A very rare samurai weapon.

[Eric T]

These are the first and only detailed images of this type of kanabo that I have ever seen. If you search online for images of kanabo there are only a couple that could even be considered authentic. It is supposedly dated 1863 which would make it very late Edo period, you can see the amount of work that went into it as opposed to some which appear to be simply a long wooden club with iron studs. 164.6cm/64.8in, 2.2kg/4.85lb.

s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/77/6a/10/776a10caf9fd4ae758dbede7b7e522fe.jpg




Original description.
古武器 【鉄撮棒】 江戸期 松本元栄造 棍棒 金棒 棒術 武術 武具
非常に希少な古武器と言える江戸時代の鉄撮棒（かなさいぼう）です。　約40年武具を扱ってきましたが今回初めて目にする物です。　木製棒に鉄製突起物を打ち並べて黒塗りで仕上げられており、重量感ある古武器です（下部の握る部分は緑っぽく塗られてあります）。　上下には石尽きも入っています。　文久三年・松本元栄造之の銘が彫られています。　経年による擦れや漆ハゲ、『龍』の字横の鋲が1箇所抜け落ちていますが全体的に状態は良好です。

鉄撮棒（かなさいぼう）・・・敵を打ち倒すための武器。六角・八角などに削った棒に筋鉄（すじがね）を伏せ，鉄の突起物を打ち並べ，鉄輪（かなわ）をはめ，上下に石突きを入れたものが多い。

[Anthony]

Hi!

Coming home from a nights work, trying to convince people that they are neighter God nor Jesus, I found this on the doorstep.

A nice Kanabo, and the real deal, some of you will recognize it from kinokunya's latest cathalog. If nothing else it proves that not everything is sold before printing...

The kanabo is just over a meter long, not to heavy but enough to make some serious damage. Batter up....

In the Google translation there is something like "used in battle" and "warring lord Yoshimitsu". I don't know what to make of that.







I like it,

Anthony

[teppotai]

Eric's and now yours Anthony, and both look like quality items. Congratulations.

[Ian C]

Anthony, I think the oni wants his club back 


Ian C

[Eric T]

Aug 3, 2015 11:53:01 GMT Anthony said:

Hi!

Coming home from a nights work, trying to convince people that they are neighter God nor Jesus, I found this on the doorstep.

A nice Kanabo, and the real deal, some of you will recognize it from kinokunya's latest cathalog. If nothing else it proves that not everything is sold before printing...

The kanabo is just over a meter long, not to heavy but enough to make some serious damage. Batter up....

In the Google translation there is something like "used in battle" and "warring lord Yoshimitsu". I don't know what to make of that.


I like it,

Anthony

Anthony, such a rare weapon deserves some better, more detailed images I think. How is it made, is it wood sheathed in metal?, What does it weigh and I can not make out what the handle looks like. Great score!!!!!

[Anthony]

Hi!

Detailed pics for Eric.
I cant figure out if the iron rod you see on the handle continues up through the kanabo. It is possible that the iron is only at the handle with the wood fixed with a pin, just as the iron band at the top is fixed with a pin.
Iron knobs all over. There is some kind of laquer since you can see where it is chipped.

Handle




Top and main body



The top end




Chipped laquer


Anthony

[Dave Thatcher]

I like that so much that I want you to hit me with it!

[Eric T]

Thanks Anthony, do you have a weight? Looks like it would be great for crowd control!!

[Dave Thatcher]

Actually the tetsu is very thin, I was surprised to see that.

[Eric T]

Aug 17, 2015 6:59:09 GMT Dave Thatcher said:

Actually the tetsu is very thin, I was surprised to see that.

Dave, I think that Anthonys kanabo is lacquered wood with iron knobs, I do not think it has any other iron other than the handle and the top ring, Anthony will need to confirm this.

[Dave Thatcher]

Magnet time.

[malcolm]

Looks like a thick grained Sabiji lacquer laid on thinly to me.

You can send it to me for extensive testing if you want Anthony (takes about 30 years to be absolutely certain)....

[Dave Thatcher]

Magnet will tell.

[Eric T]

There are only a handful of kanabo images that can even be considered as possibly being authentic, most images are of modern reproductions. A few period prints show kanabo being used. All of the currently known information about kanabo and their use would take up a couple of sentences.


Here are a couple from Ians book, maybe he knows were these are located.



This one came from Japan several years ago, it looks old but there is no way of telling for sure, it is 4ft 8 in tall and weighs 4lbs.



This kanabo appears to be in a public Japanese museum of some type, I have never ben able to find out any more information about its age or location.




From the book titled:MILITARY COSTUMES IN OLD JAPAN by KAZUMASA OGAWA, 1893. The title of the picture is "Knight of the Nanhoku-cho period". It shows a samurai in full armor holding a kanabo.



Here are a couple of prints showing kanabo.

[teppotai]

The last set of writing refers to four types of 'bo'.

Top right = Kanabo.
Bottom right = Yoribo
Top left = Hakkakubo (eight-sided)
Bottom left = Kirikobo

[ian]

The kanabo in my book used to be in Arashiyama Museum in Kyoto - now defunct.
Ian

[Eric T]

Aug 18, 2015 14:09:04 GMT teppotai said:

The last set of writing refers to four types of 'bo'.

Top right = Kanabo.
Bottom right = Yoribo
Top left = Hakkakubo (eight-sided)
Bottom left = Kirikobo

Piers, here is the full image with four different weapons.

[teppotai]

Ah, thanks, so the one with the faceted top will be the kiriko-bo, and the one with a flange on one side must be yori-bo.

[malcolm]

Hi all,

Looking at the image of the first yellow item, that's the Hakkaku Bo, I think.

The larger piece at the top with a cross being artistic licence to depict eight sides.

[Eric T]

Aug 19, 2015 5:07:04 GMT malcolm said:

Hi all,

Looking at the image of the first yellow item, that's the Hakkaku Bo, I think.

The larger piece at the top with a cross being artistic licence to depict eight sides.

Malcolm, I believe the large wooden club that is crossed with the kanabo is the hakkaku bo, today these are called hakkaku suburito, they are used for training purposes.





I believe the two smaller yellow weapons are the kirikobo also known as "aribo", and the yoribo. The kirikobo is a heavy, 8 sided metal cane like rod used by police/security forces in feudal Japan. .


George Stone identifies the yoribo as a "6ft oak staff used by the Japanese police." This print depicts a yoribo type wooden staff being used against a sword.



A few more weapons belong in this group.
The kanamuchi or kanemuchi is a forged tapered iron whip used by police/security forces in feudal Japan.




The ararebo a small hand held wood shafted mace with metal coverings at both ends and metal studs at the head.




The nyoibo is an extremely lagre wooden club said to originally have been used to break the legs/back of a horse.

[malcolm]

Good morning Eric,

Wow!! some really impressive images.

Here's something like the last image, Nyoi Bo in use at last year's Meiji Jingu Embu. (I've slowed it down so you can see the difficulty of using it)

[Eric T]

Aug 19, 2015 6:54:35 GMT malcolm said:

Good morning Eric,

Wow!! some really impressive images.

Here's something like the last image, Nyoi Bo in use at last year's Meiji Jingu Embu. (I've slowed it down so you can see the difficulty of using it)

Thanks Malcolm!

[teppotai]

薩摩切子
Satsuma cut glass, ie Satsuma Kiriko. Which one looks like Kiriko?

[malcolm]

Just for the record

薩摩切子

[Anthony]

Hi!

The Construction of my Kanabo seems to be a wooden rod with inserted metal knobs, iron ring fastened with pin, on top. Iron handle fitted over the Wood fixed with pin (like an inverted tsuka on a sword, instead of Wood over iron, iron over Wood.) So no iron core.

Anthony

[viper6924]

Interesting little topic. Most of these "clubs" looks to be quite useless in battle. They are simply to big and clumsy to yield.
The size of a baseball bat would work best, I guess. Cover it with iron studs and you got yourself a usefull piece of kit for a friday night on the town...

Here´s a wood carving showing a mounted samurai with a club ready to crack some sculls.





Jan

[Eric T]

Aug 19, 2015 16:35:14 GMT viper6924 said:

Interesting little topic. Most of these "clubs" looks to be quite useless in battle. They are simply to big and clumsy to yield.

In other words...the user would have to practice and train with this weapon in order to become proficient, as with any other weapon.

[Eric T]

Aug 19, 2015 14:57:04 GMT Anthony said:

Hi!

The Construction of my Kanabo seems to be a wooden rod with inserted metal knobs, iron ring fastened with pin, on top. Iron handle fitted over the Wood fixed with pin (like an inverted tsuka on a sword, instead of Wood over iron, iron over Wood.) So no iron core.

Anthony

Anthony, the question actually was if there was a covering of iron on the outside of yours or if it was just lacquer over wood. Also if you ever get a chance to weigh it I would be interested in seeing how much it weighed.

[Anthony]

Hi!

Eric, it was actually no question but a statement with a confirmation request; "Dave, I think that Anthonys kanabo is lacquered wood with iron knobs, I do not think it has any other iron other than the handle and the top ring, Anthony will need to confirm this."

I can confirm that the kanabo do not have any iron inside or outside on the surface exept from the iron knobs, the top ring and handle. It is laquered and where shipped you can see that the knobs somehow is inserted directly into the wood.

The weight is aprox 4 kg or 9 pounds. Easily handled with one arm. I would choose a buckler or a medium sized shield in the off hand, but then, I'm not Japanese.

Anthony

[Eric T]

Aug 20, 2015 15:21:21 GMT Anthony said:

The weight is aprox 4 kg or 9 pounds. Easily handled with one arm. I would choose a buckler or a medium sized shield in the off hand, but then, I'm not Japanese.

Anthony

Anthony, are you sure about the weight? 9lbs would be extraordinarily heavy for a weapon of this type, is it full of lead? For comparison here is a 16th to 17th century Indian mace, a very massive and heavy solid steel weapon, 37 inches in length and 8 lbs in weight.