Saya (Scabbard)
A single Japanese sword may have more than one scabbards, however amongst them, there must continually be one Shirasaya.
In historical Japan, samurai might mount their swords in ornate koshirae for sporting outdoor, whilst at domestic, the blade changed into saved in a Shirasaya for preservation.
Shirasaya
A Shirasaya is made from honoki wood (Japanese magnolia), that’s considered the correct material for sword scabbards for 3 important reasons.
First, honoki is tremendously gentle, meaning it does no longer scratch or damage the blade.
Second, its grain is immediately or even, making it easy to shape exactly the use of traditional planes and chisels.
Third, while well air-dried, honoki can be absolutely freed from inner moisture. A dry environment is important for the lengthy-time period preservation of metallic blades.
adjustments in temperature and humidity reason timber to enlarge or settlement. As a result, a scabbard that suits nicely at one time may turn out to be wrong later. for that reason, the craftsman making the scabbard must consider the climate and environment wherein the future proprietor of the sword will live.
A well-made Shirasaya must meet numerous strict standards. most importantly, it need to in shape the blade flawlessly. The joint line should be tight to prevent dirt and moisture from getting into. for the duration of creation, a unmarried block of timber is cut up in half, hollowed out to shape the blade hollow space, and then rejoined. near the top region, a shallow pocket is carved to collect extra oil which can waft down the blade throughout storage.
The two halves of the scabbard are first quickly bound collectively with string. The blade is lined with choji oil, inserted into the scabbard, and left for a short time. The scabbard is then opened to look at the oil marks on the indoors surface. Any place displaying oil touch suggests friction with the blade and ought to be similarly adjusted. This process is repeated until the in shape is perfectly accurate.
The interior floor of the scabbard is polished using horsetail plant (tokusa), a plant normally located in eastern gardens, in place of sandpaper. Sandpaper no longer most effective gets rid of the herbal sheen of the wooden, however even a unmarried grain of leftover sand in the scabbard could later scratch the blade.
As soon as the match is showed, rice paste glue is carried out to the outer edges of the 2 halves. The scabbard is then tightly sure with rope. historically, one end of the rope is held in the mouth even as the opposite is wrapped around the scabbard. The craftsman pushes the blade outward even as rotating the scabbard to tighten the binding. because of this, creating a scabbard requires now not best ability however also strong enamel.
After the rice paste has dried, the 2 halves are permanently bonded. The outer form of the scabbard is then delicate. The maximum common go-phase is octagonal, although oval and hexadecagonal shapes are also used. After shaping, the mekugi-ana (peg hole) is drilled within the tsuka location.
Ultimately, the surface is polished again using blocks made from boiled horsetail plant fibers glued onto wood boards. After sprucing, the scabbard becomes easy and lustrousβthis completes the Shirasaya.
Uchigatana Saya and Tachi Saya
An Uchigatana saya is typically made of wood and finished with lacquer. It does not have suspension rings, but instead features a protruding fitting with a hole called the kurikata, which is used to attach the sageo cord.
A Tachi saya may be made from wood or metal and includes two suspension rings, allowing it to be worn hanging from the waist.
The scabbards for wakizashi and tanto are similar in construction to the Uchigatana saya, but are simply shorter in length.
At Ab Sword, we follow these traditional principles when crafting and storing Japanese swords, ensuring each blade is protected with proper materials and techniques.