new tsuka

[renfield_kuroda]

Finally got my nihonto back with new tsuka: slightly longer (8sun 5bu), a bit thicker, full black same, navy silk ito, sabi (plain rust) fuchikashira and tadpole (sperm?) menuki. Same old rusty tsuba that I love, but I think I should have changed the seppa (one brass, one silver) to copper, fixed the tsuba (the whole is too big) and gotten a better-fitting habaki...next project!



Regards,
renfield kuroda

[David T Anderson]

Very understated and classy, Ren...nice piece.

[DCPan]

Hi Ren,

What's the blade length?

What is the standard rule again, is the tsuka 1/3 of blade length or saya length?

Thanks!

[renfield_kuroda]

the blade length is 2shaku 3sun 5bu (71.3 cm)
The tsuka was 8sun (26.6 cm) but I got this new one done a hair longer.
Tsuka length was determined by what's appropriate for my style + what I'm comfortable with.
Actually one of my sensei said it's a bit long, but I like to have the hands slightly farther apart then we usually do, and also I don't want my right hand right underneath the fuchi; with this new tsuka it's about a full ito diamond below the fuchi which is nicely balanced for one-handed draws and cuts.

Regards,

renfield kuroda

[A. Bakken]

Originally posted by renfield_kuroda
The tsuka was 8sun (26.6 cm) [...]

Hey, according to this shaku - metrics - inches converter, 26.6 cm is closer to 9 sun. I frequently use this converter - is it flawed?