INTRODUCTION

Dave Morgan commissioned me to design the mountings for the wakizashi with a suguha-hamon he bought.
If I well recall, he wanted something muted but gave me free hand.
My concept came through playing with grooves in a totally black lacquer mountings.
One of the problems a designer of any kind faces is called feasibility. Had Dave wanted a very ornate set of mountings, I would have to tell him that it would be quite impossible, since to keep a level of quality that would be my standard, that is, Jim Kelso's works, which would, despite the tremendous elegance and balance, not find anyone capable of doings similar quality work.
Anyway, minimalism has always been my preference. Here is the entire concept that was approved by Dave Morgan.

THE WAKIZASHI LENGTHS - ESTABLISHING THE BEST MOUNTING PROPORTIONS.

This nihon-tô blade thickness and sori are of no concern at this stage, as it exists. The ratio of it is that of 4.013034033, which is how the number obtained by dividing the nagasa by the nakago.

click to enlarge

Here it is possible to view the 8 1/4 inches tsuka and the 24 inches saya which provides a 4 parts division based on the tsuka length. It is also perfectly clear that the nakago can hold another mekugi ana just about in the middle of the tsuka.

 

THE DESIGN

Click image to enlarge. While the proportions were explained before, the way it would evolve can be seen here. The use of grooves for decorative purposes and a very small rounded aikuchi tsuba in an all black finish attempts to make this design both natural and geometric, as explained before, while everything is done under a muted approach. The design is not flashy, it is discreet as requested.

Click image to enlarge. Here we can see a detail of the blackened fuchi-gashira, and the rounded grooves that are based on a compression of the grooves of this beautiful but louder "lobster" mountings design. The grooves are set 5 mm apart, which means a group of 10 grooves would be 5 cm wide. It would be too risky to have a smaller size of grooves.

Click image to enlarge. Here is, finally, the color rendition in black, with a small detail. The finish should not be glossy, but semi-gloss, pearl like lacquer finish. The kurikata and the tsunakushi, the kojiri and koiguchi are all in horn.

Click image to enlarge. Here it is a better vision of the grooves and of the most important area. Due to the muted approach the design serves the purpose entirely, in my opinion.
 

OTHER SPECIFICATIONS

Saya & Tsuka: Poplar wood, properly dried.
Habaki: made of nickel silver or silver
Fuchi-Kashira: Blackened and inserted,
Tsuba: Rounded edges, protruding 5 mm all around
Kurikata: All rounded black horn kurikata.
Tsuka: 8 inches 1/4
Saya: 24.5 inches

Tsuka diagram in metric values. This diagram is simplified and does not contemplate any wasting of the tsuka which should be, however very subtle.
The original proportions are correct so this diagram as it appears is also correct, except for the menuki-mekugi diameter.

These photos of the finished work by Randy Black were sent to me by Dave Morgan, the owner. One can see that the work was faithfully reproduced by Randy.

A view of the tsuka and part of the saya.

It is easy to perceive a the flawless lacquer work that characterizes Randy's work.

Detail of the tsuka grooves and the silver habaki.

Concept by Antonio Cejunior - BLADESIGN 2007