Ashinoho (ashi-no-ho, 葦の穂 pronounced “ah-shi-no-ho”) refers to the water reed, specifically the top of the plant curving over as it is loaded with seeds. The idea is associated with the fullness of season nearing and the realization of potential in the right time, but also carries with it the concept of humility and restraint in the bringing forth.
There is an additional play on words with the idea of steps along a path (葦 ashi sounds like 足 foot, 穂 ho like 歩 steps), the unfolding of a journey. This reflects the concept of the project being to incorporate materials that have a direct relation to the history and background of the client.
This tanto and mounting consists of eight separate components that began as thirty individual pieces, crafted and finished entirely with hand tools and traditional techniques.
This tanto was forged from an antique horse-drawn carriage spring in early 2014, and the chisagatana style mounting was completed in late 2022. It is mounted in a tasteful gentleman’s style koshirae inspired by the wabisabi tea taste and warmth of natural wood grain, fire patina, and hammer texture. The antique engraved silver paired with the hardwood gives it a bit of vintage western feel as well. Every component and raw material incorporated in the construction of this piece began as an item connected to the client’s background, family, past, and journey, from the wood and steel right down to some of the silver solder.
The blade began as a reclaimed carriage spring and was hand forged in a pine charcoal fire, smoothed with files and a sen scraper, differentially hardened using traditional water quench yaki-ire with clay, and polished by hand with natural Japanese water stones. The blade was crafted in summer 2014 and, when the time was right, the mountings were made in summer of 2022.
The tang is constructed after the manner of a Japanese sword, requiring only a single bamboo peg to hold the mounting assembly together. In addition to the sense of beautiful simplicity, this design allows the sword to be taken apart for cleaning, polishing, or major repair work.
Materials for the chisagatana style koshirae mounting include omako ironwood for the handle and mukula for the scabbard, antique copper soldering iron for the habaki and fuchi/kashira cores, reclaimed copper pipe for the koiguchi core and seppa, engraved antique napkin ring sterling silver for the exterior of the fittings, alloyed copper and gold for the kurikata and tsuba, and bamboo for the mekugi. The handle and scabbard are finished in natural source urushi lacquer using the fukiurushi technique to accentuate and deepen the colour and grain.
Blade has a hira-zukuri profile, suguha hamon with elegant turnback, an iori mune, and an ubuha (unsharpened portion near the hamachi). The blade is just about 11.5″ long, overall length is 17″, and the overall length of the koshirae is around 18.5″. The spine is 8mm thick at the machi. Accompanied by a storage bag sewn from a reclaimed silk kimono belt and lined with reclaimed cottom summer kimono fabric.
Specifications
長さ/刃長 Nagasa: 9 sun 5 bu 5 rin (289mm)
元幅 Motohaba: 8 bu 2 rin (25mm)
重ね/元重 Motokasane: 2 bu 5 rin (8mm)
反り Sori: muzori (no curvature)
中心/茎 Nakago: 3 sun 5 bu 5 rin (107mm)
柄長 Tsuka: 3 sun 7 bu 7 rin (114mm)
拵全長 Koshirae: 15 sun 7 bu (475mm)
形 Katachi: hira-zukuri, iori-mune
刃文 Hamon: suguha, with ubuha
帽子/鋩子 Boshi: ko-maru
中心/茎 Nakago: futsu, kuri-jiri, one mekugi-ana, signed near the tip
銘 Mei: hot stamped katabami-ken kamon
拵 Koshirae: chisagatana, issaku
Material: Reclaimed carriage spring steel, antique soldering iron copper, antique sterling silver napkin rings, copper lightning rod cable and pipe, gold, omako ironwood, mukula, bamboo, natural urushi
The source for this steel was a former homestead site in Alberta.
The raw material for this blade spent the last century as a leaf spring for a horse-drawn carriage.
Rough forging of the sunobe (pre-form) compared to the original piece of steel from the opposite side of the spring, from next to the hole to the cut-off on the right.
Forged bevels, only hand hammer work up to this point.
After filing in the machi (notches) and cleaning up the profile but before scraping and filing the bevels, the sides are still as-hammered.
After applying the clay coating in preparation for yaki-ire (hardening).
The clay layer will delay cooling by about half a second, causing the body of the blade to remain tough while the edge is hardened.
Heating the clay-coated blade in preparation for yaki-ire.
After a successful water quench, the edge has hardened and the blade has not cracked or warped.
Checking the hamon placement with a coarse waterstone after yaki-ire (hardening) and yaki-modoshi (tempering), a well-proportioned old suguha style.
Waiting in the shiageba (at top of rack) after shaping the rough edge geometry on coarse waterstones.
Making the Habaki
The habaki and other copper fittings began as a reclaimed antique soldering iron.
A piece of the copper forged flat and shaped to approximate dimensions.
The jacket folded over and ready to be soldered shut with the machigane.
Shown with the remaining material from the soldering iron, this copper will be used for the other fittings.
The machigane and jacket are fire soldered with silver, fit to the tang and hardened by cold hammering, and finished along the edge and spine using hand files.
The sides are left as-forged with the fire patina intact, the final shape will have the front half filed down in the style of etchu-kise, solid but with the appearance of a two part habaki.
Making the Fuchi & Kashira
Even this convoluted scrap of copper where the handle wrapped through the soldering iron will be used.
After several heats of careful forging a strip in the correct proportions for the fuchi (ferrule) is obtained. Here being prepared for soldering in the charcoal forge.
A small reinforcing plate is soldered over the joint in the traditional manner.
The dai is cut from a larger scrap of the soldering iron after hot punching a rough hole for the tang.
It is filed until it slips into the ferrule.
The tang opening is adjusted and the inside edge of the ferrule is peened over to hold it in place.
The outside is cleaned up with a file to the final proportions, including a slight taper from the front to back.
A hand engraved 1800’s sterling silver napkin ring will be used for the outside of the fuchi.
It is first annealed carefully in the forge, hot enough to also open the original solder joint.
The rolled edges are carefully opened and straightened to provide the width required.
It is slowly and gently flattened, using a steel hammer along the edges and a wooden mallet in the center to preserve the engraving.
After flattening it is split down the centre for the fuchi and koiguchi (scabbard mouth) and the remaining portion set aside for the kashira (pommel).
The silver sheet is formed and fit just undersize for the copper core, with a matching slight taper.
A thin strip of silver solder is laid over the joint, fluxed with borax and water.
After soldering carefully in the charcoal forge the iron support wires are removed and it is ready to be fit into place.
The silver jacket is slowly worked over the copper core from the narrower end until it reaches wider end of the taper.
Once the silver jacket has been stretched on to about 1mm past the copper core it is rolled and peened over the edge.
On the other side the excess silver is trimmed to within about 1mm of the edge.
The edge is tightly rolled and peened over onto the copper, locking it in place. Note that this sheet is a bit too thick for this foiling technique but the extra strength is good for this type of fitting.
A scrap of soldering iron copper is forged into a rough oval the size of the pommel.
The annealed copper is shaped into a hollow form using a paired punch and die.
The edge is trimmed and filed to final shape.
The silver sheet is roughly trimmed to the shape required, having as little extra as possible cuts down on folding and buckling.
The silver is pushed into the form with the copper core.
The edges are trimmed to protrude about 1mm beyond the copper.
The edges of the silver sheet are carefully forged over the copper core, locking it in place.
The engraved initials of the original owner are preserved on this piece of silver.
Making the Koiguchi
Working the opposite direction so that the dimensions will match the fuchi, the second silver band is prepared for soldering.
Preheating the borax flux to drive off the water before soldering.
After soldering the iron support wires are removed.
Small copper pipe from the homestead is flattened to form the koiguchi core.
The joint is a half-lap using the exterior and interior walls of the copper.
It is soldered in the forge.
And the silver band is worked over it.
Until there is about 1.5mm overlap on the scabbard opening.
The edge is rolled and peened over and then the excess is cut from the back side and peened over.
The original hand engraved design is split down the center but remains continuous on either side of the handguard.
The completed set of silver foiled copper fittings.
Making the Seppa
An antique homemade punching tool, complete with a plug from the last project left inside.
The copper pipe is split down the middle and annealed in the forge.
The pipe is carefully forged flat to preserve the existing surface and fire patina.
Rough openings for the tang are cut with a small chisel.
The opening is fit to the tang and the approximate size of the fuchi is used for a trimming guide.
The back sides have angled inlets patterned after the style of edo period examples. The inlets help the seppa (blade washers) sit flat against the handguard.
Later in the process, after the handle and scabbard are carved, the seppa will be trimmed and filed to final size and the edges coined in delicate edo style.
Another look at the relief on the back as well as the final patina.
Making the Tsuba
A small segment of the copper lightning rod cable retrieved from the old house will be used as the base for the tsuba (handguard). Copper and silver scraps from the other fittings along with some gold scraps from jewelery are also included.
The copper is heated in a crucible and refined with some borax before adding the silver and gold.
The alloy is an approximation of kuroshibuichi or a type of shakudo and will patina to a dark grey-black colour.
The opening is fit to the tang using files and then the final stage will be to file the outside to final shape and give the rim a subtle hammer texture.
Forging the Kurikata
A scrap of shakudo from forming the tsuba (handguard) is trimmed and forged into a leaf to form the baseplate of the kurikata (cord loop).
A scrap of sterling silver from another napkin ring is used as solder to attach a tenon to the back.
Borax and water for flux and an iron wire to hold the tenon in place in the forge.
A shakudo rivet and a gold loop to tie a cord through will provide functionality to the kurikata.
A small escutcheon made from water cast shakudo will add a decorative touch.
The leaf is drilled for the rivet.
Parts almost ready for assembly.
The completed ring style kurikata.
Carving the Tsuka
A piece of very dense ironwood joinery from an antique coffee table is the starting point for the tsuka (handle).
In an attempt to preserve the function/dimensions of the original part, an azebiki (畦引き) saw is used to cut the centre out.
Two pieces with closely aligned grain patterns will form the handle block.
The halves of the tsuka are carved to fit the tang, making allowance for the fittings.
The offset along the edge minimizes splitting stress on the glue joint.
The halves are glued with nikawa (膠, にかわ, natural hide glue), wrapped with leather, and wedged to set.
The front is carved to match the shape of the fuchi and then the rest of the handle planed down in facets.
The final planing has facets so small it is almost an oval.
A shoulder is cut and adjusted for the fuchi before shaping the final dimensions of the tsuka.
Finally the kashira (pommel) is fit and the rest of the surface is sculpted.
Approaching the final dimensions using small files.
The location of the mekugi (removable peg) is chosen and drilled through the tang with a hand cranked post drill.
The corresponding hole for the mekugi is drilled through the tsuka and adjusted.
The mekugi itself is carved from bamboo and adjusted to fit.
Carving the Saya
Two pieces of mukula with closely matching grain flow are chosen for the saya (scabbard).
The flattened halves are carved to fit the blade and an oil overflow resevoir cut at the tip.
The habaki makura (habaki pillow) area is cut to snugly hold the blade in place.
The halves are glued together with sokui (rice paste glue), wrapped (with antique sword silk!), and wedged to dry overnight.
The outside is carved and planed to shape (this wood smells lovely and spice-like). Note that the grain was placed to flow with the shape as much as possible.
A shoulder is cut for the koiguchi (scabbard mouth) and then the outside adjusted to final dimensions.
The saya is smoothed and refined with small files. The exceptionally fibrous late growth of this wood requires constant carding to unclog the teeth.
Several very thin layers of natural tree-source fukiurushi are built up over a period of weeks to seal the wood, deepen the colours, and highlight the grain.
Polishing the Blade
Once all the parts are made and fitted the blade can be taken through the final polishing stages using Japanese waterstones on a togi-dai.
Each successive stone is finer and progressively refines the geometry of the blade and smooths the surface.
Several fine natural stones make up the last steps, each one removing the scratches of the previous stone and bringing out the hamon (hardening line) along the edge.
The final stages incorporate small fingertip-sized stone flakes with washi paper lacquered to the back for strength.
Final Assembly
Carving a mortise for the shakudo tenon on the kurikata (cord loop).
Parts laid out before assembly.
Another view of the stack of parts that fits over the tang, held in place by the mekugi (peg) and the machi (blade notches).
The fixed parts are glued into place with nikawa (natural hide glue).
Ready for assembly with the blade and related fittings.
The tanto fully assembled in a chisagatana style mounting.
