question about mekugi

[jezah81]

I had to change the mekugi on my sword and so i used chinese bamboo chopsticks. My first question: Are chopsticks suitable to make mekugi out of? Second, the mekugi is firmly put in,doesnt move, but it doesnt cover the whole circumference of the mekugi-ana. When you tilt it to the light, you can see some light shining through the mekugi-ana. Is this OK or should i try to make another mekugi that fits in the whole circumference of the mekugi-ana?
Kind Regards,
Jeremy Hagop

[Mekugi]

HEYYYYY
Leave me out of this.

Chopsticks are OK if you have nothing else and need it. Mekugi are fairly easy to make, get yourself some hardwood dowels and start shaping them with sandpaper and make the perfect fit. Some people soak them in tea or other fancy methods, I coated mine with boiled linseed oil and haven't had a problem with them, (they also slid in easier). Cutting them off in the hilt can get tricky, I have used a dremmel tool with a grinder attachment to get mine flush. This also seals the end up nicely, as it burns the mekugi nice and black. Be careful of the wrapping though... that one is from experience.

If you are lazy like me, this place is cheap, they are well made and you won't run out ever again:Japanese Sword Store Mekugi (http://www.japaneseswordstore.com/mekugi.html)


Originally posted by jezah81
I had to change the mekugi on my sword and so i used chinese bamboo chopsticks. My first question: Are chopsticks suitable to make mekugi out of? Second, the mekugi is firmly put in,doesnt move, but it doesnt cover the whole circumference of the mekugi-ana. When you tilt it to the light, you can see some light shining through the mekugi-ana. Is this OK or should i try to make another mekugi that fits in the whole circumference of the mekugi-ana?
Kind Regards,
Jeremy Hagop

[David T Anderson]

Chopsticks aren't very good quality bamboo. I have read that bamboo knitting needles [if you can find them] tend to be better. And yes, the mekugi should fit the hole as closely as possible. Yours may seem okay as it is, but I'd expect it to wear out fairly quickly.

I also like the mekugi pegs sold at japaneseswordstore.com. Ted Tenold over at Bugei sometimes makes mekugi out of micarta...

[hyaku]

Originally posted by jezah81
Second, the mekugi is firmly put in,doesnt move, but it doesnt cover the whole circumference of the mekugi-ana. When you tilt it to the light, you can see some light shining through the mekugi-ana. Is this OK or should i try to make another mekugi that fits in the whole circumference of the mekugi-ana?
Kind Regards,
Jeremy Hagop

Make another! Put a taper on a long peice and tap it in until it wont go any further. That should give you a good fit.

Hyakutake Colin

[H. Hoshino]

Dear fellow Japanese sword enthuisiasts,

The best material for making the Mekugi is whale whisker ( Kujira no hige ). The 2nd one is a soft brass. The 3rd one is a bamboo pin, which should be boiled & soaked in the old Tenpura oil. The shape of the Mekugi should be the cone-shape as you know.

One of these 3 Mekugi can be placed in the Moto-Ana ( Original peg hole ) in the Nakago ( Tang ). I strongly suggest to get an extra Mekugi-ana by the Nakago-jiri and have the 2nd Mekugi inserted in the 2nd Mekugi-ana.

Some Tachi swords with 2 pegs were used since the Kamakura Era ( 1182-1333 ). During the Muromachi Era, Many Samurai used the Uchi-gatana with 2 Mekugi. During WWII, some Gendaito had 2 peg holes in the Nakago.

Will be talking with you again.

Sincerely,

H. Hoshino / On a Happy Day in San Francisco, California

PS. The 2 pegs will give us the better levarage & safety.

[Cady Goldfield]

Unfortunately, whale whisker (baleen) is illegal to own or sell in the US and many countries, as whaling is illegal. We'll just have to settle for bamboo or wood mekugi!

I have a different problem. On one of my gunto, the mekugi is broken off inside the hole. I guess that someone tried to remove it to unmount the blade, and being old, the mekugi broke.

What is the best way to remove the remaining piece of the peg? Any suggestions, anyone?

[H. Hoshino]

Dear fellow Japanese sword enthusiasts,

If the sword was mine, I will use the drill to get rid of the broken peg. I removed many broken pegs using the dremel machine in the past 2 decades. When I was working as a dental technician, I used the special machine that was used by the dentist to remove the peg.

Possibly, you can remove the broken peg with the sharp point like a ice pick or a poker used by the Tatami worker for replacing the Tatami mat.

Those are my suggestions. Someone else may have better solution for your problem.

Sincerely,

H. Hoshino / On a Happy Day in San Francisco, California

[Cady Goldfield]

Thank you for the suggestion. I had thought about trying with an ice pick or nut pick, but the ones I had were too large and clumsy to use.

It's sort of like removing a stuck cork from a wine bottle. I wish I had a very small corkscrew...but I do have a very small drill bit.

[ulvulv]

what about old shinai-parts, the bamboo should be strong enough or what? What is the japanese word for the bamboo-parts?

[H. Hoshino]

Dear fellow martial artists,

I am not an expert of Shinai ( Bamboo sword ) or Take-zaiku-shi ( Bamboo craftman ), however, I can share some informatin with you.

The modern-day Shinai was used among the Kendo-ka since the 13th Shogun Ieharu ( 1737 - 1786 ) was in power. The official length 3 Shaku 8 Sun was established since the 3rd year of Ansei ( 1856 ) at the Koubusho ( Martial Art Training Hall ) in Tsukiji area of Tokyo ( Edo ).

The word Shina-e was previously used. The literal meaning of Shinae means " whip cord " or " bend backward with tension ". The modern day Kanji " Shina-i " or " Bamboo sword " is currently used in the Japanese language. This Kanji is often mistakenly read or pronounced as Chiku-to by the Do-shirouto ( Pure amateur ).

The 4-piece Shinai is officially called as Yottsu-wari Shinai or Yotsu-wari Shinai.

We have tried to used this bamboo as a Mekugi, somehow, they did not work as well as the Hashi ( Chop sticks ). Probably we must use the different species of bamboo. There are over 400 different kinds of bamboo growing in Japan.

Will be talking with you again.

Sincerely,

H. Hoshino / A Happy Day in San Francisco, California


PS. I have a good story about the Okite ( Unspoken rules & regulations ) followed by the Sanzoku ( Bandit ), involving the Fundoshi ( Loin cloth ).


PPS. Our new Governor said Califoonia or Kalifornia ! I'll be back !

[Eric Baluja]

Mr. Hoshino,

By chance, are you the same Harunaka Hoshino from San Francisco who was the head of the "Ninja Empire" in the late 1980's/early 1990's, and author of the video set entitled "Ninja Style Kenjutsu"? Unless I am thinking of a different person, I believe that you are now in charge of the San Francisco Japanese Sword Society.

http://members.aol.com/Sfkatana/

I believe that I've seen you at a few shows in the past. You usually had a very large booth with more than a couple swords for sale. I may be thinking of a different person however... You seem to know quit a bit about Nihonto. Please feel free to share your background with us so we know who we are speaking with. Are you a member in good standing with the NBTHK, NTHK, JSS/US, or San Francisco Token Kai?


Thank you in advance for your reply,

Sammy Briggs
Hokuzan Dojo From this (http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=23805) thread. No answer yet. Please peruse said thread for important information about Mr. Hoshino.

[ulvulv]

Spinoff-question on shinai: What is the japanese term for a single shinai-bamboo-part?

[hyaku]

The triangular sections that make up the tsuka part on adults shinai are fine. Older bamboo is far more fibrous and even better soaked in oil.

As I said before you can whittle them down or better still using the side of a grindstone wheel it takes minutes. Just make a slight taper. Then lightly tap it into the wide sided hole of the tsuka until it fits. Mark of the places to cut, trim to size, round off the tips and voila. One very cheap home made mekugi.

I would not advise using any kind of metal. The peg acts act a shock absorber. Bamboo is an amazing substance and sometimes better that carbon fibre in the aircraft industry as it does not shatter.

Hyakutake Colin

P.s Shinai strips are called Take