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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 19:46:54 GMT
Hello guys. Just finished up a custom blade and thought I would share it with you all. It started off with a second generation Cheness Mokko that I bought from a forum member. Not being familiar with the older gens of Mokko, I will admit that for a few brief moments after unpacking it, I thought he had actually sold me a Masahiro Bamboo. It was not to be though. Even so, I will say I like the blade very much. It is well balance, sharp, a good cutter and well put together. The shape of the tsuka was also nice and much more appealing to my grip than the current generations. I liked the tsuba and the solid fit it had, so I kept that and went with another bamboo theme. I picked up the fuchi/kashira from Yamato Bodugo and sageo and ito from Shadow of Leaves. (I do hate to see him closing up shop.) The menuki are scavenged from the Musashi bamboo warrior I remounted not long ago. The same or stingray is a piece I picked up from a local bootmaker supplier. It's a metallic gold finish and I don't know why but it sorta spoke to me when I saw it and I went ahead and tried it out. I'm pleased with the results. I also used the paper wedges under the ito and it really helps shape up the diamonds. There are a few places where you can see the white of the wedges but I'm still learning and other than that I really like the turn out. So here is my Mokko's new wardrobe in Kogane: gold. Thanks for looking. Hope you enjoyed. Troy/Shoboshi
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 19:55:35 GMT
That looks pretty slick, Troy...I like the same wrap at the top of the scabbard...it'll serve well to keep the oils from one's hand getting onto the saya.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 20:16:51 GMT
Thanks amigo. The same on the saya also provides an excellent grip, even with sweaty hands.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 20:22:01 GMT
Shobo - it seems like you got a pretty decent hookup for different types of same. I currently don't have any use for any, but do you know if you could get any as a supply for customizers if they wanted some?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 20:37:53 GMT
Bamboo-- Yes, I can get some for anyone that is interested. I have actually been trying to get the guy to furnish a disc of photos to me for my own perusal when thinking about doing a custom and if he ever does I can post the options. He really does have a lot to choose from.
At the same time, I don't want to start a business here either. But I am willing to help out anyone who may be interested if they cannot find any elsewhere.
The only thing anyone interested needs to bear in mind is that this is BOOTLEATHER made from stingray. It is soft and pliable, not like the typical rawhide same we are used to seeing on tsukas. Properly glued down in a full wrap I think the supportive characteristics are at least closer to a regular full wrap of traditional same and certainly better than panels. It can also be a bit thicker. For me the extra thickness works perfect for beefing up the thinner Cheness tsukas.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 20:48:10 GMT
Cool - I'd be interested to see those pics
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 21:50:18 GMT
Okay, here are a few pics I was able to get, but just a sampling. The first four are multispine and you can see at the edges the color they were dyed. It doesn't show up well in pictures but in sunlight it is more evident. These first four were also scanned and not photos. This one is a 'holographic'. The design changes depending on the perspective it's viewed from. I have seen this one firsthand as it's one my wife brought home to show me to see if I was interested. The design doesn't change, but sorta shifts if you know what I mean. Black cherry I don't know what color this is, but sorta cool. And... Neon blue? These are two I bought for future projects. The tiles they are laying on are 18" and these are smallish skins. They have also been sanded smooth so they don't have the pebble texture at all. A good sized black one and a smallish blue with black speckles that I used on my Tenchi. This tile is only 12". These are scraps of multispine. The one on the left I haven't seen stocked for quite some time now.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:24:02 GMT
Wild stuff. That smallish blue one I want to make underwear out of. +1!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:28:56 GMT
Bamboo-- Thanks. Underwear? I don't think your feet will fit through the holes.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:34:05 GMT
I have dainty legs.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:56:42 GMT
You know, this really isn't a mental picture I wanted in my head.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2009 10:21:42 GMT
Can't see the pics, Shoboshi. I really want to.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2009 15:58:34 GMT
Sorry guys. I organized my photobucket account and I guess I broke the links in the process. Working on it.
Okay, pics are back up.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2009 7:25:44 GMT
The gold looks great against the black! Always does. Your tsukamaki is great. If I should be so bold to critisize anything, it would be that the tsuba and menuki breaks with the rest of the koshirae. They are probably copper plated and sulphur soaked, and it leaves them a little on the greyish side.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2009 13:55:53 GMT
Ichiban-- Thanks! Your input is always welcome and appreciated.
The Liver of Sulphur thing? I dunno. Never used it though I intend to in future. The tsuba is a little grey. I think its made out of brass and the finish on it looks an awful lot like parkerizing. The color is off but I was sorta stuck with it in that I really like this tsuba, both the mokko shape and the design and the excellent fit it had. The menuki were actually very black to start with. So black that it was diffficult to make out what they were. I took a wire brush to them and attempted to scrub off some of the blackening in order to make the design more visible. A little bit of a trade off.
Overall though, I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out. Think it's my best tsukamaki so far. Don't think I'll be doing any more wraps without hishigami. It makes too much difference, even with cotton ito.
Thanks for your input.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2009 15:36:04 GMT
Either liver of sulphur or some other kind of sulphuric acid is used to coat the tsuba, usually zinc alloy or brass tsubas. They're first copper plated, then oxidized with the sulphur. The copper fittings from Yamato is coated in a similar but better way. I got some which I brushed, and ended up with a golden tint in them instead of greyish. I've copper plated and blackened stuff using liver of suphur, and to great effect at times. I tried to do it to a smooth habaki, but it just rubbed off then. So the result depends on how easily the part accepts plating and sulphur bath.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2009 7:49:26 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2009 18:00:48 GMT
Toffee apple... it's as good as anything. So shall it be called henceforth.
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