My first Tanegashima

[Lareon]

Hi all,

I'm new to Tanegashima and have been exclusively collecting swords, this is my first purchase, most simply because i find them beautiful, so please excuse any ignorance i have on the subject.
I wanted to post it up to see what people thought, any information they could share, I don't know enough to know if it is genuine or simply a souvenir so any info is good.
I only have the sellers photos at the moment so haven't got it in hand to do a deep inspection but just wanted to get a general consensus and share it

Thank you for any information you can share.

Tony

[Lareon]

obviously please correct me if i'm wrong but with the brass kabuto motif, poppy muzzle and the sail motif, it would point towards Sakai Osaka? 

[Bugyotsuji]

20 hours ago, Lareon said:

obviously please correct me if i'm wrong but with the brass kabuto motif, poppy muzzle and the sail motif, it would point towards Sakai Osaka? 

Exactly, Tony, and a fine example you have there. (Just needing a pan cover/lid.) Somewhat similar to mine!

The Masa 正 seal could be the first part of the owner’s name.

You haven’t yet removed the barrel to see if there’s a Mei? 

[Lareon]

Thank you Piers, I'll be picking it up Friday and will do a deeper examination then, will remove the barrel to see if the Mei is underneath.
 

It has a touch of damage here and there but is striking, I've rarely seen non damaged complete ones, especially in the UK.
As soon as i've had it in hand and taken a closer look i'll post back findings.
Thanks for the response!
 

[Bugyotsuji]

Looking forward to it! 

[Bugyotsuji]

1 hour ago, Lareon said:

Thank you Piers, I'll be picking it up Friday and will do a deeper examination then, will remove the barrel to see if the Mei is underneath.
 

It has a touch of damage here and there but is striking, I've rarely seen non damaged complete ones, especially in the UK.
As soon as i've had it in hand and taken a closer look i'll post back findings.
Thanks for the response!
 

It’s not just the UK. Even in Japan it is extremely rare to find one without some damage somewhere. Most are in need of repair.

[Lareon]

Have it in hand now. Very happy with it. Some beautiful little silver inlays and decorations.

 

The rod is missing and the pan cover.

 

I tried to disengage the barrel but it doesn't seem to want to move and I don't want to damage it.

 

I checked all 4 mekugi ana in front of the breach and they seem empty. I can see light through all four.

 

I disengaged the brass band holding it at the front of the barrel and removed it attempted to lift the barrel with my palm as described but it is pretty solid and barely moves at all.

 

(I followed your guide on breaking it down)

 

Will maybe leave it for another day as I don't wish to damage it by forcing it.

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

The wood of the stock shrinks and grips the barrel. Sometimes there is rust involved which makes for an even more solid grip. You are right; some of these slender stocks look and feel quite fragile. Gentle all-round use of a rubber mallet can be better (and less painful) than the palm of the hand. 
 

Tapping everywhere can break unwanted seals, and loosen things up.

[Lareon]

Ended up removing the barrel in the end, constant tapping with my palm and some choji oil along the edges of the barrel to loosen any rust helped, slowly it came apart and revealed a very heavy rusted barrel underneath. 
I've oiled it up and removed some of the active red rust.

It's difficult to photo the kanji on the barrel due to the rust
while with nihonto i would never try and clean anything up im tempted with this to try and remove a little more rust but will await an opinion before i do that.


 

[Lareon]

[Lareon]

I may rub a little copper shim over the mei, not sure if anyone has used this trick before i've used it on antique rifles before, the copper is softer than the iron and removes some of the rust without affecting the barrel.

 

[Lareon]

ok, so used the liberal amounts of choji oil and a small shim of copper to clean the active rust off. Night and day now and i still have the dark black patina but far less rust.

 

[Lareon]

[Bugyotsuji]

Thank you, Tony. Correct choices so far on rust removal. Great series of photographs, and I am working on your smith now, if Uwe does not beat me to it!

 

Actually difficult to read as one crucial character is not crystal clear for me.

For the smith it could be

摂州住榎並屋徳兵衛作 Sesshu Ju Enamiya Tokubei Saku

As to the forging method,

地鉄鍛二重総巻張 Jigane Kitae Niju So-makibari 

 

Enami or Enamiya were a famous large family of around 150 gunsmiths through the Edo period in Osaka. 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Rust Removal:

 

Link = http://www.big45.com/  If you haven't ever used these...try them. They do work phenomenal! I once had a Colt Python that I bought after it went through a fire, so the blued finish was 'fleckeled' on the sideplate. This B45 metal pad removed all traces of the flecks/rust wthout harming any of the original blue finish. It is incedible for use in bores and on old guns and muzzleloaders. NOTE I've not tried it on an origial Tanegashima yet though  ... 
 

 

FYI, steel wool WILL SCRATCH and damage a barrel and/or remove the finish! These 'Big 45' pads won't do either, as they are a proprieitary blend of Monel, which is harder than rust, but softer than steel.