My Tenchi reborn! My first tsukamaki
Mar 27, 2008 15:51:51 GMT
Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2008 15:51:51 GMT
Hello everyone!
This is my first customization on one of my katanas, and the lucky one is the Tenchi.
First, the parts and costs...
From Shadow Of Leaves
15 feet of blood red silk ito = $2.95 x 15ft = $44.25
(bought 15ft for a 10in tsuka instead of 13 or 14ft because I wanted to be sure that I had enough ito, and shortage of the length would be a problem. But after I was done with the tsukamaki, it's only then I've realized that 13 or 14ft would be enough)
220 cm Shigeuchi style blood red sageo = $20
Shipping to the Philippines = $10
Total = US$64.25
From artsfeng on eBay
Tsuba = £5.75
Shipping = £8
Total = £13.75
From northlondonbudo on eBay
Menuki = £9.00
Shipping = £0.99
Total = £9.99
(didn't realize that artsfeng also got this type of menuki, probably even came from artsfeng and much cheaper. oh well, now I know)
Total cost for the parts = US$112.13
Fitting the tsuba on the Tenchi's nakago (tang)... I had to do some filing on the nakago-ana to fit the Tenchi's tang. When I bought the Tenchi, I also ordered an extra pair of seppas just in case the tsuba is thinner than the Tenchi's tsuba. But as it turned out, the new tsuba is thicker(?). I didn't get use the copper seppa. Instead, I exchanged it with the brass seppa from one of my katanas, and another one from one of my Japanese iaitos, as the copper would be a contrast with the brass habaki.
Next is research and practice, practice, and more practice...
I've done a lot of research and practice before doing the actual wrapping. I practiced using the bootlace... err... I mean "sageo" from one of my Masahiro, which is also the same thing used as a tsukaito. I practiced wrapping on my wooden tanto and bokken. My references for this project were Thomas Buck's guide, A. Brackebusch's site: Katana Project, and Erick Nelson's guide. I also have this old wakizashi tsuka (which I got for free) from a seller in Japan (where I got my tanto), that I've used as a reference on the quality of the wrap. And this old tsuka has some hishigami. I unfolded the hishigami to learn the pattern of the folds. I also searched the web for pictures of different finished tsuka to get some inspiration for the actual wrapping. ;D
Let's go on with the 1st stage of the project...
Materials used:
Newspaper
Spring clamp
Dental pick/tool
Cup of water
Tweezers
My fingers
I unwrapped the ito from the Tenchi's tsuka, and it got some adhesives on the sides. Probably to make the wrapping tight. Upon unwrapping the ito, I discovered that the tsuka is not carved where the same lies, and the tsuka core itself is quite "fat" for my taste. I removed the same from the tsuka so it won't be damaged with all the work I'm going to do with it to reshape it. It was easily removed just by peeling it. Then I started carving out the area where the ray skin panel will be placed on both sides. With the help of a 180 grit sandpaper, I managed to slim down the tsuka to my preferred figure. I wanted to lacquer the same in black, but decided not to because the nodules on the same are very nice and big, and black won't highlight my menuki. So I left it as it is. After reshaping the tsuka, I glued back the same with Elmer's glue and wrapped it tightly with the bootlace from the Masahiro (as shown in Erick Nelson's guide).
The picture below shows the reshaped Tenchi tsuka (much slimmer than before).
I also placed paper strips on the sides of the tsuka with measurements of 1 width unit of the stretched ito as a guide for the placement of the ito (as shown's on Thomas Buck's guide).
2nd stage was the folding of the hishigami (paper wedges)...
Man, this was so tedious! In folding the hishigami, I used newspaper. It took me about 2 hours making 80+ paper triangles. At first I was at ease folding the hishigami... I was counting how many I've already made, anxious to reach my target number and get on with the wrap. The number of hishigami I needed were at least 60+, but ended up with 80+ and got to use only 60+. ;D Again for my reference in folding the hishigami was Thomas Buck's guide and the hishigami on my old wakizashi tsuka. The first 20 hishigami were uniform in size, but as time passed by, I was just folding paper triangles in different sizes as my fingers were already aching from making the folds, and flattening them at the same time. But this wasn't as tedious in placing the hishigami while wrapping the ito...
At last, they are done!
If you can see in the picture (top center), you'd see some grey colored paper triangles. Those are the ones from the old tsuka .
3rd stage: The actual wrap...
I was only able to take a couple of pictures of the process, as I was so focused in finishing the wrap. Pictures were taken using a camera phone (at night time), so its not that clear.
There you'd see the old wakizashi tsuka... at the side is my cup of water, to moisten the hishigami before inserting it under the ito. As stated in Buck's guide, it is necessary to moisten the hishigami to allow them to conform more readily to both the tsukaito and the same. And it did just that. Throughout the wrapping, I was adjusting the ito folds and tucking in the hishigami with a dental pick/tool. The spring clamp serves as your third hand, holding the previous folds tightly.
I was in my boxers while doing this project.
(4th stage or substage?) Placing the menuki... My menuki has a gold plated samurai warrior in the middle, and I want him to be at the center of the ito folds. To make sure he's at the center, I did a test wrap (not so tight wrap w/o hishigami), just to see if he'll be where I want him to be. And it worked. I still inserted hishigami when I placed the menuki, but not under the menuki, just under the ito. Not full triangles though, I had to cut them lengthwise.
I'm almost there...
Last stage of tsukamaki: Tying the ura and omote side knot...
This isn't easy as it looks... as you have to insert the end of the ito under the folds... reinserting them again and again to make the knot both on the ura and omote side, at the same time, making sure they are tight. For this part, I used the technique A. Brackebusch used and shown on his site, where he used auxillary clips to lift the ito folds and for easy insertion of the ito, then used the tweezers to pull it from under the folds. For this one, I used plastic straw ropes.
Finished at last! Took me 5 hours to finish the wrap, plus the 2 hours I spent just folding the hishigami... everything was done in 7 hours straight! My fingers were aching from the pulling of the ito and from the flattening of the hishigamis. Despite that, I was so proud of the finished tsuka. As mentioned in Buck's guide: "tsukamaki should be started and completed on the omote", and I did just that. ;D
Sorry, I wasn't able to take pictures of the finished ura and omote knots as my camera phone's battery died on me. But I was able to take pictures of the finished tsuka the next day with a digicam on broad daylight.
Please see the pictures below... hope you like it.
I know the diamonds are not that even, but hey, this was my first try on tsukamaki and I did my very best! After mounting tsuka to the blade, I did a little swinging to test the wrap and I can say that it is a very tight wrap. ;D I'll have to do a little adjustments with the diamonds, tuck in the hishigami a little more as there some parts of paper sticking out from the folds.
I will have to confess... I cheated (just a little) on the omote knot. After I've folded, cut, and tucked the excess ito, one end of the ito came loose after my test swing. So I had to apply super glue to make sure it won't come loose.
The tsuba...
I chose this tsuba because I thought that it would match the color of the Tenchi's fuchi and kashira. But I was wrong... I was deceived by the pictures, thought it was darker. But it did match the theme on my menuki. For the texture... well... I think it "kinda" matched.
The original fittings of the Tenchi...
The pictures below shows a comparison of the Tenchi's reshaped tsuka and a replacement tsuka I got for my Shura (that I didn't get to use because I've already sold my Shura).
But the customization doesn't end there... I'll also be customizing the saya.
First I started with switching the saya of my Tenchi with my Musashi Shizoku's. Reason for this is that I don't like the Tenchi's saya as I also find it kinda "fat", and I don't like the placement of the kurikata on the Tenchi's saya which is very near the koiguchi (saya's mouth). Also considering that I have a slimmer tsuka, it doesn't compliment the original "fat" saya of the Tenchi. The blade of the Tenchi perfectly fits the saya of the Musashi Shizoku, except on the part where the habaki fits. At first I was just filing it, but realized that it would take longer. So I had to use a chisel. After a lot of scraping, at last, I now have a perfect fit and the blade doesn't rattle inside unlike in its original saya. I was very careful on how I scrape the wood, making sure that nothing goes further inside the saya or I'll have a problem with it sticking on to the blade, and worse how to take them out. I was quite happy with the switch, it's just that I had to sacrifice the nice buffalo horn koiguchi on the original saya. Nevertheless, I still like what I did. I didn't bother using the shitodome from the Shizoku's original saya as I wouldn't be able to use it anyway, as the sageo I got won't fit. As for the Tenchi's original saya that will be going to the Shizoku, I just applied some wood putty on the inside so the habaki of the Shizoku will have a nice fit.
The pictures below already shows the switch of the sayas...
Again, the customization still doesn't end there. I still have more plans for the Tenchi's new saya. I'm planning to wrap some rattan on the saya from the koiguchi and just way pass the kurikata and lacquer it in black. Then a new paint job would be nice. Just like one of Aaron Justice's customized sayas:
But that's another story, as I will be doing a new tsukamaki when my Kaze arrives and fit it with new koshirae. This time with a new fuchi, kashira, and menuki; and it would take a few weeks or probably months before I can start customizing the saya. Will just update this thread when I'm finished with the saya.
In the meantime, I would like to share with you my other kats.
From top to bottom:
Cheness Tenchi
Masahiro (I don't know what model)
Masahiro (I also don't know what model, but this came with a triangular box the same as the Cherry Blossom Katana)
Musashi Shizoku
Sorry I don't have any pictures showing the blades as I was too lazy to take them out from their saya, then re-oil them.
There it is, my Tenchi reborn! Thanks for looking! ;D
This is my first customization on one of my katanas, and the lucky one is the Tenchi.
First, the parts and costs...
From Shadow Of Leaves
15 feet of blood red silk ito = $2.95 x 15ft = $44.25
(bought 15ft for a 10in tsuka instead of 13 or 14ft because I wanted to be sure that I had enough ito, and shortage of the length would be a problem. But after I was done with the tsukamaki, it's only then I've realized that 13 or 14ft would be enough)
220 cm Shigeuchi style blood red sageo = $20
Shipping to the Philippines = $10
Total = US$64.25
From artsfeng on eBay
Tsuba = £5.75
Shipping = £8
Total = £13.75
From northlondonbudo on eBay
Menuki = £9.00
Shipping = £0.99
Total = £9.99
(didn't realize that artsfeng also got this type of menuki, probably even came from artsfeng and much cheaper. oh well, now I know)
Total cost for the parts = US$112.13
Fitting the tsuba on the Tenchi's nakago (tang)... I had to do some filing on the nakago-ana to fit the Tenchi's tang. When I bought the Tenchi, I also ordered an extra pair of seppas just in case the tsuba is thinner than the Tenchi's tsuba. But as it turned out, the new tsuba is thicker(?). I didn't get use the copper seppa. Instead, I exchanged it with the brass seppa from one of my katanas, and another one from one of my Japanese iaitos, as the copper would be a contrast with the brass habaki.
Next is research and practice, practice, and more practice...
I've done a lot of research and practice before doing the actual wrapping. I practiced using the bootlace... err... I mean "sageo" from one of my Masahiro, which is also the same thing used as a tsukaito. I practiced wrapping on my wooden tanto and bokken. My references for this project were Thomas Buck's guide, A. Brackebusch's site: Katana Project, and Erick Nelson's guide. I also have this old wakizashi tsuka (which I got for free) from a seller in Japan (where I got my tanto), that I've used as a reference on the quality of the wrap. And this old tsuka has some hishigami. I unfolded the hishigami to learn the pattern of the folds. I also searched the web for pictures of different finished tsuka to get some inspiration for the actual wrapping. ;D
Let's go on with the 1st stage of the project...
Materials used:
Newspaper
Spring clamp
Dental pick/tool
Cup of water
Tweezers
My fingers
I unwrapped the ito from the Tenchi's tsuka, and it got some adhesives on the sides. Probably to make the wrapping tight. Upon unwrapping the ito, I discovered that the tsuka is not carved where the same lies, and the tsuka core itself is quite "fat" for my taste. I removed the same from the tsuka so it won't be damaged with all the work I'm going to do with it to reshape it. It was easily removed just by peeling it. Then I started carving out the area where the ray skin panel will be placed on both sides. With the help of a 180 grit sandpaper, I managed to slim down the tsuka to my preferred figure. I wanted to lacquer the same in black, but decided not to because the nodules on the same are very nice and big, and black won't highlight my menuki. So I left it as it is. After reshaping the tsuka, I glued back the same with Elmer's glue and wrapped it tightly with the bootlace from the Masahiro (as shown in Erick Nelson's guide).
The picture below shows the reshaped Tenchi tsuka (much slimmer than before).
I also placed paper strips on the sides of the tsuka with measurements of 1 width unit of the stretched ito as a guide for the placement of the ito (as shown's on Thomas Buck's guide).
2nd stage was the folding of the hishigami (paper wedges)...
Man, this was so tedious! In folding the hishigami, I used newspaper. It took me about 2 hours making 80+ paper triangles. At first I was at ease folding the hishigami... I was counting how many I've already made, anxious to reach my target number and get on with the wrap. The number of hishigami I needed were at least 60+, but ended up with 80+ and got to use only 60+. ;D Again for my reference in folding the hishigami was Thomas Buck's guide and the hishigami on my old wakizashi tsuka. The first 20 hishigami were uniform in size, but as time passed by, I was just folding paper triangles in different sizes as my fingers were already aching from making the folds, and flattening them at the same time. But this wasn't as tedious in placing the hishigami while wrapping the ito...
At last, they are done!
If you can see in the picture (top center), you'd see some grey colored paper triangles. Those are the ones from the old tsuka .
3rd stage: The actual wrap...
I was only able to take a couple of pictures of the process, as I was so focused in finishing the wrap. Pictures were taken using a camera phone (at night time), so its not that clear.
There you'd see the old wakizashi tsuka... at the side is my cup of water, to moisten the hishigami before inserting it under the ito. As stated in Buck's guide, it is necessary to moisten the hishigami to allow them to conform more readily to both the tsukaito and the same. And it did just that. Throughout the wrapping, I was adjusting the ito folds and tucking in the hishigami with a dental pick/tool. The spring clamp serves as your third hand, holding the previous folds tightly.
I was in my boxers while doing this project.
(4th stage or substage?) Placing the menuki... My menuki has a gold plated samurai warrior in the middle, and I want him to be at the center of the ito folds. To make sure he's at the center, I did a test wrap (not so tight wrap w/o hishigami), just to see if he'll be where I want him to be. And it worked. I still inserted hishigami when I placed the menuki, but not under the menuki, just under the ito. Not full triangles though, I had to cut them lengthwise.
I'm almost there...
Last stage of tsukamaki: Tying the ura and omote side knot...
This isn't easy as it looks... as you have to insert the end of the ito under the folds... reinserting them again and again to make the knot both on the ura and omote side, at the same time, making sure they are tight. For this part, I used the technique A. Brackebusch used and shown on his site, where he used auxillary clips to lift the ito folds and for easy insertion of the ito, then used the tweezers to pull it from under the folds. For this one, I used plastic straw ropes.
Finished at last! Took me 5 hours to finish the wrap, plus the 2 hours I spent just folding the hishigami... everything was done in 7 hours straight! My fingers were aching from the pulling of the ito and from the flattening of the hishigamis. Despite that, I was so proud of the finished tsuka. As mentioned in Buck's guide: "tsukamaki should be started and completed on the omote", and I did just that. ;D
Sorry, I wasn't able to take pictures of the finished ura and omote knots as my camera phone's battery died on me. But I was able to take pictures of the finished tsuka the next day with a digicam on broad daylight.
Please see the pictures below... hope you like it.
I know the diamonds are not that even, but hey, this was my first try on tsukamaki and I did my very best! After mounting tsuka to the blade, I did a little swinging to test the wrap and I can say that it is a very tight wrap. ;D I'll have to do a little adjustments with the diamonds, tuck in the hishigami a little more as there some parts of paper sticking out from the folds.
I will have to confess... I cheated (just a little) on the omote knot. After I've folded, cut, and tucked the excess ito, one end of the ito came loose after my test swing. So I had to apply super glue to make sure it won't come loose.
The tsuba...
I chose this tsuba because I thought that it would match the color of the Tenchi's fuchi and kashira. But I was wrong... I was deceived by the pictures, thought it was darker. But it did match the theme on my menuki. For the texture... well... I think it "kinda" matched.
The original fittings of the Tenchi...
The pictures below shows a comparison of the Tenchi's reshaped tsuka and a replacement tsuka I got for my Shura (that I didn't get to use because I've already sold my Shura).
But the customization doesn't end there... I'll also be customizing the saya.
First I started with switching the saya of my Tenchi with my Musashi Shizoku's. Reason for this is that I don't like the Tenchi's saya as I also find it kinda "fat", and I don't like the placement of the kurikata on the Tenchi's saya which is very near the koiguchi (saya's mouth). Also considering that I have a slimmer tsuka, it doesn't compliment the original "fat" saya of the Tenchi. The blade of the Tenchi perfectly fits the saya of the Musashi Shizoku, except on the part where the habaki fits. At first I was just filing it, but realized that it would take longer. So I had to use a chisel. After a lot of scraping, at last, I now have a perfect fit and the blade doesn't rattle inside unlike in its original saya. I was very careful on how I scrape the wood, making sure that nothing goes further inside the saya or I'll have a problem with it sticking on to the blade, and worse how to take them out. I was quite happy with the switch, it's just that I had to sacrifice the nice buffalo horn koiguchi on the original saya. Nevertheless, I still like what I did. I didn't bother using the shitodome from the Shizoku's original saya as I wouldn't be able to use it anyway, as the sageo I got won't fit. As for the Tenchi's original saya that will be going to the Shizoku, I just applied some wood putty on the inside so the habaki of the Shizoku will have a nice fit.
The pictures below already shows the switch of the sayas...
Again, the customization still doesn't end there. I still have more plans for the Tenchi's new saya. I'm planning to wrap some rattan on the saya from the koiguchi and just way pass the kurikata and lacquer it in black. Then a new paint job would be nice. Just like one of Aaron Justice's customized sayas:
But that's another story, as I will be doing a new tsukamaki when my Kaze arrives and fit it with new koshirae. This time with a new fuchi, kashira, and menuki; and it would take a few weeks or probably months before I can start customizing the saya. Will just update this thread when I'm finished with the saya.
In the meantime, I would like to share with you my other kats.
From top to bottom:
Cheness Tenchi
Masahiro (I don't know what model)
Masahiro (I also don't know what model, but this came with a triangular box the same as the Cherry Blossom Katana)
Musashi Shizoku
Sorry I don't have any pictures showing the blades as I was too lazy to take them out from their saya, then re-oil them.
There it is, my Tenchi reborn! Thanks for looking! ;D