The Art of Tsukamaki
This was not intended to be an elaborately illustrated book of Japanese sword masterpieces or museum collections, but more of an easy reference to the methods, materials and tools of Tsukamaki, and a practical starting point for anyone interested in Japanese sword handle repair. The book has a brief history of significant changes in Japanese sword design; a guide to setting up a Tsukamaki workshop; and, easy-to-follow illustrations for twenty-five of the more common styles of sword handle design. I also included three case studies on the disassembly, maintenance, repair and/or rebuilding of sword handles, as well as a visual glossary for the identification and understanding of such things as general Japanese sword parts, temper patterns, blade design, terms and definitions, and signature characters.