Restoring an old sword
The following is a list of the restoration work that I
can do on Japanese swords. Or I can put you in contact with other professionals for the work.
1. Tsukamaki - hilt wrapping
see Costs of tsuka maki
Cost of Tsuka-maki
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2. Cleaning Koshirae
If the metal fittings are rusting, discolored, or no longer as they should be,
I can clean and restore most fittings.
If you use any cleaners on them you could destroy the value of the fittings.
3. Lacquering
I can do light touchup work on the saya.
For more extensive lacquering there are two or three professionals here in the USA
and others in France and around. Also if you have a valuable saya that needs repair
then you might think about sending it to a professional in Japan.
If you have an unlacquered saya and cannot afford to have a professional
do the lacquering you might try a your local car painter, as a temporary solution.
Of course, Older, antique saya are worty of proper restoration, and that is always the
best choice to preserve both the antique itself, and the value of the piece.
4. Cleaning of the blade (Polishing -- Toji)
There are two professional Toji (polishers) in the US.
Both went through the full apprenticeship--
Jimmy Hayashi
CA
and
Jon Bowhay (back in Japan)
There are many other polishers in Japan. I can put you in contact with them.
I DO NOT polish a blade. I clean up the surface using the final stones that
a professional uses. After I clean a blade it can be evaluated to see if
it should go to a professional polisher. If the blade could be a very valuable blade then I
would let you know who should polish it.
See the book The Craft of the Japanese Sword by Leon and Hiroko Kapp and Yoshindo Yoshihara, published by Kodansha International, c. 1987
for further information.
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