Custom sakura tsuba

Joss

Joss

Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
7,353
This is a tsuba I commissioned from Patrick Hasting, from www.bladefittings.com. It's made of shakudo, an alloy of gold and copper (typically around 96% of the later). properly "dipped" in a solution of Japanese radish juice, it takes a beautiful black / purple patina.

The pierced design is that of a cherry blossom - sakura in Japanese.

At this point, it's just a display piece - I don't have a katana blade to mount with it.

SakuraShakudo2.jpg
 
I know squat about these things but that is just beautiful. It kind of reminds me of Don Fogg's mark. Very cool.

Roger
 
this piece is no exception!

I vastly prefer ovoid shaped tsuba, ideally mokko, but that is a pure aesthetic issue unique to the wielder. As is the case that you like moro ha shaped blades.:D

I hope you find a sword worthy of that tsuba!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Ah, interesting. I happen to really like round tsuba better.

I have a different custom tsuba done by Murad Sayen, in the Northwest Coast indian. The shape is totally non traditional, as is the theme. It's mounted on an Howard Clark katana:

tsuba2002.18.11.jpg
 
Any chance of seeing the whole sword, fully mounted?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Any chance of seeing the whole sword, fully mounted?
Click to expand...

yes - you can see several pics on Keith Larman's site here: http://summerchild.com/hc_foldeddaito_jd.htm
(All pics by Keith - who BTW did a great job putting this together)

The menuki are also based on a NW Coast Indian design, in shakudo with gold dots for the eyes - here they are before patination:
Menuki_MuradSayen.JPG
 
Keith does an excellent job, but he has always been too busy to work on anything for me.

That is a great concept, I have a HC wak that is shinogi zukuri, I do like hira zukuri, though, and this one looks great.

My only question is, why were both sides of the tsuba not carved? The omote side looks "flat"

Way cool carving, though!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Keith does an excellent job, but he has always been too busy to work on anything for me.
Click to expand...
He sure is. He just finished a Don Fogg tanto for me recently... I need to post some pics.

That is a great concept, I have a HC wak that is shinogi zukuri, I do like hira zukuri, though, and this one looks great.
Click to expand...
That's actually shobu zukuri. Hira would have no shinogi (or ridge). For Wakizashi, I do like either shobu or hira better than shinogi. I have a 14th C. wak' which is a cut down nagamaki and is effectively Shobu, and it's really nice looking.

My only question is, why were both sides of the tsuba not carved? The omote side looks "flat"
Click to expand...
Money... :( This was an expensive project for me. Maybe I could get Murad to carve the other side at some point in the future..

Way cool carving, though!
Click to expand...
Yes - Murad is amazing.
 
Joss said:
That's actually shobu zukuri. Hira would have no shinogi (or ridge). For Wakizashi, I do like either shobu or hira better than shinogi. I have a 14th C. wak' which is a cut down nagamaki and is effectively Shobu, and it's really nice looking.
Click to expand...


Is that Klingon? :D :D

Seriously, all those Japanese (?) terms are completely lost on me, but I can see the attraction, in the aesthetics, function, and heritage. Great looking work.

Stephen
 
Joss said:
That's actually shobu zukuri. Hira would have no shinogi (or ridge). For Wakizashi, I do like either shobu or hira better than shinogi. I have a 14th C. wak' which is a cut down nagamaki and is effectively Shobu, and it's really nice looking.
Click to expand...

I didn't scroll down far enough, I thought that I was looking at a shadow on the mune.

I hope you can get Murad to carve the other side, it would give the total package shibumi.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Amazing stuff, Joss! I always get very impressed when I see Mr. Hastings´ stuff.
 
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