Shobu Raptor - Slow progress

It's been a slow ride this one but I'm trying my best to change a sword, in particular a heavy cutter that people have described as thuggish, ugly, pickaxe handled and even 'cheaty' because of the steel used, into something graceful and pretty. I have no idea if I'm going to be able to pull this off but I'm giving it my best shot so I'm taking my time.

Samegawa is not my favourite thing to work with although practice can only improve my efforts.

I've now fully wrapped the tsuka and fit the koshirae and it's still looking as it should so I have faith again. I'm now entering into the territory where I feel most comfortable which is the tsukamaki.

I have decided that as much as I like the tensho style katate maki (picture needed) the people that I have asked have pretty much all said that it's not appropriate for the handachi style mounts I'm using for this sword and so I will leave the leather I have for my next project. I will go with brown cotton for this sword, but thats yet to come.

I coloured the samegawa by starting with a dark lacquer and working my way up to a nice shiny white finish, fixing it permanently in with a couple of decent coats of protective clear which will make it definitely tough enough to last.

Next stop, filing the ha and mune sides of the rayskin and then the maki. yay!