Beste Luuk, interessante vraag, ik vond het interessant om te zien of ik er iets over kon vinden. Tenminste niet over het verven van de 'same', wel het lakken. Misschien heb je iets aan de stukjes verderop die ik heb uitgelicht. Wat ik zelf als aanvullende vraag op die van jou heb is het volgende: "De same dient om de ito op zijn plaats te houden zodat het niet begint af te zakken of los te komen bij frequent gebruik."
bron: home.scarlet.be/~ping3898/samurai%20deel6%20de%20katana.pdf
Als dat zo is dan is het misschien zo dat het verfen (ik weet even geen voorbeelden van geverfde 'same' zoals je veronderstelt) of lak van de 'valleien in de 'same' of andere behandeling van de roggehuid niet wenselijk lijkt me als het om functionaliteit gaat, maar misschien bij bevoorbeeld ceremonieele zwaarden het lakken/verven puur esthetisch van aard was) Maar misschien kan hier een echte kenner/verzamelaar antwoord op geven?

groetjes jeroen
"The blade and Koshirae 拵 prototypes of the Japanese origin developed during the Nara period 奈良時代 (early 8c ~ 794 AD), although they were still called Kara-yô-Tachi 唐様太刀, (i.e. Chinese style Tachi). A few existing swords of this type that have survived time tell us that there seemed to have been two sub-types: swords in black lacquered wooden mountings for actual combat, and those highly decorated with semiprecious stones and fancy lacquering. Back then Samegawa 鮫皮 (ray skin) was rarely used on the handles, but it only became common during the Heian period 平安時代 (794 ~ 1185 AD)."
even verderop in het artikel:
"The Momoyama period 桃山時代 (1568 ~ 1598 AD) is well known for its flamboyant Koshirae 拵 design with light red lacquered Saya 鞘 and Kanagu 金具 in gold, called Momoyama Koshirae 桃山拵. Those flashy mountings, however, were counterbalanced by Tenshô-Koshirae 天正拵 (in the era of Tenshô 天正, 1573 ~ 1586 AD) with black Saya 鞘 and Same 鮫, and a tapered Tsuka 柄 in so called hourglass shape with leather binding crossed over a Kashira 頭 made of plain horn. It was also during this period that Daishô 大小, or the combination of Katana 刀 and Wakizashi 脇差 became the standard for Samurai 侍."
Maar even verderop in hetzelfde artikel:
"In Higo 肥後 province the Kanagu-shi 金具師 were encouraged by the Hosokawa Daimyô 細川大名, and worked in iron, copper, brass and cloisonné (Shippô 七宝). Typical characteristics of Higo-Koshirae 肥後拵 include round Kashira 頭 and Kojiri 鐺; the Same 鮫 that is often black; and the Saya 鞘 in Samenuri 鮫塗, where the "valleys" in the Same 鮫 filled with lacquer, and the "mountains" smoothed and polished flush. Also, the Tsuka 柄 often had a leather wrapping. This type of Koshirae 拵 was later copied as Edo-Higo-Koshirae 江戸肥後拵, but mostly with simpler Saya 鞘 and natural colored Same 鮫."
Weer verderop:
"As with many other things, wearing of swords was also formally regulated in the early Edo period ....."
"Samurai 侍 in the Shôgun’s 将軍 castle of Edo 江戸城 wore the Banzashi-Daishô 番差大小 (or Tojôzashi-Daishô 登城差大小) as specified by the strict military laws......."
"The military sepc. swords Same 鮫 had to be white, ......"
"Special care must be given to the outer dimensions of the Tsuka 柄 and fitting of the Fuchi 縁 and Kashira 頭 to allow for the later application of Samegawa 鮫皮. There are three methods of applying the Same 鮫: panels (Tanzaku-kise 短冊着); a full wrap where the seam of the Same 鮫 is on the backside (Haraawase-kise 腹合せ着); and a full wrap where the edges of the Same 鮫 overlap (Maedare-kise 前垂れ着)."
bron:
http://www.arscives.com/historysteel/ja ... rticle.htm
Elke weg is anders en toch dezelfde, ook al zijn zij schijnbaar tegenstrijdig.