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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2011 7:57:58 GMT
Well, I just got in the Cheness Tenchi Ko-katana (with no Bo-hi), and overall I am satisfied, although it does not appear as sharp as I was expecting, and fittings are subpar as expected.
But, I seem to be having an issue with the mekugi pins. They don't seem to be straight, instead they're positioned diagonally., making it more difficult to remove.
Moreover, I ordered the Cheness Maintenance and cleaning kit, and one piece included is the Brass Awl and hammer. What's the best way to use the hammer to remove the pins?
I should also point out one of the other pins is made of brass so it might be more difficult to remove than the bamboo peg.
I will take any suggestions - I need to see if the Tsuka is ok!!
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Post by András on Dec 31, 2011 8:20:22 GMT
It is normal for the mekugi to be diagonal. Removing it is easy: first, check from which side it was put in the handle (you can usually see this by looking at the tsukamaki. You want to find the side of the hole which is obstructed by the tsukamaki). You will have to hammer it out from this side, just push the cords aside if needed. Put the tsuka on a little wooden box, or anything else you can put it on (just so it's not in the air when hammering). Now get a little stick and use it with the hammer to get the mekugi out (if you can't find any, just cut of the sharp end of a properly sized nail). It is important to remember in which direction the mekugi was in the tsuka, make sure to put it back the same way it was (unless there is a problem with it).
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2012 9:12:12 GMT
thanks! I'm sure I can manage that with the wooden peg but will the brass peg prove to be more of a challenge?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2012 15:28:06 GMT
I'm not sure about the brass peg, but it should come out okay as long as it's not glued in or something which I doubt it is. Make sure that you hammer on the small side of the peg and should be good.
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Post by lamebmx on Jan 4, 2012 17:16:41 GMT
the wood will come out with the brass hammer and pin. tap the small side to get out. put the small end in the larger hole and push it in, couple taps with the brass hammer will set it in fine.
the brass peg, on side is a hair smaller. its hard to see. you will need a regular mallet and a centerpuch to remove it. if you dont seem to be making progress you may have the wrong small end lol. the good news, a regular bamboo mekugi will replace the brass peg. dont forget to shave the new mekugi down some so it has a slightly conical shape.
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Jan 4, 2012 18:58:00 GMT
Hey. I have a Cheness Kaze and did also have a bit of trouble removing the brass pin. I used the bottom of the brass hammer itself as the pin and used a regular hammer to tap it. It should not be epoxied as Cheness generally does not do that. On my Kaze the bottom pin taps out from right to left, then in from left to right. This is of coarse when it is oriented blade up and forward.
When the pins are out beware also that the tsuka is probably going to be a real pain in the ass to remove. Cheness is somewhat infamous for the difficulty of removing their tsukas, as they really force them on, so if you are a bit to zealous you will likely crack the tsuka. You should use a tsuka removal tool, such as the one in this video.
They are very easy to make, or you can improvise. For a while I just used a roughly 4in x 3in x 1in piece of scrap wood. Place it on the tsuba along side the blade. It's very important not to place it on the tsuka side of the tsuba as this could easily damage the tsuka. Medium taps from a wood or rubber mallet until the tsuka is finally loose enough to remove by hand. If you don't have a wood or rubber mallet, use a regular hammer wrapped well with a rag or even duct tape. This will soften the impact as well as prevent damage to the blade.
I hope this helps a little.
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