Naginata-naoshi Wakizashi.

This is my latest and most successfull project, the first one were I actually made all parts of the traditionally constructed koshirae from scratch, not to mention the extensive modifications to the blade. 
I tried some new (for me) techniques here, like true soft metal inlays on the tsuba and laquerwork incorporating "gold" dust on the saya.

Note that this is "Phase 2" of the project, where the Tsuba and Fuchi where replaced with more suitable ones. The picture below still has old (copper) Tsuba and Fuchi. I saved the "Phase 1" page here: nagnaoshi_old.htm
If you want to comment on which combination of fittings looks better, drop me an email!

Blade:

the project is based on a new Naginata blade from Kris Cutlery. You can see that I cut down the tang and also the "point-back" part of the blade to mount it as a short sword rather then a polearm. This was done quite often historically, and such swords are usually described as "naginata-naoshi wakizashi". 
I also extencively cleaned up (actually reshaped) the blade to establish an even surface (with 220 sandpaper) and polished it down to 2000, then etched with vinegar and cleaned the oxides with Simichrome. It didn't produce quite as sharp a hamon as I hoped for (the contrast is rather weak), but it is visible under good light, and has a healthy width all the way from habaki to the point (see pictures below). 
Dimensions: 14" nagasa, 4 1/2" nakago, 6mm thick at habaki, 31mm wide at habaki and maybe 0.5mm more at the widest before turning to the point.

Handle (tsuka):

the sword is mounted with 5 1/2" long traditionally constructed tsuka, with just a bit of "waist" to its shape as I like in my sword handles. The core is made of poplar, fully wrapped with same (ray skin), with black leather tsuka ito in typical "dymond" wrap (wakizashi weight ito, from Lohman). 1/4" diameter buffalo horn mekugi holds the blade in.

Menuki are a pair of oars. Simple but traditional design, based on several antique examples, from a couple books and this link: http://www.japanesesword.com/Images/Fittings/1200menuki1/large_soft_metal_menuki.htm
Mine are similar in outline but scaled down for smaller wak size (1 7/16" long). The oars are copper, with "silvered" (silver solder) and "scratched" handles with nickel silver crosspieces soldered on.

Fuchi is brass with inlayed shakudo oar handle and silver "water drops".
Kashira is polished black buffalo horn.
Seppa are brass, decorated with round filework.

Tsuba (guard):

The base metal is brass, with inlayed decoration.
These are true inlays - actual pieces of metal inlayed into base metal and polished flush with the surface. I believe the technique is called "hira zogan".

The motif is a boat in a stream  near a river bank, with an oar stuck in the river bottom beside the boat, and the moon on top.   
There are five different metals used in this tsuba: 
- the ground metal is brass;
- the boat is copper;
- the moon is shibuichi;
- the oar handle is shakudo;
- the river flow is silver solder. 

I treated the tsuba with "Baldwin's patina", and it looked like magic at work! Both shibuichi and shakudo practically blended in with copper when polished, but patina made them literally jump out in contrasting colors!  BTW, the dark areas in the picture are a result of scanning, maybe reflected light...  

Tsuba dimensions (approximately): 2 3/4"x2 1/2"x3/16".

Saya (scabbard):

Saya is also made of poplar, fitted with polished black buffalo horn koiguchi and kurikata. It is laquered in clear polyurethane over black base coat. The top part is given golden appearance by "gold" (probably brass) dust suspended in laquer, and just a touch of the same dust is sprinkled over the black ground, somewhat more of it concentrated closer to the point. It is practically invisible in the pictures (see top of this page), but looks rather nice in reality. BTW, I borrowed  a general idea of this color scheme from a wakizashi  pictured in the "Arms and Armor of the Samurai" book (pg161).