Wood

[Paulussie0]

Hi there ,

Does anyone of you know what kind of wood the Japanese used fot the matchlockpistols ?

Thanks

 

[dyemaker]

They used oak. I'm not sure but I think red oak.
I edited this into the reply...

http://www.littlegun.info/arme%20japonaise/a%20edo%20pistolet%20gb.htm

Of course other woods may have been used and this is just one example.

 

[dyemaker]

I saw another with a cherry wood stock. Samurai had banned peasants from owning firearms for centuries and they were only made by one maker in a lords district. There were so many lords, thus schools of gunmaking and styles I would think the wood might vary greatly. This is only my uneducated guess. Interesting how far they lagged behind in firearm development. It wasn't until the "Last Samurais" in the mid 1800's that they began to catch up. Even in WWII ammo wasn't standardized. Sorry for straying.....

 

[dyemaker]

I was curious myself so I searched for the answer. It seems most stocks were made of Red Oak and some of White oak also.

This is the Red Oak...
http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/goostake/GOO/XAKAGASI.HTM

Shirakashi translates to white oak

 

[rickystl]

Hi Dyemaker. Thanks for the information. I was under the impression that most were made using cherry wood. But I never attempted to research it either. And, my knowledge of being able to identify woods is not good. Here's an original I own and posted a while back. Think it looks like Red Oak? Thanks again for the info. Rick.

 

[dyemaker]

It's hard for me to tell too. It does kinda look like oak. :idunno:

 

[rickystl]

OK. Thanks. I wouldn't know the difference between Japanese Cherry and Red Oak. :haha:
Rick.

 

[dyemaker]

I hate to jump to conclusions, but...... to help answer the question Oak and Cherry are two definite choices. My remark about Red oak being most often used came from a Japanese forum and I may have misinterpreted. Just to clarify before someone jumps in and makes me look like an idiot. :wink:

 

[dyemaker]

Stocks of oak are mentioned again in this article... Link

 

[rickystl]

HEY!! Thanks for the LINK!! Very interesting article. Much appreciated. Rick.

 

[Many Klatch]

Oak is east to identify versus Cherry. Oak has the medium to large pores that show up as the dark elongated streaks on the surface. Cherry does not have the large pores so the surface is much more consistent in appearance.

Many Klatch