Jump to content

Naginata construction details


Rye

Recommended Posts

I've spent the last year working on tsuka and saya making for katana, but I would like to learn more about naginata 
I've obtained a few naginata, one of which I'm looking to fit with koshirae, so I have a couple questions about how the pole is made:
1.) How were the fittings fixed to the pole

2.) What kind of seppa were used on a naginata

3.) Does anyone know any sources where I can purchase naginata parts (koshirae)
I've found this is a somewhat obscure weapon, and instruction on how they are made/how the pole and saya are made are either non exist, or at least vastly more rare than any information on katana.
Thank you. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Search the forum a bit, there was a topic on this. As for fitting the tang, they cut out a wedge shaped piece of wood, then inlet the tang in there, then replace the wedge. This is secured by glue and the reinforcing rings etc.

Regular seppa. Same as swords, where they did use seppa.
Lots of naginata parts on Yahoo Japan, but you'll need a service to bid and ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like Brian said, regular seppa(s) were used fitted with little tsuba (usually 3 or 4 milimeter thick) which protruded just a little form the seppa(s).

You had also a corded handstop on the shaft and one or two small rings on the shaft too.

You can also take into account a distinctive and scarce feature about the shaft. Real naginata made for fighting had a distinctive characteristic on the shaft. I am going to try to explain that correctly. The shape of the cross-section is usually round or ovoid, but on the side of the cutting edge of the blade you had a line carved in the wood of the shaft in its whole length which permit the user to know, by night, where the cutting edge was, it is refered to pear shape shaft. 

You can also find hirumaki (which were fitted at the end of the shaft) on ebay (beware of fake ones) their shape is different from the ones used for yari.

I recommend the book Japanese POLEARMS written by Roald Knutsen. You will get a lot of info from it.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

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...