# Communities > Modern-era Swords and Collecting Community > Modern Production Katanas >  My seppa and tsuba rattles...

## Billy Heaning

I bought a relatively cheap ($59.99 before s&h) Mushashi "Dragon Fury" katana from Trueswords.com. I understood what I was buying when I bought it, but it's still a relatively nice piece. Unfortunately I started reading about katana care after I abused the sword a little (the obligatory watermelon and branch cutting).  :Frown:  I quickly wised up and decided not to whack it on anything anymore. It didn't show any damage after the hacking and slashing, amazingly (the watermelon was thrown mid-air, not laid on a table or tree stump).

But now the seppa and the tsuba rattles... Not because I whacked it on anything (it wasn't rattling for a long time after my initial hacking and slashing phase). I think what did it was my "cinematic" slamming the sword back into it's saya. You know... slowly sliding it in, then slamming it once the habaki reached the saya. NOW it rattles. I'm almost positive that's what did it. I know, I know, I'm an idiot for doing it, but like I said, I didn't do much research on caring for and respecting the sword until AFTER I bought it. So it's my own fault.  :Mad: 

The website says the sword can be dismantled for repair and cleaning, and I watched a few videos on Youtube about disassembling and reassembling a katana. The guy made it look relatively simple. Of course, he had a proper sword repair kit. My question is, should I attempt to disassemble my katana and see what I can do to repair it and/or make the tsuba and seppa tighter? What could I even DO to make it tighter? I would never attempt to disassemble/reassemble the sword without ordering a proper sword care kit first, but if I did, how would I go about tightening the seppa and tsuba? Has anyone here done this kind of repair before?

I'm just going to leave it be for now. It's not so expensive that it breaks my heart, but it does kinda irk me to feel and hear it rattle when I handle the sword.

This is my first post, but I would DEFINITELY appreciate any response or advice from old-timers here on the message board. I thank you in advance.

Billy

----------


## Aaron Justice

Well, most cleaning kits don't have the materials to fix a loose tsuba anyways.

Here's a few things you could try.

Try putting some thin cardboard (non corrugated, like a cereal box) under the fuchi of the tsuka. It might push the fuchi out a millimeter or so and make the tsuba and seppa tight again. Another method is using a hardening epoxy like JB Cold Weld on the mouth of the tsuka core for the same purpose, to push the fuchi out slightly farther.

It might need some new seppa if the current seppa are too thin. Seppa are widely available across the web. Make sure they are thicker than your current seppa though before trying anything.

Another thing people have tried is cutting a thin piece of leather out in the shape of a seppa and placing it under one of the seppa. Not my favorite method as lether compresses quite a bit, but some swear by it.

Try these things first. They might work well, and certainly worth a try since it is too cherap of a sword to warrant a new tsuka core.

----------


## Robert Dabroski

Hello Bill, if You go to Google, and put in "Katana Disassembly" like I just did, {To make sure it was still there.....} as You scroll down a bit You will see links to YouTube that has short videos on disassembling Katana& similar swords.  
     I would wait a bit before doing it though, there is a lot of knowledgeable people on/in this forum.  Wait for a few days/replies and see what comes Your way first for more suggestions/comments.  Meanwhile, enjoy the videos!!  Best of Luck with Your Quest.
Best Regards,&Have a Good Day!!!
                                              Bob Dabroski

----------


## Ken Morgan

Try wrapping dental floss around the opening to try and tighten it up that way.

I would take it apart only as a last resort.

----------


## Billy Heaning

> Try wrapping dental floss around the opening to try and tighten it up that way.
> 
> I would take it apart only as a last resort.


I am still hesitant to disassemble the sword, so I tried Ken's suggestion of dental floss. It worked PERFECTLY. The floss is invisible and the rattling is gone!  :Big Grin: 

Cheap and practical. The KISS principle. I can't believe I didn't think of that before.

Thanks for the help, guys! Look forward to hanging out on this board more often.

Billy

----------

