Silk Sageo Katana
Silk Sageo Katana
Unlacquered Saya with horn, metal or wood Koiguchi, Kurigata and Kojiri and the Silk Sageo?
I warn you now this is going to be a long question. I know unlacquered Saya were used on Shirasaya but was it ever used on Katana in full mounts? I have quit a few Katana and each one has a lacquered Saya. But was the Saya ever left unlacquered with the other Saya fittings put on (horn, metal or wood Koiguchi, Kurigata, Kojiri and the silk Sageo)? If you look in some movies such as 1995 “The Hunted” (Takeda’s Katana with the purpe Ito and Sageo), the video games such as 2002 “Way of the Samurai” (one of the Katana used by the low ranking Samurai the Katana is called a “dull sword” there is one type that looks like it has an unlacquered Saya) and some modern made Katana such as the Kris Cutlery Katana 29-A you will see the unlacquered Saya I am talking about. I know movies, video games and some modern made swords aren’t always the most accuate. So was the unlacquered Saya ever put on a Katana in full mounts or is that just a modern thing?
The Shira saya fittings was never meant for fighting. It was just a transition temporary fitting used to store the blade, while a permanent fitting was being made. So most would rather spend for lacquer on a permanent fitting than on beautifying a utility shira saya fitting.