multi-cultural

Jeff Pringle · 17th November 2008, 07:49 AM

Yes, there has been some - but it is not finished yet!
I'll take some photos soon and give an update.

Gavin Nugent · 18th November 2008, 11:46 AM

Jeff, would this method of straightening work on a very old Katana without causing damage to the outer steel? Most swords I have had to straighten I've just used a large copper mallet and some pine timber blocks.
I ask as a friend wants to straighten one and I am reluctant to use the blocks and hammer method on harder steel than what I am used to, maybe the press would be a better option, maybe there is another method you can suggest?

thanks

Gav

Lee · 14th July 2009, 09:24 AM

Poor yari! At least I know it is in capable hands for what restoration can be done.

A few weeks ago, this past July 4th, our local town museum has a special WWII artifacts display, much of it belonging to a local collector, who was also present to interpret it. While he has collected much of it over the years, the core of the collection was things his father had brought back from the Pacific theater. Among his father's souvenirs were a gunto damaged near the tip by a projectile and a curious spear, the shaft also damaged by projectile, which his father told him had come to no longer be needed by a Japanese master sergeant on the beach at the battle of Saipan. This was not a typical yari, the blade was more leaf shaped in the form of a typical generic spear. The pole was interesting as it had two steel ferrules with screw joints, so that the pole could be broken down for transport. The workmanship was quite good and the look was very much WWII machine shop to me, and I do not mean an American machine shop. I only add this as it seems to be a credible second-hand account of a member of the Japanese military having carried a spear into combat in WWII. Perhaps he was not alone in having a spear and perhaps this is how your yari got out to the islands and came to meet the fate of its second (or third) life.

trenchwarfare · 15th July 2009, 01:19 AM

Very interesting piece. Anything is possible when it comes to things like this sword. Lots of goods got traded around the world by salors, and pirates who went around the world. I saw a Katana on ebay a few years ago, that was done-up in a very African style.

mross · 15th January 2010, 09:59 PM

Digging through some old threads and was wondering how this was going?

stephen wood · 16th January 2010, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

I saw a Katana on ebay a few years ago, that was done-up in a very African style.

...a member of the Arms and Armour Society recently told me that a Japanese Armour had been found on the field of Omdurman...
I think that the writing on the guard is Siddam - the medieval Sanskrit orthography used in Japanese Buddhism...

Jeff Pringle · 9th February 2010, 03:12 PM

It is still resting comfortably on the back burner

I got the blade straight and cleaned it up enough to count the hagire (5) and polished the tip enough to see some nice dark koto-loking steel, decided that I should bring it to the local nihonto club and see what they had to say...then got distracted by some other artifacts

David R · 5th January 2013, 04:41 PM

Any more on this one??

18th November 2008, 11:46 AM	#2
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	A question Jeff, would this method of straightening work on a very old Katana without causing damage to the outer steel? Most swords I have had to straighten I've just used a large copper mallet and some pine timber blocks. I ask as a friend wants to straighten one and I am reluctant to use the blocks and hammer method on harder steel than what I am used to, maybe the press would be a better option, maybe there is another method you can suggest? thanks Gav

14th July 2009, 09:24 AM	#3
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 932	Poor yari! Poor yari! At least I know it is in capable hands for what restoration can be done. A few weeks ago, this past July 4th, our local town museum has a special WWII artifacts display, much of it belonging to a local collector, who was also present to interpret it. While he has collected much of it over the years, the core of the collection was things his father had brought back from the Pacific theater. Among his father's souvenirs were a gunto damaged near the tip by a projectile and a curious spear, the shaft also damaged by projectile, which his father told him had come to no longer be needed by a Japanese master sergeant on the beach at the battle of Saipan. This was not a typical yari, the blade was more leaf shaped in the form of a typical generic spear. The pole was interesting as it had two steel ferrules with screw joints, so that the pole could be broken down for transport. The workmanship was quite good and the look was very much WWII machine shop to me, and I do not mean an American machine shop. I only add this as it seems to be a credible second-hand account of a member of the Japanese military having carried a spear into combat in WWII. Perhaps he was not alone in having a spear and perhaps this is how your yari got out to the islands and came to meet the fate of its second (or third) life.

17th November 2008, 07:49 AM	#1
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	Yes, there has been some - but it is not finished yet! I'll take some photos soon and give an update.

15th July 2009, 01:19 AM	#4
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Very interesting piece. Anything is possible when it comes to things like this sword. Lots of goods got traded around the world by salors, and pirates who went around the world. I saw a Katana on ebay a few years ago, that was done-up in a very African style.

15th January 2010, 09:59 PM	#5
mross Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 478	Digging through some old threads and was wondering how this was going?

9th February 2010, 03:12 PM	#7
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	It is still resting comfortably on the back burner I got the blade straight and cleaned it up enough to count the hagire (5) and polished the tip enough to see some nice dark koto-loking steel, decided that I should bring it to the local nihonto club and see what they had to say...then got distracted by some other artifacts

5th January 2013, 04:41 PM	#8
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,116	Any more on this one??