cotton ito cord

A

artcreek

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Can anyone out there tell me a good supplier for shoestring material ,? I am just joking but, japanese ito is made on same machine as shoelaces !! the old stuff was hand weaved but, not anymore. Occasionally I have to do tsukaito for a customer and I refuse to pay a dollar or more a foot for shoestrings. I found some nylon stuff that is exactly the same weave as ito comes in 300' roles 38.00 I just can't find any cotton ???. It would be an excellent substitute for silk ito . I looked up( flat nylon laces ) looks like ito to me ? If someone has a reasonable source I would sure be interested. thanks confuscious say :he who pay too much for cotton shoestring , will have big mastercard bill and less beer. .
 
I have been told that Hancock fabric stores have a reasonable facsimile of tsuka-ito in their cord section, but it's not online.
 
Go to the fabric stores in your area and look at the cord and tape selection.
Stacy
 
come to my house it seames like my entire shop is sitting on some. you know "on a shoestring budget" :D
 
Ive had great success locating cotton and rayon blend material at local fabric stores.

If I had ordered a custom blade however, I would certainly be wanting silk ito.
Cotton really isnt a great substitute.

+1 for shadow of leaves
 
I go to my local fabric store. Joanne Fabrics carries some cotton cording that is dead on. At least it's the closest thing i can find to it but to the naked eye you would never know the difference. If your into the real stuff check out Bugei. They carry same, tsuka ito, fittings, guards etc. I have to deal with the price for same but I can't find it any were else.
Any one know where you can buy these items for a whole sale price?
 
That's interesting about the Joanne's, kvolle. I've been to two of them, one a "superstore" with about a thousand spools of cord, and they didn't have anything close. It must be a difference in what each local store buyer chooses. :(
 
The stuff at Hancocks isn't cotton cord, just FYI. $1/ft doesn't sound unreasonable to me for tsuka-ito, in my experience it's nowhere near the same as shoestring, you can't get shoestring as flat as real tsuka-ito. That being said, you should be able to find it cheaper.
 
AcridSaint said:
The stuff at Hancocks isn't cotton cord, just FYI. $1/ft doesn't sound unreasonable to me for tsuka-ito, in my experience it's nowhere near the same as shoestring, you can't get shoestring as flat as real tsuka-ito. That being said, you should be able to find it cheaper.
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The stuff is not really shoestring material It used for tying back packs .I have some right here and I am comparing it to silk ito it looks exactly the same It is very flat not hollow same stuff kirby uses . the only way you can tell difference is when you burn a little piece it smells like paper burning. although , It has the same weave precisely.sometimes its very difficult to convince some one of the reality if they won't try or look at the item.I would not put silk on any japanese style sword unless it is true nihonto.Its way out of tradition. In japan tsuka-ito is made on same machine as shoestrings .I lived in japan for 11 years I saw it . If you have any japanese friends ask them. I have no reason to bull about it unless of course you just feel like being contrary no big deal . confuscius say listen to old people they are not all old fools you don't get to be old being a fool. lot's of young wise men are deader than shi# Bubba -san
 
No Japanese friends Jim, just a Japanese wife and family :eek:

Not saying you're wrong about the machines, it's just been my experience that shoe string doesn't work the same. Never picked any up when I was in Japan though, so who knows.

artcreek said:
The stuff is not really shoestring material It used for tying back packs .I have some right here and I am comparing it to silk ito it looks exactly the same It is very flat not hollow same stuff kirby uses . the only way you can tell difference is when you burn a little piece it smells like paper burning. although , It has the same weave precisely.sometimes its very difficult to convince some one of the reality if they won't try or look at the item.I would not put silk on any japanese style sword unless it is true nihonto.Its way out of tradition. In japan tsuka-ito is made on same machine as shoestrings .I lived in japan for 11 years I saw it . If you have any japanese friends ask them. I have no reason to bull about it unless of course you just feel like being contrary no big deal . confuscius say listen to old people they are not all old fools you don't get to be old being a fool. lot's of young wise men are deader than shi# Bubba -san
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I just compared the cord pictured in Lambert's DVD to the silk ito I received from Shadow of Leaves. The difference is apparent. Kirby's definitely looks more like a shoelace than this stuff. His looks somehwat flat and thicker, whereas this seems to have a weave with several "ridges" in it, much like both the cotton and silk pictured on other sites like Fred Lohman, etc. It gives it a "corduroy" appearance not seen in Krby's.

Perhaps there are more than one "authentic" cord commonly used? Maybe regional/school, as blade differences and wraps were?
 
Mike you hit it right on the head not only are there several weaves the colors would designate your rank as samurai and during world war 2 it determined your rank as uniformed soldier. I don't know how many times I have seen a non-commisioned officers sword with the colors of an admiral ,It looks kind of odd seeing it that way , but only if you know the difference.I also am married to a japanese woman and she is the inspiration in my life . when the north vietnamese turned me over to american authorities she was right there. the cord that I bought has 4 braided ridges and is as flat as the ito I bought from fred . Thanks for all the info everyone. Bubba -san
 
fitzo said:
I just compared the cord pictured in Lambert's DVD to the silk ito I received from Shadow of Leaves. The difference is apparent. Kirby's definitely looks more like a shoelace than this stuff. His looks somehwat flat and thicker, whereas this seems to have a weave with several "ridges" in it, much like both the cotton and silk pictured on other sites like Fred Lohman, etc. It gives it a "corduroy" appearance not seen in Krby's.

Perhaps there are more than one "authentic" cord commonly used? Maybe regional/school, as blade differences and wraps were?[/QUOTE Mike if I had you email address I could send you photo of material that I purchased I cannot tell difference ?? JIM
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