Jump to content

Cat-scratch Habaki


Bruce Pennington

Recommended Posts

I just noticed that the rain pattern on this cat-scratch habaki is falling left to right, on both sides. With the sword in-hand, looking down at the habaki, the rain on the left side is falling down, but on the right side, it's falling up. Wonder why they would have designed it that way?

 

Also, I vaguely remember this is called something like a rain-pattern, as opposed to the "cat-scratch" name? Anyone know?

post-3487-0-01680700-1594173968_thumb.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is my understanding that the friction between the habaki and the saya mouth should take place on the ha side and mune side of the habaki. The cat scratches may be there to keep ugly rub marks from appearing on the sides of the habaki as it occasionally touches the mouth or maybe they are purely decorative?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 This is on a WW2 Smith, (Morita) Kaneshige, no date no stamps however. Maybe an up market optional extra. Interesting to find our more. Dave R usually has some ideas. 

 

 I had a bit of a laugh at the last bit!   It is an old pattern, and as I understand it cat scratch usually describes a Habaki with a few deep scratches, whereas rain is a much more controlled pattern. You get all sorts of variations in between. I would suggest, tentatively, that the more elaborate the habaki, the more likely that it was a nihonto, old or new production. 

 

 It's also a little extra "gloss" on your sword for not a lot of work.

post-2218-0-88280900-1594214027_thumb.jpg

post-2218-0-45150200-1594214064_thumb.jpg

post-2218-0-55885800-1594214119_thumb.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Dave! I have never seen the first one you show, which definitely looks like the big-cat scratches we see on Snoopy's WWI airplane when he's fighting the big cat next door!

 

Each of your examples fit the left-to-right pattern, as well (blade tip down). After seeing 4 examples of the rain-pattern, I now can see the "cloud" and the streams of rain falling from the cloud. There has to be a reason. Artistically, if I were making them, I'd want the patterns to look the same, while in hand, rather than flipped. So maybe the reason is mechanical, like John and Tom are suggesting.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right handed craftsman?

I think, that could be the reason.

 

I made a DIY tanto with habaki before I started collecting. Here you can see the file marks on the habaki and the yasurime on the nakago. I'm left handed and I'm simply not able to file in the common direction, so I did it my way...

post-299-0-27570400-1594235326_thumb.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 At one of the Northern To-Ken meetings there was some discussion about fine detail punched work on plain soft metal tosugo, particularly the Nanako pattern. It seems it's usualy done by the wife of the craftsman, while sat in the house at the "kitchen table". There is a solid tradition of domestic production of small parts for crafts and industry in Japan..... Literaly Mom and Pop businesses.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Sadly I am a bit poor at taking pics, especialy when it comes to fine detail, but these are the habaki on blades I own, that I think worth sharing. I admit to having a liking for two piece habaki and taking it as a clue to a previous owners opinion of a blade.

post-2218-0-38824100-1594313416_thumb.jpg

post-2218-0-67525400-1594313430_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've attached a couple of excerpts from The craft of the Japanese sword by Leon Kapp.

 

I don't agree with some of what I've quoted, but I think this might be where some of the conventional wisdom on this originates.

 

I think that from a practical standpoint, it's purely decorative.

 

From a materials perspective, I would expect that roughening the surface of the metal would increase the coefficient of friction between it and the wood. This would likely require surface roughening (as with sandblasting) rather then the application of a pattern, and then polishing the surface; which might actually reduce the overall friction by reducing the contact area. This would of course only be relevant where the habaki and the saya are actually in contact.

post-2248-0-58414400-1594320518_thumb.jpg

post-2248-0-41409700-1594320529_thumb.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is sometimes called 'rain pattern' is named NEKO-GAKI (cat scratch) in Japanese. Usually it is skillfully made but its purpose is indeed to prevent the blade from rattling in the SAYA and coming lose. In fact, the HABAKI provides a three-dimensional fit in the KOIGUCHI, and when the wood (on the sides where the HABAKI makes contact) is 'used up' after a while, it will be replaced by a SAYASHI with two small shims of wood which he will glue in.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...