Kogarasu-Maru Tanto

[Matsunoki]

Greetings to you all from the UK

This Tanto is a recent acquisition, bought because I think it’s fairly unusual. Personally I’ve never before seen a Tanto of this style. It is in typical UK condition ie neglected but with no serious damage. There is light surface staining and scuffing but a healthy suguha hamon about 5mm wide is visible. An old collection label kindly told me the Mei reads Seishin sai Morichika and I think my old Hawleys tells me it is MOR543 working in Musashi  during the Bakumatsu period….1860s. The Handachi type  mounts would once have been very flashy as they were allover richly gilded, now worn. The tsuba is pretty awful, maybe a replacement. Nagasa 25.5cm

Any/all opinions/comments/info most welcome. Many thanks. Stay well. Colin.

[Matsunoki]

[Matsunoki]

[Michaelr]

I like it. Thank you for sharing  

 MikeR

[FZ1]

 Nice find Colin, I like it (other than the tsuba).

 

I don't know much about tsuba, but I've seen one like it before.  Fortunately, I managed to find a catalogue photo (below) 

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

 

[DoTanuki yokai]

Nice find, i like the shibo nuri that apears to be done with rice.

I have done it and the unregular shape and size of rice gives an interesting pattern.

This was just an experiment i made some years ago on a cheap pen that showed me that rice is a little big for a pen and has only very little contact on the surface. (my pen got a yellow layer under the red with some charcoal dust in it if someones wondering)

 

It looks much better on your saya 

[FZ1]

To be fair, Christian, that's a pretty good try!

 

Having said that, the saya pattern on the tanto does look good.

[Matsunoki]

8 hours ago, DoTanuki yokai said:

I have done it and the unregular shape and size of rice gives an interesting pattern.

This was just an experiment i made some years ago on a cheap pen that showed me that rice is a little big for a pen and has only very little contact on the surface. (my pen got a yellow layer under the red with some charcoal dust in it if someones wondering)

Hello Christian

Thanks for your comments. Please can you tell me…..what product did you use on your pen? Urushi or a synthetic substitute? I’ve got an old saya that I would like to experiment on. Don’t want to use urushi even if I could get it-it’s quite nasty stuff I believe? All the best. Colin

[Matsunoki]

9 hours ago, FZ1 said:

 Nice find Colin, I like it (other than the tsuba).

 

I don't know much about tsuba, but I've seen one like it before.  Fortunately, I managed to find a catalogue photo (below) 

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

 

Hi Jon. Oh hahaha! However I agree, the choc bic is more enjoyable than this tsuba! I’m now on the lookout for a decent sentoku/gilt Tanto tsuba. Anyone out there got one? All the best. Colin

[DoTanuki yokai]

Yes it is Urushi and it’s kind of nasty, like painting with maple syrup 

But the actual painting is the easiest part, most of the time you clean brushes and prepare the urushi before you spend hours sanding if your humidity and temperature did not ruined the colors while curing. 

[Matsunoki]

1 hour ago, DoTanuki yokai said:

Yes it is Urushi and it’s kind of nasty, like painting with maple syrup 

But the actual painting is the easiest part, most of the time you clean brushes and prepare the urushi before you spend hours sanding if your humidity and temperature did not ruined the colors while curing. 

Thanks Christian. I was really hoping you had found a good substitute that I could try……I don’t think urushi is for me! I admire your work on the pen…very nice….you are lucky not to get the nasty rash etc that affects a lot of people who try it. That’s a great skill you have there. All the best. Colin