Hello all,
Does anyone knows how to choose the length of the tsuka of a katana while customing one ?? Is there a standard formula to follow , pls advice and thanks in advance .
Peace
Jon
Posted by: csinca
Re: Length of Tsuka - 07/27/05 02:26 PM
I recommend that you ask this question ovr at bugei.com that's where I would take any and all questions related to katana.
When I ordered mine I was told to place your right hand where you would normally grip the tsuka and then bring your forearm down next to the tsuka. The tsuka should end right at your elbow, but then you should also allow for personal taste and style.
Chris
Posted by: yen
Re: Length of Tsuka - 07/28/05 09:50 AM
I believe different arts prefer different Tsuka lengths, so it'd be a good idea to ask your sensei.
Posted by: glad2bhere
Re: Length of Tsuka - 07/28/05 09:57 AM
Yes. The typical length is 11 inches or three times the width of the human ("your") hand. Depending on the methods for using the sword some folks will need a longer or shorter grip. FWIW.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
The general rule of thumb is that the tsuka should be roughly 1/3 the length of the blade, but there are exceptions. So 30" blade should have roughly a 10" tsuka. There are at least a small number of styles which prefer longer tsuka, and shorter is not unheard of either. This is an "Ask your sensei" question.