To menuki or not to menuki
Mar 1, 2020 6:10:05 GMT
Post by lonedfx on Mar 1, 2020 6:10:05 GMT
Hello,
I am a bladesmith who recently turned swordmaker with the unwise choice of making a wakizashi (16" hira zukuri, wrought iron tsuba fushi and kashira, brass habaki and sepas, full same wrap and silk ito) . Four months later, I am nearly done (oh my, what an adventure!), but I am now faced with a dilemma: though the traditional importance of there being a menuki on the tsuka is clear to me, and although I am perfectly willing to spend the time it takes, I do not feel like my sword needs one... or wants one. It's difficult to explain why in a few words, but let us assume for the sake of this discussion that it doesn't.
Although I am not at all concerned with my modern wakizashi passing for a genuine nihonto (there are clear elements that make it obvious it isn't one), I am still trying to honor the tradition in as many ways as I can. Therefore, before deciding for good to go without a menuki, I want to make sure I understand 1) how frequent or rare this would have been historically, 2) whether this has a specific meaning I may not be aware of, and 3) how acceptable or cringy this would be visually to a learned person today.
My understanding is that there are some traditions that did go without a menuki, such as that of the satsuma rebellion, but are there other historical example of this? How obvious, objectionable or even offensive would it be to you, were you to see a wakizashi (or a katana) without a menuki? Would you immediately draw negative conclusions, or would you be ready to accept that this was an intentional choice, as would be the case for mine?
Though I am interested in every perspective I can get on this, I am especially looking for those that will draw from historical knowledge.
Oh, and yes, this is my first post on the forum
I am a bladesmith who recently turned swordmaker with the unwise choice of making a wakizashi (16" hira zukuri, wrought iron tsuba fushi and kashira, brass habaki and sepas, full same wrap and silk ito) . Four months later, I am nearly done (oh my, what an adventure!), but I am now faced with a dilemma: though the traditional importance of there being a menuki on the tsuka is clear to me, and although I am perfectly willing to spend the time it takes, I do not feel like my sword needs one... or wants one. It's difficult to explain why in a few words, but let us assume for the sake of this discussion that it doesn't.
Although I am not at all concerned with my modern wakizashi passing for a genuine nihonto (there are clear elements that make it obvious it isn't one), I am still trying to honor the tradition in as many ways as I can. Therefore, before deciding for good to go without a menuki, I want to make sure I understand 1) how frequent or rare this would have been historically, 2) whether this has a specific meaning I may not be aware of, and 3) how acceptable or cringy this would be visually to a learned person today.
My understanding is that there are some traditions that did go without a menuki, such as that of the satsuma rebellion, but are there other historical example of this? How obvious, objectionable or even offensive would it be to you, were you to see a wakizashi (or a katana) without a menuki? Would you immediately draw negative conclusions, or would you be ready to accept that this was an intentional choice, as would be the case for mine?
Though I am interested in every perspective I can get on this, I am especially looking for those that will draw from historical knowledge.
Oh, and yes, this is my first post on the forum