Why do samurai wet their hands/grips?

[Norbert Funke]

I saw it in many Samurai movies, but could not find an explanation on the internet: Before a fight, a Samurai makes either the grip of the katana or his hand wet, but why? Does it strengthen the grip? If so, what is the physical/practical explanation of how it works?

[Ken-Hawaii]

Are you sure it's not just sweat...:D ?

[Lt_Action]

I HEARD that wetting the tsuka allowed them to get a better grip cause of the effect the water had on their ito... I think. Just what I heard.

I've also heard of some people taking a swig of water and then spraying it onto their tsuka... I've only ever seen THAT in movies/video games, though...but it had to have come from somewhere :)

[fifthchamber]

A small amount of water would have the effect of weighting down the Tsuka Ito, this would make it feel more clingy on your hands..More sticky perhaps, spit on the hands would do the same thing I should imagine.
For a better look at the way things could have been done to prevent slipping on the Tsuka take a look at the recent "Oni no Tsume-Kakushi Ken" ( 鬼の爪隠し剣 ) and watch how the Tsuka is tied with a rag between the Ito to do the same thing..
Regards.

[Steve Delaney]

A small amount of water would have the effect of weighting down the Tsuka Ito, this would make it feel more clingy on your hands..More sticky perhaps, spit on the hands would do the same thing I should imagine.
For a better look at the way things could have been done to prevent slipping on the Tsuka take a look at the recent "Oni no Tsume-Kakushi Ken" ( 鬼の爪隠し剣 ) and watch how the Tsuka is tied with a rag between the Ito to do the same thing..
Regards.

Also, in the old days, they reportedly used sake. When sake starts to dry, it forms a syrupy kind of substance that would help your gripping of the weapon. Might also give the practicioner a bit of Dutch courage. But this is all hearsay, so take it with a grain of salt. :)

[Sukeyasu]

As to spitting water or shochu on the tsuka, that was done to keep the mekugi moist and thus to (hopefully) prevent its snapping in the middle of a fight.

[Fred27]

If we are mentioning stuff they do in samurai-movies: I noticed in the movie "When the last sword is drawn" that one of the samurai had gripped his sword and then bound a leather-strap around it so he couldn't let go of it.

[Eric Spinelli]

If we are mentioning stuff they do in samurai-movies: I noticed in the movie "When the last sword is drawn" that one of the samurai had gripped his sword and then bound a leather-strap around it so he couldn't let go of it.

I've never heard of the Japanese doing this, though it is quite possible. If I recall correctly, the Moros insurgents in turn of the century Phillipines used this technique. Their determination, this method included, was one of the primary failures of the .38 Long Colt that led to the adoption of the .45 as the standard military sidearm in the USA. I'm still searching for sources on this, though, as I can't remember where I read this...

I hope I'm not mixing and matching facts.

[kenkyusha]

I've never heard of the Japanese doing this, though it is quite possible. If I recall correctly, the Moros insurgents in turn of the century Phillipines used this technique. Their determination, this method included, was one of the primary failures of the .38 Long Colt that led to the adoption of the .45 as the standard military sidearm in the USA. I'm still searching for sources on this, though, as I can't remember where I read this...

I hope I'm not mixing and matching facts.
According to legend, this is where the USMC moniker , 'Leathernecks' comes from; Marines took to wearing leather strips to deter neck cuts from Moro fighters.

Be well,
Jigme

[Fred27]

There seems to be multiple stories bout where Leathernecks first came from. Here is one version from this (http://www.wordorigins.org/wordorl.htm) site. I have no clue myself though:


Leatherneck
The chief dispute over the origin of this slang term for a marine is whether in originated in the Royal Marines or the U.S. Marines. The term is a reference to the high, leather collars that were once a part of marines' uniforms in both countries. Although Mencken and Morris recount the tale that British sailors called marines leathernecks not because of their collars, but because marines washed only their faces, omitting the rest of their bodies, resulting in an unwashed and leathery neck.

Mencken comes squarely down on the British-origin side, stating that the term crossed the Atlantic during the First World War. He may be right about the British origin, but his dates are clearly wrong. Lighter's earliest American cite is from 1907, too early for the WWI crossing. The earliest unambiguous cite is a reference to the Royal Marines, dating from 1889-90. But Lighter has a British cite from 1823 that refers to US Marines and their "leather neckcloths."

Complicating the arguments of those who claim an American origin, is the fact that the US Marines abandoned their leather neck stocks in 1875, some 32 years before the first attested American usage of the term. It is possible of course, if unlikely, that the slang usage survived those years unrecorded.

Partridge suggests that it may be related to boot-neck, another term for a Royal Marine that dates from the mid-nineteenth century.

The OED2 also includes an 1898 usage from Australia, where leatherneck is slang for a rouseabout, or a man or boy employed at a sheep station. This term is probably unrelated to the leatherneck as marine term, and probably derives from the leathery skin of the neck acquired from long hours working in the desert sun.

[Steve Delaney]

As to spitting water or shochu on the tsuka, that was done to keep the mekugi moist and thus to (hopefully) prevent its snapping in the middle of a fight.

That's the thing, most mekugi are made of bamboo and are fibrous, so they wouldn't snap like wood might. If it does snap, the inner fibres do not instantly give, they still need a good amount of force to rip apart. That's one of the reasons why they used takezai mekugi.

[paul manogue]

I never saw the application of anything on the tsuka ito, but in my ryu before a demo on a wood floor we would spray water or tea on thew soles of our tabi to prevent slipping.

[Steve Delaney]

I never saw the application of anything on the tsuka ito, but in my ryu before a demo on a wood floor we would spray water or tea on thew soles of our tabi to prevent slipping.

Yes, it prevents incidents in embu known in Japan as "Budo on ice". :p

[Ron Tisdale]

MMMMmmmmmmm...budo on ice with Live Blades....MMMMMMmmmmmm

Best,
R

[Trevor Johnson]

If we are mentioning stuff they do in samurai-movies: I noticed in the movie "When the last sword is drawn" that one of the samurai had gripped his sword and then bound a leather-strap around it so he couldn't let go of it.

I've heard of that as a cavalry technique as well, having a loop around your wrist to keep the sword on even if you lose your grip. Otherwise you're going to have to pick it off the ground, which is a neat trick in the middle of a fight.

[Fred27]

I've heard of that as a cavalry technique as well, having a loop around your wrist to keep the sword on even if you lose your grip. Otherwise you're going to have to pick it off the ground, which is a neat trick in the middle of a fight.

Yeh...But on top of that, does anyone else feel that tying your sword to your hand is quite symbolic? "A true samurai dies with his sword in his hand" and that sort of stuff. :) What better way to ensure that by tying it to yer hand. :D

[Norbert Funke]

If we are mentioning stuff they do in samurai-movies: I noticed in the movie "When the last sword is drawn" that one of the samurai had gripped his sword and then bound a leather-strap around it so he couldn't let go of it.I remember it too, Yoshimura was actually talking about it before the fight at Toba Fushimi. He mentioned never let go, fight with any means you have.

[Trevor Johnson]

Yeh...But on top of that, does anyone else feel that tying your sword to your hand is quite symbolic? "A true samurai dies with his sword in his hand" and that sort of stuff. :) What better way to ensure that by tying it to yer hand. :D

My impression of the samurai is that, however mystical they may have gotten, they were always firmly grounded in reality and very very practical.

I remember an article on mudra, I think by Wayne Muramoto, where he discusses a kata in which one of the gokui is you tracing something on your palm to protect you and holding it towards opponents. The point that the kata makes is that you NEVER do this when they're close enough to cut your arm off!

I also seem to remember that a lot of those "mystic scrolls" inherited by sokes and given with the menkyo kaiden had to do with things like how to tie your armor and sandals so they don't fall off or get in your way. ('Course, nowadays, the whole anime craze has made them into transmission of the ultimate technique! Me, I'd much prefer not to end up tangled in my armor in the middle of a fight. )

[Bruce Mitchell]

While can't attest to the veracity of wetting the tska-ito, I do know that when silk is wet, it is stronger (I don't know why though). Maybe this was a way to prevent the tsuka-ito from fraying/splitting or preventing wear. It may also have tightened the ito somewhat by causing it to shrink slightly.

[Fred27]

My impression of the samurai is that, however mystical they may have gotten, they were always firmly grounded in reality and very very practical.


I agree. Beauty and pragmatism (in many cases) all rolled into one. Like the japanese sword itself. :)


While can't attest to the veracity of wetting the tska-ito, I do know that when silk is wet, it is stronger (I don't know why though). Maybe this was a way to prevent the tsuka-ito from fraying/splitting or preventing wear. It may also have tightened the ito somewhat by causing it to shrink slightly.

What about leather tsuka-ito? Does it make any difference if wet combined with the same wrapping?

[Douglas Wylie]

I postulate that maybe it is just a movie thing, done for dramatic effect before the big battle scene. Cowboy flicks do the equivalent when they tie their holsters to their legs and then pull the guns out and spin them for a weapons check. Another parallel is when movie heroes are always racking their shotguns for no reason, dramatic effect.

[Maro]

I think if I was falling off a horse, I wouldn't want 3ft of razorblade tied to my flailing hand.............

[mews]

perhaps that is the 'don't fall off' incentive program...

mew

[Brian Owens]

...I do know that when silk is wet, it is stronger (I don't know why though).
The individual fibers can slide against each other, rather than cutting into/tearing at each other.

It doesn't work for cotton ropes, because cotton fibers are too short. Sliding weakens the rope because the short fibers can slide so far that they are no longer contacting each other.

[chrismoses]

Our teacher in Japan does this, usually just with water. Typically if you're just training in class it's not necessary because you're already sweating, but it can be helpful if you're doing tameshigiri. I don't generally do this, but occasionally I have in the past when the grip just seems slippery. The trick is spraying a kind of light mist on the tsuka to wet it just a bit but all over. It's not something we do all the time, but it isn't just a movie thing either.

[Bruce Mitchell]

The individual fibers can slide against each other, rather than cutting into/tearing at each other.

It doesn't work for cotton ropes, because cotton fibers are too short. Sliding weakens the rope because the short fibers can slide so far that they are no longer contacting each other.

Thanks Brian! I knew that it didn't work with cotton, only silk, but no details. Based on some info I got here a few years back I have taken the route of treating my tsuka-ito with beeswax, so I don't think that spraying water on it would do anything but make a drippy mess.

[Steve Delaney]

I think if I was falling off a horse, I wouldn't want 3ft of razorblade tied to my flailing hand.............

Japanese warefare wasn't like that in the late Edo-jidai. It was mainly on foot. Horses were used for transportation from destination A to destination B. You made your preparations after dismounting.

[Fred27]

Japanese warefare wasn't like that in the late Edo-jidai. It was mainly on foot. Horses were used for transportation from destination A to destination B. You made your preparations after dismounting.

I admit I got little info on the late Edo-periods military, but surely cavalry had not been abolished as a fighting force?

[Brian Owens]

I admit I got little info on the late Edo-periods military, but surely cavalry had not been abolished as a fighting force?
As far as I know, in Japan the bow was the primary weapon of the mounted warrior (kyu-ba-no-michi, and all that), while the sword was primarily a weapon of the infantry.

By the late Edo Period, the Tokugawa Bakufu had been in control for more than 200 years, and large military engagements were uncommon. Mostly it was about duels and lesser confrontations between small goups of political rivals, and these rarely were mounted battles.

To the best of my knowledge, that is.