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Post by John T. on Aug 29, 2019 4:58:25 GMT
Hiya guys, my registration is pending so I thought I'd just post this anyways as a guest.recently got this, apparently it's marked "Kiyoshige" I'll let the pictures do the talking.I removed the mekugi but it basically disintegrated once it was out, is there any way of getting a different one? thanks. John
(still can't figure out this picture uploading thing)
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Post by John T. on Aug 29, 2019 5:06:39 GMT
I'll take better pictures if anyone wants to see anything else. Thank you! John
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2019 5:31:56 GMT
Welcome aboard
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Post by MOK on Aug 29, 2019 10:19:31 GMT
You can easily make new mekugi from e.g. bamboo chopsticks. Strip the chopstick of any paint or lacquer, cut it down to length, bevel or round the edges, adjust the thickness and taper if needed, push it in. Done!
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Post by Jussi Ekholm on Aug 29, 2019 15:52:12 GMT
My guess is some unknown late Muromachi or early Edo period Kiyoshige 清重.
Unfortunately none of the about 20 more known Kiyoshige smiths throughout the history were remarkable smiths.
Your sword is genuine Japanese sword.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2019 21:00:16 GMT
You can easily make new mekugi from e.g. bamboo chopsticks. Strip the chopstick of any paint or lacquer, cut it down to length, bevel or round the edges, adjust the thickness and taper if needed, push it in. Done! Please do not use chopsticks for a working katana. Fine for display and general light handling.
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Post by John T. on Aug 29, 2019 21:12:24 GMT
Thanks guys! This was actually an Ebay find, I'm just glad that it's a genuine Japanese sword as I really don't prefer to collect any reproductions and as you guys know, Ebay is a minefield for these kinds of things. I was also going to get one of those Choji oil kits since there's a fair amount of rust on the blade(though not too bad) John
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 29, 2019 21:21:19 GMT
You can easily make new mekugi from e.g. bamboo chopsticks. Strip the chopstick of any paint or lacquer, cut it down to length, bevel or round the edges, adjust the thickness and taper if needed, push it in. Done! Please do not use chopsticks for a working katana. Fine for display and general light handling. Edelweiss is right. In another thread on this forum it was recommended to use susadake bamboo for Menuki. It is a cured( smoked or aged) bamboo that is tougher than other bamboo. After reading that I checked my kats( all production) and only one had what looked like susadake. Browner in color. Am going to redo all mine even though I don’t do heavy cutting.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 29, 2019 21:23:01 GMT
Mekugi not menuki. Damn japanese🤨
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Post by John T. on Aug 30, 2019 6:17:11 GMT
The Habaki is a part of the Tsuka so it probably can't take much cutting. It's in a Shirasaya and it'll probably always stay in that. It'll definitely never do any kind of cutting. Just for display. Bamboo chopsticks might be okay for what I need it for. Thanks again John
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Post by MOK on Aug 30, 2019 18:27:40 GMT
Please do not use chopsticks for a working katana. Fine for display and general light handling. Edelweiss is right. In another thread on this forum it was recommended to use susadake bamboo for Menuki. It is a cured( smoked or aged) bamboo that is tougher than other bamboo. After reading that I checked my kats( all production) and only one had what looked like susadake. Browner in color. Am going to redo all mine even though I don’t do heavy cutting. Huh. Good to know... although my Oniyuri at least seems to be fine even after years of none-too-gentle use, not even loose or anything. Maybe the bunch of sticks I had was just exceptionally tough. Come to think of it, would it not be possible to make susudake, or at least functionally equivalent material, out of untreated bamboo? It's not magic, after all - I know fly rod makers use similar heat treatments for bamboo rods...
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 30, 2019 20:17:10 GMT
MOK I wouldn’t worry about it. Probably not an issue most of the time. Just was told that’s what should be used. I’d say if you cut hard targets a lot then it might matter but I don’t. Maybe you can cure bamboo yourself, will have to read up on how it’s done. If it’s just heat then no problem, if smoke and heat are involved then I may have an issue.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2019 23:42:16 GMT
Edelweiss is right. In another thread on this forum it was recommended to use susadake bamboo for Menuki. It is a cured( smoked or aged) bamboo that is tougher than other bamboo. After reading that I checked my kats( all production) and only one had what looked like susadake. Browner in color. Am going to redo all mine even though I don’t do heavy cutting. Huh. Good to know... although my Oniyuri at least seems to be fine even after years of none-too-gentle use, not even loose or anything. Maybe the bunch of sticks I had was just exceptionally tough. Come to think of it, would it not be possible to make susudake, or at least functionally equivalent material, out of untreated bamboo? It's not magic, after all - I know fly rod makers use similar heat treatments for bamboo rods... www.toyamaryu.org/mekugi_replace.htmNot all chopsticks are made equal and most production katana have two mekugi but there are reasons why some traditional care makes sense for traditional builds. Just as one can wang away with a rubber mallet to take a katana apart, there are actually correct tools. A lot of folk just don't care. That's fine, pass on the ignorance, or.....shrug....whatever guys. I am no dyed in the wool closet samurai but have somehow absorbed some of the more correct and traditional aspects of several culture's swords (amongst other things). There are arguments about using delrin pins as well. It is not a big deal but it can be good to start with the basics. Yes, I am a local snob Cheers GC All this from someone owning only a 2002 PK practical with a glued steel pin. Probably the only katana I'll ever own.
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Post by pvsampson on Aug 31, 2019 9:06:44 GMT
MOK I wouldn’t worry about it. Probably not an issue most of the time. Just was told that’s what should be used. I’d say if you cut hard targets a lot then it might matter but I don’t. Maybe you can cure bamboo yourself, will have to read up on how it’s done. If it’s just heat then no problem, if smoke and heat are involved then I may have an issue. Interesting that the bamboo is smoked.I had a very good friend from PNG,little headhunter dude,and he taught me how to make bows traditionally from bamboo.He then cured them by placing over his fireplace for about six months,(very rough built fireplace but efficient),and it made those bows virtually indestructible.
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Post by tensho on Sept 1, 2019 18:55:26 GMT
I was also going to get one of those Choji oil kits since there's a fair amount of rust on the blade(though not too bad) John I recall seeing this on eBay. If you get one of those kits do NOT use the Uchiko that comes with it. It's usually only talcum powder and will do no good for your blade. I believe most put sewing machine oil or just plain mineral oil in them now.
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Post by MOK on Sept 2, 2019 1:54:58 GMT
And Choji oil, of course, is scented mineral oil so it really makes no difference aside from the fragrance.
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Post by kiyowakizashi on Dec 29, 2019 8:44:34 GMT
Great buy..congratulations.take care of it
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