how did the ancients make fuchi-kashira?

[huckdat]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum,but have been around Japanese swords for many years.i make my own tsuka,fuchi,kashira,shitidome,tsuba,seppa,menuki,saya,shirasaya,mekugi,habaki,and do my own tsukamaki.I'm no expert by any means,but think my koshirae is pretty good.

I try to use the old techniques when I can ,but most of the time I teach myself by looking at photos of old style fittings.

When i make metal fittings that take more than one piece to assemble, i solder the joint together. Is this how the Japanese craftsmen did this?

The reason that I am posting this is to try to use your knowledge and experience to an advantage.

I have used the search function on this site as well as many others ,but never find what I'm looking for.

Which brings us to the question...

 

How did the ancients make fuchi-kashira?

How did the form the kashira?

How did they fit the 2 pieces of the fuchi together?

 

I am very interested in any discussion on this subject.

 

 

thank you for taking the time to read my post

SCOTT HAZEN

[Brian]

Scott,

I think the perfect place to answer that question is at Ford's forum: http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/index.php

No-one better qualified to answer your questions. Some examples:

http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/vi ... ?f=9&t=946

http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/vi ... =13&t=1761

http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/vi ... =47&t=1051

http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/vi ... f=31&t=868

 

 

Brian

[huckdat]

Thank you sir for the links.

I have submitted my membership email and am awaiting a response.

[Stephen]

maybe post some of your work, i know id like to see it.

[huckdat]

Hello Brian ,

Iv'e already learned quita a bit from the links you posted ,and have not even read them all yet.

thank you very much for taking the time to post them!

And Stephen,

thank you for the interest!

Here are some pics of a tsuka i am currently working on.

It is by no means close to being finished,still mostly forming ideas for shape and placement...still need to inlay the sakura, but you get the idea..

This is my first attempt at engraving my name in kanji and I am pleased with the results.

You can see in this next photo that i tried to inlay the brass into the copper tsuba using the method in this link:

http://www.trade-silver.net/japanese_arrowhead.htm

 

Although you can see that i got a little "heavy handed" i have since learned to use a light touch.As this is my first attempt at this technique,I will keep it "as is" or try to engrave a floral pattern or something else appropriate to fix it.

Here is the style of tsukamaki I seem to like these days.I'll be doing this one in a maze colored wrap instead of the white to match the copper and brass better

I still haven't decided how to do the menuki but am working on it.(maybe using the larger blossoms)

and of course "constructive criticism" is always welcome.

thank you for taking the time to look.

scott hazen

[Jamie]

Nice work.

I bet you'll enjoy Mr Hallam's work and site.

 

Did you do the Tsuka core as well?

[huckdat]

Hi Jamie,

Thanks ,I appreciate it.

Yes the tsuka-core is mine.That's where i first started.

i noticed on almost all of the swords i bought that the tsuka didn't fit right.So I took one apart to see how it was made.After i realized it was not made properly ,I did some online research and found out how it is supposed to be done and went from there.

Iv'e been doing my own tsuka and saya for about 10 years now.(and still learn from every one I make)

This is my first attempt at making the metal fittings,but it seems to be going ok.

 

thanks

scott

[huckdat]

I make my own Shirasaya and tsunagi and the wood habaki to go with it as well.Here are a few pics of one I made.

thanks for looking

Scott