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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 2, 2015 19:47:35 GMT
Yup. I have mimi on the tsuba too, which is important to the design and something that is pretty hard to find. I could only really find one in antique tsuba ads. Now adays people really like themselves some fancy fittings. I'm a big fan of elegance in simplicity. Sugu and other plain hamon, plain ito, plain iron fuchi and kashira, and so on. I like things to be really plain with just a tiny accent. I'm thinking about brown sageo instead of black on my katana but I'm unsure. I can understand that pretty well - the only real 'flair' I usually like is in the hamon, as I like them each to be unique and interesting - suguha isn't bad either, I just prefer them more interesting. As for as ito goes, a golden brown ito over black same is a good combination, I think:
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 2, 2015 19:57:48 GMT
I like it, but I wear all black keikogi and hakama during iai, so I have black ito too. I was just curious as to the design choice of black sageo. I don't know if it would stick out a lot or just make a nice accent.
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 2, 2015 20:58:50 GMT
I like it, but I wear all black keikogi and hakama during iai, so I have black ito too. I was just curious as to the design choice of black sageo. I don't know if it would stick out a lot or just make a nice accent. Some black on black with some more blackey-black? (XD) Having a Sageo that pops a bit is always nice, otherwise (In my own opinion, and I'm sure I'll get some hate for this), the whole thing just ends up looking like a big black turd. Give it a few spots of colour or bare metal to keep it from being too uniform. :)
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 2, 2015 21:14:24 GMT
That's why I have the silver habaki and seppa. lol. Actually, the reason for the brown sageo on an all black sword is because I saw it on a nihonto and it looks amazing. I just don't know how close to the same profile mine will be.
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Mikeeman
Member
Small Business Operator
Posts: 2,904
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Post by Mikeeman on Sept 2, 2015 22:11:42 GMT
I had a Bugei Dragonfly that had brown over black. I don't like brown on swords, but that didn't look too bad.
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Post by Derzis on Sept 2, 2015 22:47:21 GMT
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 3, 2015 0:08:19 GMT
I think everyone is misunderstanding me. I am getting a katana with black ito, black same, black fuchi and kashira, black saya, silver habaki and seppa. I am considering getting brown sageo, just plain brown. But as my order stands, it has black sageo. I appreciate the suggestions though.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Sept 3, 2015 0:29:27 GMT
Tying Sageo is a snap. Let your order stand, if it turns out you want to try a different sageo, buy it and tie it. Because your current colors are black and silver, Black sageo with white dots would look nice too.
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 3, 2015 0:34:43 GMT
I agree, sageo tying is surprisingly easy - I even learned how to do a custom one-directional sageo wrap on one of my katana that gives it a very nihonto-esque air. And you cal always change it if you want, too. :)
Kiyoshi, kinda sounds like a Kuramono-type katana to me, or a Hanwei Oni - not that there's anything wrong with that, it should still look nice. ^_^
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Post by Derzis on Sept 3, 2015 0:47:50 GMT
black on black on black with silvered habaki is perfect. You asked for menuki or not?
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 3, 2015 1:01:04 GMT
I asked for no menuki. Sheng makes good tsuka, but does not shape them for the menuki, so getting none will get me the best tsuka feel. If I end up finding someone who can make a replica of this with a silver flower, I might have my tsuka redone when I get it rewrapped into tsunamimaki come tax season. And tying sageo is even easier for me since I do iaido. My sageo is left untied.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Sept 3, 2015 1:28:25 GMT
Ouch 622 dollars for that menuki! I almost wonder what a reproduction cost would be though. The central flower was hand engraved and not simply cast.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 3, 2015 1:31:44 GMT
I know. But if the menuki is made out of a metal that was easy to work with and plated, it would be significant;y cheaper. It wouldn't have to be exact, just similar to the linked one. I'm willing to pay a bit for it but definitely not $600+ lol
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Sept 3, 2015 1:36:40 GMT
To get that deep purple/black on the diamond will mean Shakudo (95 percent copper, 5 percent gold. That alone drives the price up. I have seen some decent reproductions which they do okay with the black without the experience of shakudo metal.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 3, 2015 1:38:25 GMT
Iron cut out with plating? Or copper? I'm not really knowledgeable in making fittings. I'm also okay with painting since it won't be really worn away much.
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 3, 2015 1:44:51 GMT
With my own custom katana, I asked for the menuki to be placed in their traditional placements, as opposed to the Gyaku menuki placements that most production katana seem to like to follow - see image: This should help very much with the feel of the tsua in the hand, as I rewrapped my Ronin Dojo pro and moved the menuki to the palm side - instantly a much better location, and to anyone getting a custom tsuka I HIGHLY recommend it.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 3, 2015 1:48:22 GMT
Palm side is gyaku. It is popular in toyama ryu and shinkage ryu. Tsuka on nihonto and iaito made in Japan have well made tsuka where you don't feel much of a swell at all. The tsuka aren't normally as flat as they appear to be at the core. From what I understand, the tsuka is shaped so the menuki fits in with a proper grip. Some styles like the ones mentioned above use them as a palm swell, but not all do. Production swords and longquan forges never really carve tsuka to fit the menuki properly so they can be uncomfortable.
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 3, 2015 1:56:25 GMT
Forgive me, I mistyped it - gyaku means reverse, as gyaku menuki are the standard for many katana nowadays due to stylistic purposes. Menuki at one's palms IS more comfortable then at the fingertips, much moreso that otherwise. It makes the tsuka much nicer to hold, imho.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 3, 2015 1:59:40 GMT
I agree with you when it comes to production katana. With my Japanese iaito though, the tsuka feels the same reversed and normal due to it being carved to fit the menuki. Instead of the core being flat with a swell at the menuki due to the increased thickness, there is a little wood carved away so that there is no swell and the tsuka is pretty uniform all the way through. It was the same on the only nihonto I have handled. They both also had relatively small menuki too. The production swords I have use much larger ones for one reason or another.
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Post by greatsaiyaman on Sept 3, 2015 5:49:29 GMT
Hey guys, I've put an order with Sheng also but held off after seeing this thread and decided to wait on him to finish your swords first and see the outcome. From what I can see, and from spending a small fortune on eBay katanas from various sellers, he seems to pay extra attention to what all the other vendors are missing. Tsuka is shaped well, he has Japanese imported leather with good hishigami wrap and clean end knots, the iron/steel fittings look above average and unique, has nice bohi termination on some of his swords and will take customs readily even down to the shape of the tang. I'm eagerely awaiting these reviews so I can maybe put an order in. Been disappointed with so many other eBay vendors in the past.
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