VINTAGE KANNA FOR SALE
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FUNAHIRO NOBUKUNI HARUKASUMI REIJIN KUNITOSHI
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SAKON kanna
Vintage Japanese 70mm kanna.
This kanna blade is stamped down the middle SAKON, a made up trade name and to the right TACHIBANA SANDAI or
Tachibana the 3rd (Tachibana although a not uncommon name was a known lord in Niigata around 1500) and over on the left
ISHI HIRO NO SAKU or Made by Ishihiro. The tome osae or matching sub blade is marked in the same manner.
The traditional laminated kanna main blade displays of subtle folding patterns of wrought iron and the characteristics associated
with kamaji or antique boiler plate or bridge iron which is expensive and a finite material. The main and sub blades have been
fitted to each other. There are some small patches of old rust on the main blade that appear as polished but pitted and can be
seen in the photos. These patches are all out of the cutting area and are the result of keeping the blade stored while inserted into
the wooden dai over a period of time. I have lined up the blade inserted into the dai in the bottom photos to demonstrate that
the rust areas are out of the active cutting area. This type of oxidation is somewhat common and it and as long as it is to the side
it will not affect the cutting qualities of the blade and most of it will be worked out over the years as the blade is sharpened.
The sub-blade does not have the special kamaji soft iron but it is laminated with hard high carbon tool steel giving it the
springing action that helps to cut down on chatter in difficult woods.
This kanna is new/old stock and the main blade was hand forged in the traditional manner in the late 1940's or most likely in
the1950's using kamaji soft iron as the jigane or backing iron and traditional white or blue high carbon tool steel for the cutting
edge.
I do not know and will probably never know who the actual blacksmith was, but this kanna was most likely made in Sanjo or
Yoita in the Niigata area and comes with a paper document, basically the sales brochure READS IN PART about the choice of
steel.
This kanna was made for the Japanese professional woodworkers market, not for export. In Japan up until the 1970's, general
handymen or homeowners did not normally buy specialized 70mm finishing planes of this quality. They were expensive, required
training to maintain and would not likely be used often enough . This is an example of NEW/OLD stock that has not been used
but has instead just been languishing as dead storage since the 1960s in a closed up store in rural Japan until I brought it to the
U.S. along with many others about four years ago.
The white oak dai was probably made in the 1960's, it is bone dry and I have freshly surfaced the top and have flattened the
sole and have partially fitted the main blade down the blade chute hand tight to within 1.5cm of the sole and mallet tight to within
1cm of the sole. This is a dense and beautiful high class oimasame or quarter sawn grain pattern dai with the blade mortise set
up with the tsutsumi-guchi ledge to support the blade bevel when the plane is set up in the cutting position. The tsutsumi feature
is found in better dai and requires extra steps in the making. This style provides a very narrow mouth at the sole of about 3.5mm
wide, necessary for really close finish planing. The buyer will need to finish the setting up of this dai, and sharpening the blades,
you can find some help here conditioned or flattened but you can also visit by searching for at thejapanesewoodworking forum.
PRICE $325 ($336.65 including shipping)
