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Post by Aaron W on Apr 17, 2011 20:43:02 GMT
So here's my deal. I've got a bare blade headed to me here pretty soon, and as I'm in no rush (financially or in terms of training with a shinken), I need a proper way to store my bare blade until I get it properly mounted. Of course, my first thought is having a shirasaya made for it. I've looked around a little, and having one made seems hard to find pricing on. I would imagine it'd be a little bit, since of course it needs to be custom fitted for your blade.
Having said that, I then started thinking about making one myself. Granted, I don't have alot of woodworking skills or tools for that matter, as well as the fact that I understand getting a honoki wood blank is pretty difficult/expensive in and of itself. So my question is, is there a very specific reason honoki wood is chosen? Is it just the traditional wood or does it have proper storage properties that other types of wood lack? If you had to make one out of another type of wood, what would you guys choose?
Also, as a sidenote, my other option is to store it in a honoki wood box that I currently have. It's the one that you get when you order Hanwei's new Bamboo Mat or Lion Dog katana. My only concern is that it's not a tight fit like a shirasaya would be, so I'm minorly worried that it wouldn't be as safe as it could be in a shirasaya.
Any other info regarding safely storing a bare blade is very appreciated.
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Post by Wes on Apr 17, 2011 21:29:15 GMT
Hinoki wood has a very tight, straight grain that allows it to be carved easier than say Oak which has a very swirly grain. Also it's highly rot resistant. I'm not sure if there are any other facts that make it the ideal choice for tsuka & saya carving, but it's used all over Japan in many different fields so it's not surprising that it should be used to cradle their swords. Nihonzashi could shirasaya it up for you, but I recently read on their site that they're not taking customization orders right now. You might check with FranktheBunny here on the forum. He's done some lovely customizations for forumites in the past.
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Sam H
Member
Posts: 1,099
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Post by Sam H on Apr 18, 2011 0:09:10 GMT
If you're just looking to store a bare blade while you figure out what to do regarding mounting etc. you could just encase it in a machine grease of some sort or even petro jelly (just make sure the blade is free of moisture prior to application of whatever grease you use) then wrap it up in an old towel and stuff it in a box till you're ready to use it.
I personally would recommend Militec-1 grease. Its worked for me and I use it on my swords and my guns.
Traditionally katana were stored in shirasaya. Modern blades - well we can use modern methods.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Apr 19, 2011 14:28:37 GMT
A wooden box won't necessarily be as good as a proper shirasaya, because there's more air to move around inside the box.
That said, I think Sam's suggestion of wrapping the blade up in grease and a towel is fine if you don't mind the 'untraditional' feel of it. Will it keep the blade sharp and un-rusty? Yeah. Will it be quite the same as pulling it out of a shirasaya? Not quite. It's really up to you...
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Post by Hiroshi on Apr 21, 2011 20:59:34 GMT
Next best thing to honoki is Yellow poplar. If you cant find that then regular poplar will due. Lowes usually carries it in 1/4 inch thickness, which is what you want anyway.
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Post by Aaron W on Apr 24, 2011 7:50:22 GMT
Does anyone happen to know of anyone trustworthy who makes shirasaya for a cheapish price? I know Fred makes some, but they're half the price of a "the works" package, which is what I'm ultimately aiming for anyway.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Apr 24, 2011 20:58:47 GMT
I could do it for you, but it'd be my first one and I'm not sure you want that  Cheapish... I'm afraid not. Either you buy a blade that already comes with shirasaya, or you have to pay for a craftsman to build one for you. And there aren't that many out there. Honestly you're somewhat better off just trying to make your own if you're trying to stay cheap... but I'll gladly admit that I'm not the most knowledgable person to ask about this, if anybody knows better, feel free to correct me! |
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Post by zentesukenVII on Apr 27, 2011 16:05:41 GMT
honestly if your just storing it, I dont see why it has to be a perfectly made piece of art. IMO if your want to store your bare blade just buy a wood chisel and hand planner and enough poplar wood to make a saya and tsuka for it, try as hard as you want. I've carved out about 4 tsukas now and its really not too difficult once you get the feel of wood chiseling. Havent done a saya but seeing as its not supposed to be a perfect tight fit untill the koiguchi I imagine it shouldent be too difficult. you'd learn how to make wood mountings which is a good skill to have if you ever want to carve a new tsuka or something. Also, if you mess up its not like your ruining your best battle ready mountings that if something goes wrong it could be dangerous. I recommend this be a DIY project, you'd be amazed at how good of work you can do if you try and persist.
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Post by MrAcheson on Apr 27, 2011 20:04:06 GMT
Clean the blade with something decent like brake cleaner. Then oil the hell out of it with something decent like 3 in 1 oil or CLP. Then put it in a silicone-impregnated gun sock. The rifle length ones are over four feet long, cost about $6, are available everywhere, and should be fine for a sword. Then store it somewhere out of the way in a climate controlled area that is unlikely to have large temperature and humidity swings (closet is ok, but not a basement or garage).
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