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Post by Dalaran1991 on Mar 11, 2023 0:42:19 GMT
Got an amazing ghost of tsushima special order from Akado Armory with white tsukaito. Problem is, of course, how to keep it looking nice and pristine?
I've seen some tutorials that says to spray/varnish the tsuka with thick gloss varnish which will both help to protect the ito and will make it much easier to clean, as dust and other things would stick to the varnish and are easier to clean off. Does it work? Could you offer any more tips?
Thanks!
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 11, 2023 1:47:28 GMT
I’m not an expert here but I can tell you “…to spray/varnish the tsuka with thick gloss varnish…” will give that whole section of the tsuka a glossy coated appearance if that means anything. I’ve painted my itos, ito only, with clear finger nail polish (lacquer) using the small brush that came with the polish. I did this to keep the cotton from fraying. In that case it worked but gave the feeling of being harder and somewhat less user friendly as I suspect the spray will do. However, I would do it over again. When I was in the military we had white flashes on our berets. To keep the white white we sprayed with 3M Scotchgard Water Repellent. I would apply more than one coat.
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Post by vidar on Mar 13, 2023 18:18:12 GMT
I once read that high ranking samurai would use white ito as status symbol, to show that they had others to fight for them…
I think it’s impossible to use a sword with white ito and keep it clean. Maybe by wearing gloves.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Mar 13, 2023 19:32:26 GMT
There's nothing that will keep a white ito white if you intend to actually use it. Even washing your hands before won't do much as your sweat will collect dirt from the air or deep within the skin and raise it to the top. Gloves will leech the leather dye and make matters worse. You could try white cotton gloves and delay the inevitable for a while but eventually that will also fail. Just looking at a white ito with your eyes will get it dirty in some cases. Any coating will either wear off quickly or make the tsuka slippery or otherwise interfere with the grip. Worst case is that the coating will start to chip and flake and that is a sure way to get blisters.
In the olden days, the tsuka-ito was considered a "wearable item" and therefore disposable. It was replaced when it got too dirty, worn, or damaged. Then again, there were plenty of people around who could do a job like that for a reasonable fee- the same can't be said today.
I like to always say "do you own thing" and that still applies here, but I will also never recommend a white (or other light color) ito on anything other than a display sword.
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Post by Dalaran1991 on Mar 14, 2023 11:34:55 GMT
thanks for the input gents, guess I'll just have to go with it and do a re-wrap once it gets dirty enough. Like Rufus said unfortunately you can't get a rewrap done for cheap nowadays, and I'm too impatient to learn how to do it properly... would rather spend that extra time training and sparring (which I already don't have enough time for)
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 14, 2023 12:16:53 GMT
The nail polish on the ito only did not make the tsuka slippery. I forgot to mention to thin the polish if necessary to allow it to soak in. I have found no chipping after nearly a decade. I’d say that the nail polish and white cotton gloves will delay the inevitable and should allow a good feeling of what the sword is doing.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Mar 14, 2023 12:59:31 GMT
The nail polish on the ito only did not make the tsuka slippery. I forgot to mention to thin the polish if necessary to allow it to soak in. I have found no chipping after nearly a decade. I’d say that the nail polish and white cotton gloves will delay the inevitable and should allow a good feeling of what the sword is doing. Sure, it's worth a try. I am hesitant to recommend any kind of coatings on the grips, but in this case I guess there's nothing to lose by trying.
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Post by treeslicer on Mar 14, 2023 20:31:31 GMT
Could you have your servants keep it pipeclayed for you? I expect that's the traditional method.
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Post by yelman on Mar 19, 2023 0:54:32 GMT
how about painting the ito with artist’s acrylic white paint? It’s water based so you can choose your own consistency and when it dries it will not only keep your ito from fraying but can be easily cleaned with just water. I’ve used acrylic paint on small dings on the car and it lasts for years through all kinds of weather.
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Post by zabazagobo on Mar 22, 2023 17:24:02 GMT
If it is a sword you wish to practice with, accept the grit. Otherwise, bail. It's going get dirty. Pure white ito... has a place....with people who like their fighting 'done for them'.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Mar 23, 2023 15:31:38 GMT
If it is a sword you wish to practice with, accept the grit. Otherwise, bail. It's going get dirty. Pure white ito... has a place....with people who like their fighting 'done for them'. Fighting? Well, not me of course. I've got people for that.....
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