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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 5:57:55 GMT
I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for this thread. Getting on thrack though, I just got my very first sword (Masahiro Elite Fuji Katana). It's absolutly beautiful. I love it. I just have some 'new person' type questions. 1. The saya (The sword sheath, right? .__.) is made of wood and on the inside there seem to be lots of small chips of wood that are on the blade. Now once I get some oil for the katana I can get those off, but I'm wondering if I should be concerned about this like if it's just a first draw type of problem or if these chips might continue to come off when I sheath it. 2. As I mentioned before the saya is wood Do I have to worry about moisture in the wood? It's Canada, not a terribly humid climate so I don't know what to think about that. 3. I untied the strings on the sword (Yes, I don't know any real defintions of parts of swords), but I can't figure out how to retie it back to the nice knot it had initially. Is there any special way of doing so like tying a tie or do most of you just tie it however?
Once I get the oil I plan on eventually making a 'cutting snow' thread maybe with a video. A lot of people didn't seem to know the gargantuan amount of information as they do about other targets on here so I thought "why not?".
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 6:11:15 GMT
the wood chips are most likely just because manufactures dont really sand the inside of the saya(yes you were correct its the sheath )but thats most likely what i think your talking about if so just whipe it off with a rag/paper towel just careful of the edge but if its that then it will probley keep happening for a little no big deal and wood is better the lets say leather but overall keep it oiled well, i would reapply once a month or so considering where you are and the sageo is what your talking about right? the fancy knots on the saya? if so those are complicated and i have NO clue but im sure if you googled sageo tutorial it would come up right away oh and another thing we have had a sword break because of cutting snowmen so i wouldn't recommend it.id say stick to bottles,mats,noodles etc also if im wrong on anything please correct me gratz on the new sword! how do you like the masahiro so far?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 7:37:25 GMT
here are some really good links (i found them good at least) on how to tie a presentation knot on a sageo. most would probably leave it untied though if you're planning on using it often or storing it since it could put kinks in your sageo. www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/sageotying.htmlBrian.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 8:31:15 GMT
Most would probably leave it untied though if you're planning on using it often or storing it since it could put kinks in your sageo. I leave mine untied. My iaido is a training weapon and is used nearly every day, and my cutter...well, I use it to cut. With a sharp sword, also...it's better to use the sageo to tie blade to the saya before placing it back on the kake (stand). First you tie the loose ends together, then loop it over the tsuba (guard), around the fuchi (collar behind the guard), back down over the tsuba...then twist it around the saya a few times above the kurikata (the little knob the sageo goes through) and knot it under itself. This will positively keep the blade from accidentally falling out...period. This will also keep small children from getting the blade out, and is also a much safer way to transport a sword from place to place. When travelling to the dojo on Fridays, I also tie the iaido the same way, before placing it in its sword bag and tying that as well. Saves trouble with overzealous policemen if you do something silly like run a light or get into an accident. On the wood shavings...it's crap from the manufacturer. The best thing to do is place a folded cloth on a tile floor, turn the saya upside down, and lightly tap it on the towel/tile. This will help shake any loose shavings in there free. Remember also...improperly sheathing the blade WILL shave wood out of the inside of the saya, causing the same problem over and over again. Another important thing is to get the wood chips OFF the blade asap and re-oil it. They can cause the steel to stain, and in extended cases, to rust. Hope that helps! Cris
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 14:49:54 GMT
Hey congrats on your first sword! I hope you enjoy it in the years to come, as well as its brothers and sisters that you'll probably end up getting. lol!
Ok now on to your questions:
1. The saya: Already answered by others - its just rough shavings etc left over from the manufacturing process. Do like Cris Anderson said and you'll be ok although there's no guarantee you will completely eliminate those little chips, flakes etc.
2. Humidity and your saya - Storing a katana in a saya is actually better for the blade than storing it in a leather sheathe. The wood of the saya will draw the moisture to itself and keep it off the blade as the blade "floats" in the saya (thanks to the habaki and fit of the saya) when stored horizontally. Changes in ambient humidity can and will change the fit of the koiguchi (opening of the saya) on your habaki. If it becomes too tight (with lots of humidity) you'll need to file down the opening of the saya a bit till its not so tight or you risk cracking the saya. If its too loose (happens after lots of use) you'll need to glue in shims to tighten it up. I recall reading someone recommending the use of wood putty instead of shims then just sanding that down to fit.
3. The sageo - I hope it is the sageo, the cord tied to your saya, that you untied. If you untied the tsuka ito then you've got some work ahead of you retying that. As for the sageo - one of the first things I do when I get katana is to untie the sageo. I'm not much a fan of the presentation knot and I use the sageo as its meant to - to keep the saya at your obi while you use the katana. If you are storing the katana you could do as Cris said or you could do as I do - run the sageo down the length of the saya from the kurikata, wrap the sageo once or twice (depending on length) around the saya near the last 3" of the saya then tuck the ends of the sageo under itself. I think that looks nice for presentation.
Now regarding snowmen - I personally haven't heard of a sword breakage on cutting snowmen but then I also don't read every thread on this forum.
If you want to take your chances go ahead. I've made and cut snowmen with my Musashi Ehada (many snowmen have fallen before the edge of that blade - one even fell before I was able to cut it, so afraid it was! lol). I haven't broken it yet. Of course snow is a heavy material and if your form is bad it might cause a set in your sword - or a break. Again, your choice to cut and its your sword.
In any case - its a fairly inexpensive katana and so long as its within your budget to replace it do what you will with it. Just be safe. Its far easier to replace a broken sword than a lost limb.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 17:39:21 GMT
Thank you all for the help! It is appreciated. As for the sageo, yes I untied that part. I assume you meant the other cord was the one on the handle which I didn't untie.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 20:18:43 GMT
3. The sageo - I hope it is the sageo, the cord tied to your saya, that you untied. If you untied the tsuka ito then you've got some work ahead of you retying that. As for the sageo - one of the first things I do when I get katana is to untie the sageo. I'm not much a fan of the presentation knot and I use the sageo as its meant to - to keep the saya at your obi while you use the katana. If you are storing the katana you could do as Cris said or you could do as I do - run the sageo down the length of the saya from the kurikata, wrap the sageo once or twice (depending on length) around the saya near the last 3" of the saya then tuck the ends of the sageo under itself. I think that looks nice for presentation. That's how I do it...particularly right after they've been used: The shinken is ALWAYS tied off once I've got everything settled and put in its place though. Just not safe to leave a 3' long razor in a state where a child could get it out of its saya. Cris
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