Shopping for wakizashi size fittings?

[GreyVR]

I need a wakizashi tsuba, and perhaps some other parts for a sword I have in Koshirae, but when I go to the dealers (of which I'm aware...) I always seem to just find huge lists. There are usually measurements... but rarely are they subdivided into sizes.

At my level of knowledge, I'm not even sure I'd know the difference between 'just right' and 'too small.' 

Can anyone advise? I tried to do a search, but it always tells me I have to wait longer before trying again. 

[Brian]

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/subscriptions/ explains the search delays, which is necessary since they are hugely resource intensive on a server.

[ROKUJURO]

1 hour ago, GreyVR said:

I need a wakizashi tsuba, and perhaps some other parts for a sword I have in Koshirae,.....

Hi George,

we have a WANT TO BUY section, and we have a FOR SALE or TRADE section with many nice things to choose from. As there are no fixed rules for TSUBA sizes, you will have to make up your mind about what you want in terms of materials, design, and size.

Often, you will find TSUBA for WAKIZASHI with a diameter of about 65 - 70 mm, but there are long and short WAKIZASHI. Just to mention it, there are also WAKIZASHI and even KATANA without TSUBA! And you will see long swords with small TSUBA as well. 

 

[2devnul]

@GreyVR

 

Whole bunch of Tsuba that fit Wakizashi:

 

 

[Tim Evans]

As mentioned there are no hard rules for what size tsuba goes on what size sword. There can be small size tsuba on katana, such as usually found on Satsuma koshirae, or quite large tsuba on some showy Edo period wakizashi. Most wakizashi tsuba have kozuka hitsuana only, however, it was common during the Edo period for tsuba to have both hitsuana and plug the kogai hitsu if no kogai pocket on the saya. 

 

Does your saya have a pocket for a kozuka? If so, then need to find a tsuba where the hitsuana lines up with the pocket. If no pocket, then find a tsuba with no hitsu, or have the hitsu plugged.

 

If the tsuba has a defined seppadai, then the seppadai size and shape should be close to the saya and the tsuka/fuchi size and shape where it meets the tsuba. Also the seppa need to follow these sizes and shapes. This is a goldilocks problem, too big, too small, just right. Visually, the shape of the saya flows into the shape of the tsuka in a continuous line, much like the way shirasaya are made, but with a tsuba in between. 

 

The tsuba nakagoana will likely need to be shimmed if too big or enlarged if too small. a competent craftsman can do that. 

 

If you are having an agent in Japan doing this assembly, then it might be useful to provide some pictures of koshirae that you would like yours to look like. That would help them find the right parts. 

Edited Wednesday at 08:03 PM by Tim Evans