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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2011 19:27:33 GMT
I got a set of wood chisels and I'm ordering a rasp and some sandpaper to make a new tsuka. My old tsuka was just under an inch thick, so I'm getting two 1/2 inch thick poplar. Unfortunately, the hardware store didn't have any in that thickness. Is this a good place to order wood online? Also, I suspect this has been asked before but how is one supposed to get the angle and taper of the hole for the mekugi correct? That's really the thing that I'm worried about going in.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Dec 27, 2011 20:32:15 GMT
I would not do poplar. In my experience, while it's easily shaped and carved, it's too soft to really make a strong tsuka unless you fit it very exactly to the tang. Even the slightest bit of movement will allow it to compress the sides of the tang channel and thus produce rattle and looseness.
I would go with something along the lines of maple, unless you can handle the wood by yourself. If you can make an indentation into it with your fingernail, pressing strongly, it's too soft. Maple is probably ideal, although red oak might work; any decent hardwood of sufficient hardness should work, really.
As for the taper-- drill a starter hole a hair smaller than the peg(s) you have, and apply a needle file. With care, work one side larger than the other while keeping the other side the same.
A last note-- in general terms, wood is measured before it's dried, and given shrinkage, I find that 1" of wood will be more or less equal to 3/4" in actuality, and 1/2" thick will be more like... 3/8" or so? You may want to consider using two 1" pieces, this will result in a more or less 1-1/2" thick piece. You'll only need to remove ~1/4" from each side of the tsuka to bring it down to an inch thick. I'd shape it *after* you glue it, btw... if you try shaping it before, unless you're very careful it may not line up well.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2011 21:05:00 GMT
Thanks. I thought that poplar was the traditional/usual wood, maybe that was for the saya?
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Post by Elheru Aran on Dec 27, 2011 22:49:23 GMT
Honoki is a type of Japanese poplar or cypress (can't remember which!), and is indeed used for saya, but I think it's also used for tsuka. I do believe poplar comes in different varieties, the cheapest of which is what I described and what I have experience with. Big name hardware chains don't always go for quality, who woulda thought.
If you're getting a better grade/species of poplar, then it may indeed qualify for tsuka use. I'd just try and check it out in person before buying it. Perhaps look into visiting a lumber yard with varieties of hardwood you can check out personally? They probably wouldn't sell except in bulk (think board sizes like 12"x6', depends on lumber yard though) but they might have scraps they'd be willing to let you have on the house...
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Post by Student of Sword on Dec 27, 2011 23:19:02 GMT
Actually yellow poplar is the recommended wood for tsuka core in North America, the other wood is alder. Aaron Justice, Femal Sensei at Nihonzashi, and Keith Larman all used yellow poplar for their tsuka and saya.
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Post by Jakeonthekob on Dec 27, 2011 23:25:12 GMT
Yeah poplar is a good workable wood but I believe some people said that maple/magnolia/oak works as well. Honoki is some sort of magnolia/cypress type of wood but it's expensive. Best to go with a good grade of poplar/maple and practice and take it slow. Also always start thicker so that you can always take away wood because the wood shrinks as Elheru Aran said. You can take away wood easily but fixing that is a pain in the butt.
You would make the nakago length up to the habaki actually, when you mark out everything. From there you carve the channels and glue it together. Once you get the shape you want you start taking away from the fuchi area until it fits on the nakago snugly with the tsuba/seppa and fuchi all attached. From there check fit with same and ito to make sure they sit flush with both fuchi/kashira and adjust length to fit the proper amount of crossovers and correct end knot sides (ie ura/omote sides).
GL and keep us updated!
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Post by theSilentCutter on Dec 28, 2011 14:20:08 GMT
i read somewhere??? you could make a tsuka from an ax handle, by sawing it down the middle with a band saw. go look at ax handles on ebay and you will see the shape is very tsuka like. i have never tried this so i dont know if it really works !!!!!!!!!!!!!! peace out....... keep it silent but violent!
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Post by Elheru Aran on Dec 28, 2011 20:06:22 GMT
Saito here does/has done that. Axe handles aren't a bad notion as they're generally ash or hickory, quite hard and tough. They'll be pretty robust and perhaps difficult to carve, but you'll have a quite durable tsuka afterwards.
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Post by frankthebunny on Dec 28, 2011 21:42:46 GMT
I have used yellow poplar with good results. I bought a length of kiln dried wood from a good supplier. I will post the link if I can find it.
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Post by Student of Sword on Dec 28, 2011 22:56:31 GMT
It is my understanding that tsuka core should not be too hard, nor should it be too soft -- hence yellow poplar or honoki. Wood that is too hard place unnecessary stress on the tang. My guess is hickory is too hard. The toughest wood is not the best.
Quoting Aaron Justice:
Keith Larman said something similar but I could not find it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2011 23:19:11 GMT
Eh, I already ordered some red oak. Just came out to $20 including shipping, we'll see how it goes.
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Post by Lonely Wolf Forge on Dec 29, 2011 1:13:56 GMT
i just buy hickory axe handles. Just as cheap, already precut/shaped. all ya gotta do is cut it in half, carve the nakago ana, and sand to desired thickness/shape.
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Post by Crimsoned on Dec 29, 2011 1:15:00 GMT
Poplar is the most recommended choice for tsuka's and saya's.
Honoki is not advised outside of Japan and some sources say even inside of Japan. The quality of the exported honoki is poor. Honoki is used for both tsuka's and saya's.
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Mikeeman
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Post by Mikeeman on Dec 30, 2011 7:45:41 GMT
I'm going to try walnut sometime in the near future. (Next couple of weeks) Not that it's a better wood, it's just available to me.
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Post by Crimsoned on Dec 30, 2011 16:12:39 GMT
Red oak isn't particularly a good choice in my opinion. It's difficult to curve out precisely with chisels. Even razor sharp chisels. I actually made a scabbard for an Angus Trim I owned, but at the end didn't finish since I sold the sword. (one side came out flawless only hung by the edge, the other side unfortunately didn't because I rushed it). The material was white oak which according to the home depot guy was a hardwood but is softer than red oak.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2012 4:48:11 GMT
You're right about the red oak. I tried to carve it out the other day, and it was extremely difficult to prevent the chisel from digging in or wandering. I cracked the board while I was sawing it is half, so I'll give it another try with a different wood soon.
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Post by sceraxn on Jan 20, 2012 5:25:34 GMT
Definitely go yellow or a white aged Poplar. Oak and Hickory arent good choices for a tsuka. Its hardness not only means that more shock is transfered to your hand instead of being absorbed, it also causes a lot of stress on the tsuka itself. The problem with tight grained hardwoods like Oak and Hickory is that theyre only strong when theres a decent amount of material there. When its thin it actually become more prone to cracking than softer woods, and it almost always cracks along the grain(which is probably how your board cracked when you were cutting it in half). Just like with metals thats used in your swords, you want a wood thats hard enough to handle the stresses, but at the same time soft enough to absorb energy so it wont crack. Ive made two out of white poplar and have probably 300+ cuts on both combined and both tsukas are still like new. One doesnt even have the same, wrap, or fittings that help give it strength and its still taken a ton of abuse.
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