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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2011 4:12:55 GMT
I just got my new katana today, and on reassembly I chipped one of the mekugi and couldn't get it all of the way back in. I was tapping it with a rubber mallet and a wooden peg because I don't have a mekugi hammer... is there another way to safely re-insert them without cracking or breaking them? I thought about sanding them down a little because they seemed overly tight and required more force to remove than I could ever use to get them back in without damaging them, but I'm not sure if that would be safe. How tight should the mekugi be?
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Post by Lobster Hunter on Oct 27, 2011 16:14:12 GMT
The mekugi should fit tightly but too tight could mean a problem. It could be that the holes in the nakago and the holes in the tsuka aren't aligned very well. Or maybe humidity has caused the wood to swell, making things unusually tight.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2011 20:12:26 GMT
I know this is controversial but production katana are not designed to be disassembled, even though they can be disassembled. In most cases, the mekugi is too tight and might need replacement once removed. In addition the fit on the nakago can be way too tight, and removing it with rubber mallet could sometimes damage the blade's ha-machi.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2011 3:31:12 GMT
Yeah, I just wanted to make sure the tsuka wasn't cracked or anything, I read that it was a good idea to do so... I think the problem with the second mekugi is simply that it is too big on one end, it goes all the way through the mekugi-ana and the tsuka but at the last two centimeters or so it just stops. I originally thought that the mekugi were tapered, maybe they were supposed to be but the top one can slide in either way. I guess I'll go along with my original idea and sand the second one down a bit... I'll see how it goes. I'm just afraid that I'll make it too thin and fatally weaken my sword, bamboo pegs didn't seem that strong in the first place and... eh. Don't want to screw up my first sword.
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Post by Sir Tre on Oct 28, 2011 3:42:38 GMT
a well made katana asembly has a tapered hole in the tang for the mekugi. that means the mekugi properly fits one direction.... and they are always tight when new. try reinserting in opposite direction to see if that makes a difference.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2011 21:51:47 GMT
It did fit better from one side, but it was still catching. I sanded it down a tiny bit and then managed to tap it in, so problem solved. Thanks guys.
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Post by Sir Tre on Oct 29, 2011 15:01:10 GMT
cool
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Post by zentesukenVII on Oct 30, 2011 14:39:34 GMT
If all else fails, Dollar Tree usually has bamboo chop sticks that work great at mekugi. and after you cut them down to size you can use the remaining chipstick as a peg removal tool or a tsuka maki tool.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2011 3:48:05 GMT
I'm ordering some spare mekugi from here soon. Already ordered a sword maintenance kit and some other supplies, good to have around. I'm planning on completely refitting this sword this Christmas maybe.
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Post by zentesukenVII on Nov 1, 2011 17:36:10 GMT
As in making a new tsuka or..?
If so I'd love to see it when its finished. I love custom swords on this forum.
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Post by MuerteBlack on Nov 2, 2011 4:33:28 GMT
The chopstick suggestion/method is absolutely correct and can be done, but I would not advise it unless you really know what you're doing. You need to be able to tell from where the said chopstick was cut (needs to be from near the harder edge of the stalk) and whether it was treated properly (aged, smoked). For that reason, it's safer to buy pre-made mekugi from a trusted supplier.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2011 3:09:17 GMT
Yeah, new tsuka, tsuba, all of that. It's something that I want to learn how to do since I'm planning on owning more katanas in the future.
Hmm. Got my sword maintenance kit, and removing the tsuka was much easier with the proper tools. In my experience everything's that way, you don't have to have the best tools but life is much easier if you have the right ones even if they cost a bit more. So I guess I'm not gonna be using a chopstick anytime soon.
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Post by zentesukenVII on Nov 4, 2011 1:28:40 GMT
I use them for all the tsuka I've made. They will do the job fine as my fits on the nakago are always tight enough to that I wouldn't need them anyways. I still use them of course however.
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