Japanese matchlock Teppo

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Cerjak, is the barrel bolt (bisen) removable?

Here is a link to Shigeo Sugawa's website, he has a lot of usefull information and pictures, you can purchase his book directly through his site by contacting him, the email address is on his site.
http://www.japaneseweapons.net/hinaw...ui/english.htm

Cerjak
Very good website ,a lot of information on it !
About this barrel ‘s square bolt it seems that it could be removable but it is rusty and there is a kind of black protective paint I Guess against the rust so It will be hard to remove it and I would be worry to do it.
But tell me more about those bolts are they always removable?
Regards

[trenchwarfare]

Most of my breach-plugs, can be removed with the fingers. Sometimes a large nail, or similar metal rod is needed. Sounds like yours has been sealed against moisture. One more thing, always check old muzzle loaders, to see if they are loaded. At least 1/3 of the ones I have handled over the years, were. Drop the ram-rod down the barrel, and then mark it to see how deep it goes. Should go at least to the touch hole.

[bluelake]

Look at Tanegashima--The Arrival of Europe in Japan, by Olof Lidin. It's the story of the matchlock in Japan.

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by bluelake

Look at Tanegashima--The Arrival of Europe in Japan, by Olof Lidin. It's the story of the matchlock in Japan.

Thank you for your advice

Regards

Cerjak

[Cerjak]

marks from the barrel

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Cerjak

Cerjak
Very good website ,a lot of information on it !
About this barrel ‘s square bolt it seems that it could be removable but it is rusty and there is a kind of black protective paint I Guess against the rust so It will be hard to remove it and I would be worry to do it.
But tell me more about those bolts are they always removable?
Regards

Cerjak, tanegashima barrel bolts were always removable but it is not unusual to find them rusted to the point that they can not be easily removed. From what I have read the only problem Japanese sword smiths who were tasked in the 1540's with replicating the matchlocks purchased from Portuguese traders had was with these barrel bolts, and it was not until a year after the Japanese first purchased matchlocks that the Portuguese returned to Japan with a blacksmith who instructed the Japanese on how to thread the barrel for these bolts.

Here is a excellent link to the National Museum of Japanese History, there are some rare prints showing how a Japanese matchlock was manufactured along with some other information, and a link to a Wikipedia article I wrote on tanegashima matchlocks.
http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/english/pu...14witness.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanegas...ese_matchlock)

Originally Posted by fearn

I have an off-the-wall question, for a project I'm working on: did the japanese have any bronze or brass-barreled matchlocks?

Thanks in advance,

F

Fearn, as far as I know all there were no brass/bronze tanegashima, but the Japanese did cast small brass/bronze cannon with were ignited by hand. At least some of these types of cannon (taihou) were used for firing bo-hiya (fire arrows), these are called "hiya taihou". This image is a small cast brass/bronze hiya-taihou loaded with a bo-hiya.

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Cerjak, tanegashima barrel bolts were always removable but it is not unusual to find them rusted to the point that they can not be easily removed. From what I have read the only problem Japanese sword smiths who were tasked in the 1540's with replicating the matchlocks purchased from Portuguese traders had was with these barrel bolts, and it was not until a year after the Japanese first purchased matchlocks that the Portuguese returned to Japan with a blacksmith who instructed the Japanese on how to thread the barrel for these bolts.

Here is a excellent link to the National Museum of Japanese History, there are some rare prints showing how a Japanese matchlock was manufactured along with some other information, and a link to a Wikipedia article I wrote on tanegashima matchlocks.
http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/english/pu...14witness.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanegas...ese_matchlock)

Fean, as far as I know all there were no brass/bronze tanegashima, but the Japanese did cast small brass/bronze cannon with were ignited by hand. At least some of these types of cannon (taihou) were used for firing bo-hiya (fire arrows), these are called "hiya taihou". This image is a small cast brass/bronze hiya-taihou loaded with a bo-hiya.

Hi
Many thanks for this link
because of your answer I just try again to remove this bolts and at last it was possible to turn it, but still not possible to remove it totaly I have put some oil and I will wait a couple of hours there is a lot of rust..
Kind regards
Cerjak

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

Most of my breach-plugs, can be removed with the fingers. Sometimes a large nail, or similar metal rod is needed. Sounds like yours has been sealed against moisture. One more thing, always check old muzzle loaders, to see if they are loaded. At least 1/3 of the ones I have handled over the years, were. Drop the ram-rod down the barrel, and then mark it to see how deep it goes. Should go at least to the touch hole.

I have check and didn't find any bullet inside .
Many thanks

Cerjak