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Post by kaijinbutsu on Aug 18, 2009 23:23:03 GMT
So, I'll start off by explaining it. I bought this katana off of ebay. I of course fully knew that it was not authentic nihon-to, or anything of that caliber. It is a replica. I do however figure, that it is an old replica and came before the replica shinken we all love and buy today. This is my post from earlier today, on another forum. This will explain the odd placement and use of samegawa, on the saya: "I have had more problem with this thing than anything else I have ever done. The saya is a piece of crap. The wood is cheap. Not that I expected any better. None the less some little tasks needed to be done. When you put the nagasa into the saya, it sticks out about 1/8, maybe more. So I found the only piece of hard wood around, to make a koiguchi. It was going well until it split. I glued it back together, but when I checked its size by putting the habaki into it, it broke again. uh!!! So I just took some press board and made a kind f shim/koiguchi out of it. Worked great!!! I just slabbed a crap load of epoxy resin on it, so it was hard as the wood. I then cut a scrap of samekawa, and wrapped it around the mouth of the saya, over the press board....awesome. Looks great!! Just waiting for the glue to dry. I'll post some photos when it's done!!!" I forgot to mention that this katana is dull. Also, I was quite surprized when I received it, that it was folded. It is for display only, so any shortcuts that I took, via the supplies I used, were used because it is for display only. Well here it is...."Kitanarashi Saya"(dirty looking saya) Before:After:
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slav
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Katsujin No Ken
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Post by slav on Aug 18, 2009 23:39:26 GMT
For the record, this replica is as modern as any other found on eBay today. It is just one of those that is meant to look old and weathered like a WWII relic.
I admire the initiative that you took to just go ahead and do what you did. Keep us posted!
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Post by kaijinbutsu on Aug 19, 2009 0:14:59 GMT
For the record, this replica is as modern as any other found on eBay today. It is just one of those that is meant to look old and weathered like a WWII relic. Id like to agree with you on that one, but I can't. All new replicas, even the cheap ones use various parts that are obviously modern. This one, on the other hand, didn't. For instance; the faux samegawa that the saya was covered with, was made from paper and some sort of resin. (modern katana w/ same' on the saya or tsuka, is made with either real or plastic/rubber faux samegawa) You could tell that it had been sitting around for years, as some had peeled off and the colour was sort of like newsprint, when it has been sitting around for years. The colour of the paper underneath was clean and nice. Another way I could tell this faux samegawa was old was because, it flaked off rather than peeled off. The menuki that was on the saya was soldered on (not something that is done on modern replicas). The kurikata was small and metal(today's replica's come with a wood full size one, or horn). The kissaki is similar to that of the old fictional ninja-to(today's replica's usually have a kissaki that replicates that of nihonto). It is also part of the geometry of the blade and not polished on (modern replica's that have a geometric kissaki are that of high quality) The fittings that came on this katana, aren't even close to any other modern fittings that you see on EVERY katana today. This includes the fuchigashira, as well as the menuki. The ho is curved. You'd be hard pressed to find a modern replica with a morozori ho. This katana also came with one mekugi, with matching mekugi-ana. Although, there are some modern katana that comes with one as well, most comes with double. There is a whole list of more things about it that screams old replica, but I'm tired of typing right now. You would have to had to see it up close, but what I listed should confirm it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2009 1:38:30 GMT
I like the saya done that way, looks like bone. How long did it take you to do that?
Might it be an old iaito- an unsharpened training sword- rather than a katana?
Nice job anyway. K
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2009 1:56:42 GMT
Nice work Robby. I love lion-dog themes
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Post by kaijinbutsu on Aug 19, 2009 2:12:45 GMT
I like the saya done that way, looks like bone. How long did it take you to do that? Might it be an old iaito- an unsharpened training sword- rather than a katana? Nice job anyway. K Thanks!!! Well I suppose you could call it an iaito; however, I'm not sure if they were bright enough to call it an iaito.
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Post by kaijinbutsu on Aug 19, 2009 2:14:47 GMT
Nice work Robby. I love lion-dog themes Thanks!!! Yes, I love shishi, or foo-dogs!
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Post by genocideseth on Aug 19, 2009 5:27:17 GMT
I love the re-wrap! Great job!
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Post by kaijinbutsu on Aug 19, 2009 5:31:59 GMT
I love the re-wrap! Great job! Thanks!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 0:35:29 GMT
Nice wrap. Would love to see what you do on something a bit more practical.
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Post by kaijinbutsu on Aug 21, 2009 1:56:47 GMT
Nice wrap. Would love to see what you do on something a bit more practical. Thanks. I am having a James Raw blade being made as we speak, that I will be mounting(including the tsuka-maki). Along with Skip Gardner. He is making what he calls a mountable shirasaya.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 7:06:56 GMT
Great job! I have an antiqued O-tanto with the same properties as you describe, and it's definetly a modern replica. The number on the habaki is also a give-away. Don't underestimate the chinese when it comes to aging stuff.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 19:21:13 GMT
Old or new, you still did a great job with it and it looks Great! Congrats! I also like what you are doing with the sageo. It's an appealing wrap pattern. Think I'll stea... uh, use that on one of mine someday soon.
Keep us posted.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2009 5:28:14 GMT
For the record, this replica is as modern as any other found on eBay today. It is just one of those that is meant to look old and weathered like a WWII relic. Id like to agree with you on that one, but I can't. All new replicas, even the cheap ones use various parts that are obviously modern. This one, on the other hand, didn't. For instance; the faux samegawa that the saya was covered with, was made from paper and some sort of resin. (modern katana w/ same' on the saya or tsuka, is made with either real or plastic/rubber faux samegawa) You could tell that it had been sitting around for years, as some had peeled off and the colour was sort of like newsprint, when it has been sitting around for years. The colour of the paper underneath was clean and nice. Another way I could tell this faux samegawa was old was because, it flaked off rather than peeled off. The menuki that was on the saya was soldered on (not something that is done on modern replicas). The kurikata was small and metal(today's replica's come with a wood full size one, or horn). The kissaki is similar to that of the old fictional ninja-to(today's replica's usually have a kissaki that replicates that of nihonto). It is also part of the geometry of the blade and not polished on (modern replica's that have a geometric kissaki are that of high quality) The fittings that came on this katana, aren't even close to any other modern fittings that you see on EVERY katana today. This includes the fuchigashira, as well as the menuki. The ho is curved. You'd be hard pressed to find a modern replica with a morozori ho. This katana also came with one mekugi, with matching mekugi-ana. Although, there are some modern katana that comes with one as well, most comes with double. There is a whole list of more things about it that screams old replica, but I'm tired of typing right now. You would have to had to see it up close, but what I listed should confirm it. Well, looking at the blade, I would have to say it is a more modern forgery. Many things, as you mentioned the ninja like kissaki, just says so to me. Chinese makers for a long time have sold fake antiques and replicas, applying it to swords is just a natural thing for them. The curve of the blade suggests it was done in forging, not quenching as it is somewhat unevenly curved. The tsuka being curved isn't proof of being legitimate, just the fact they wanted it to more or less give the appearance of being legitimate, which is of course the whole purpose. Fake rayskin wouldn't suggest an old replica, but purposeful forgery. Swords that look just like this litter eBay, and now and then on other forums people will post them, get told they are fake, and get real angry about it. Now, if you're happy with it, then that's great. That's the most important thing, and have a lot of fun customizing.
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slav
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Katsujin No Ken
Posts: 4,457
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Post by slav on Aug 26, 2009 6:46:30 GMT
For the record, this replica is as modern as any other found on eBay today. It is just one of those that is meant to look old and weathered like a WWII relic. Id like to agree with you on that one, but I can't. All new replicas, even the cheap ones use various parts that are obviously modern. This one, on the other hand, didn't. For instance; the faux samegawa that the saya was covered with, was made from paper and some sort of resin. (modern katana w/ same' on the saya or tsuka, is made with either real or plastic/rubber faux samegawa) You could tell that it had been sitting around for years, as some had peeled off and the colour was sort of like newsprint, when it has been sitting around for years. The colour of the paper underneath was clean and nice. Another way I could tell this faux samegawa was old was because, it flaked off rather than peeled off. The menuki that was on the saya was soldered on (not something that is done on modern replicas). The kurikata was small and metal(today's replica's come with a wood full size one, or horn). The kissaki is similar to that of the old fictional ninja-to(today's replica's usually have a kissaki that replicates that of nihonto). It is also part of the geometry of the blade and not polished on (modern replica's that have a geometric kissaki are that of high quality) The fittings that came on this katana, aren't even close to any other modern fittings that you see on EVERY katana today. This includes the fuchigashira, as well as the menuki. The ho is curved. You'd be hard pressed to find a modern replica with a morozori ho. This katana also came with one mekugi, with matching mekugi-ana. Although, there are some modern katana that comes with one as well, most comes with double. There is a whole list of more things about it that screams old replica, but I'm tired of typing right now. You would have to had to see it up close, but what I listed should confirm it. You're comparing apples to oranges. I guarantee you that if you look hard enough, you can find many Chinese-made swords for sale on eBay TODAY that exhibit the qualities that you identified. I have been scouring eBay for all types of fake and real katanas for years. Yours perfectly fits the profile of a certain breed 'aged' of fakes that one comes across from time to time. In fact, I have noticed that over the years they have been getting better and better at making these replica katanas look old; and have been providing them with more and more varieties of fittings and mounts... So, in fact, I would venture to say that yours is probably extra recent, rather than extra old.
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