested in that. There was a long thin gunstock from Sakai covered in brass inlay and another similar one from Bizen. As I was sliding the Sakai stock through my hand a sharp section of loose inlay stabbed my palm. Was that a hint to walk away?

 

Oh, and the beef?

 

"What happened to the barrels?" I asked.

 

"Local swordsmiths used them for the old iron", he replied. Apart from the carbon content, matchlock barrel iron was generally very close in content to sword steel, and every smith likes a link to the past.  :)

 

I left him some cash in hand. I can imagine a dealer must turned up with some old unregistered guns, from recently flooded houses perhaps, and offered them for sale as scrap iron.

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Rifle....I have 2 without and likely easier to modify one than make one. Ama-ooi that is.
As far as locks go...would be interested in anything. Would be nice to make a short section of wood fit, and make a display of the Japanese matchlock mechanism.

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What a distressing tale, sometimes I think of all the wonderful things that have been 'repurposed' through the ages....without a second thought.  The terrible thing is, inconceivable as it seems to us, someone somewhere has just done the very same thing.  

 

-S-

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...  The terrible thing is, inconceivable as it seems to us, someone somewhere has just done the very same thing.  

 

-S-

And quite possibly at the very same instant we are writing about this ...  (sob).

 

Brian, Piers, I'm in need of some lock bits, in particular the small, bamboo-shaped piece that locks the flash shield in place.  I'd have to check, but I think I need a flash shield as well.  I'll check in the morning and pick it up here.

 

BaZZa.

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You'd probably have to work quite a bit of carbon into the gun barrels to do so.. which means lots of coal forging. Most older gun barrels being made of iron are very low in carbon. Then again, the Japanese are masters of working with inferior source iron.

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Lots of interesting comments, but flood control is now on and I am also up against some radical deadlines.

 

I need to work out what to keep and what to move along. I do remember Brian wanting an amaooi, and I owe BaZZa a very small favour...  :laughing:

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Lots of interesting comments, but flood control is now on and I am also up against some radical deadlines.

 

I need to work out what to keep and what to move along. I do remember Brian wanting an amaooi, and I owe BaZZa a very small favour...  :laughing:

Piers and Brian,

 

The attached photo shows what I need most to finish one teppo - the flash shield, its little bamboo-shaped locking piece, and a pan cover and pin.  I am not at all fussed whether these are available or not, and I plead please put Brian's needs before mine.  In addition to that I need one pan cover pin for another teppo, though its a part easily made.

 

Now here is an impossibility.  Two of my teppo as acquired were missing the Bisen.  Again, not impossible to make, but if anyone has these as loose bits "floating around" looking for a home I'm it!!

 

Best regards,

BaZZa.

 

post-671-0-81177800-1562110785_thumb.jpg

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Well, where to start? That is such a fine hibasami, BaZZa, indicating a desirable gun.  :Drool:

 

Just went to the car to see exactly what I brought back from my fishing trip yesterday. 

 

The quick answer is that anything related to the barrel and pan, e.g. pan cover, pin, amaooi rain protector and Kemuri-gaeshi (flash shield) would all have gone when the barrels were removed. :headbang:

 

I would post a photo of what remained, but it is too embarrassing. Only Justin would enjoy the shot.

 

The Bizen stock has been stripped of everything, so no remaining metalwork except the small brass trigger plate. The Sakai gun is just the stock and a mass of corroding inlay. Only the Kishu has any decent parts, but sadly no pan accessories.

 

Bits do occasionally come up in the marketplace, however; I gave a bag of them not too long ago to the guy who does repairs for me. Be advised that there were so many sizes and styles that there is little interchangeability.

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Bits do occasionally come up in the marketplace, however; I gave a bag of them not too long ago to the guy who does repairs for me. Be advised that there were so many sizes and styles that there is little interchangeability.

Piers, oh yes, I'm well aware of the interchangeability issues, but anything surplus to requirements is a place to start...   specially with Bisen, especially as an oversize one can be carefully worked down.

 

Thanks for the thought.

 

BaZZa.

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BaZZA, I'll ask the guy if he has any kicking around. I know he has had to make them on occasion when they broke during the removal process. Presumably you want a larger one so that you can cut it down? Any idea of the bore or caliber or Monme of your gun, in a variety of figures?

 

As to the Kusabi wedge to fix the amaooi, the fancy ones come in a design like a section of bamboo as you say, or a closed fan, etc. Even an ordinary plain one is a devil to make, he was saying.

 

Oh, by the way, most amaooi (is this what you refer to as a flash shield?) run flat against the side of the barrel, encouraging the rain to run fore and aft of the pan. Sometimes there is also a little sidewall, perpendicular to the amaooi, and forming a T-shape just behind the pan, which protects the eyes against blowback. This is called a kemuri-gaeshi ( smoke deflector). Is this what you refer to as a flash shield? 

 

Many years ago when I bought my first really good quality Teppo I was counting out the money (they were pretty expensive back then) when I asked if the Banto could do something about the missing pin for the pan lid. With not a second's hesitation he reached over to the stack leaning against the wall and removed one from another gun. "There you go!", he said, and threw in a fancy bag for good measure.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Piers, 

 

I'm sure you have already allocated the stocks and pieces you have.... however if not, I have a nice matchlock which was butchered for for fleabay (as posted up here almost exactly a year ago). The restoration is nearly complete (I have had a professional wood restorer and gunsmith do this for me)  but I'm missing some of the smaller decorative lotus flowers etc...are you able to help?

 

In anticipation!  :) 

 

Jon

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