How to Repair the Koiguchi of a Katana
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- Keeping the koiguchi of your katana in good shape is important for proper technique and for safety, whether you use an iaito (a katana with a dull edge) or a shinken. Standard dojo etiquette disclaimer: If your sensei teaches you a different way, please follow your sensei's instructions.
Looking at the comments I think you could drink free beer anywhere in the country. You saved all of us time, money, and frustration.
Thank you..thank you..thank you! I almost shimmed mine on the sides as another video instructed, but somehow that just didn't sound right. Instinctively I knew outward pressure could cause a separation. My husband had already brought me a lifetime supply of hinoki veneer from his last trip to Japan...twenty pieces about twice the size of those you cut from...I could go in the hinoki business. I glued it with Elmers, filed it to almost fit..a little less than a 2mm gap. I reasoned the gap would allow me quite a while before it wore down again. Perfect..now I'm back to safe again. Your video was a great help! Good job..
Glad you found it helpful.
During endless hours of practice, i scratched a hole into the ha-side of my saya. Bought a bone nut from a local guitar store, sawed and filed it into shape and glued it in (water resistant woodglue). After the glue dried, i filed the rest of the bone piece, so my iaito would fit in.
Did this in 2015/16 and it's still in there :)
I made the fix with a piece of birch vaneer. It worked great. Thanks
arigato! i have been having issues with my clan sakai katana and tanto slipping easily from their saya. being i use them for not only cutting practice, i rely on them for home defense as well as a second to my firearm, but i've also used them consistently to get rid of opossums and things that threaten my cats. so a loose saya is a no go. i have needed this dearly, and sadly in my kendo, kenjutsu, and iajutsu classes i have only ever been taught how to use and maintain the blade, and not maintaining or restoring the saya. again, thank you for the much needed help!
Very fine job. Well done and thank you, Paul.
Awesome! Paul, you keep making videos that I am always wanting to make but you are so much better at it. The benefit of mitorigeiko, how to fix a koiguchi - these were all in the plan, man!
Many thanks and please keep up the good work and stay healthy.
Thanks, Andy. All the best to you.
Sir I want to thank you for sharing this very valuable information.
Thanks for the video. I am about to attempt this on my iaito saya.
Thanks for this, Paul! Any suggestions on where to get the hinoki veneers?
New subscriber…Thank you sir!
Excellent how to video. Thanks
Thank you for the explanation. I wanted to make sure I heard correctly, Tulip poplar and Alder tree wood? I did not want to misspell the name
That's correct -- tulip poplar and alder.
@@PaulHBShin thank you! 🙂
Very useful! I used a piece of duct tape which also worked very well!
That may be a temporary hack, but not something I'd recommend.
I was thinking you will use the sides...but Thank you
Thank you very much for the video. My tonto has become very loose and what you've shown will help greatly.
I'm also curious to know if you could help me out with something. I'm looking for a reputable retailer where I can purchase an authentic, Japanese made tonto. Nothing too extravagant but a real working tonto. Something in the $300-$500 range. I've seen many different sites but figured you would know far more than I about who to trust. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
A tanto made by a bona fide swordsmith may run you a bit more than that, even for one that's not so extravagant.
@@PaulHBShin The tonto I own now is very nice but it was not swordsmithed in the traditional Japanese way. It's heavier than it should be, it's balance is off, and its overall quality isn't very good. I'd be willing to go up to around 1K but if I have to go further than that I'll need to do a little more saving. Any ideas of a good swordsmith to check out that's not going to break the bank?
@@separator94 I'm not really a collector, so alas I'm not that familiar with dealers. But this guy is a very knowledgeable swordsmith. Maybe he could point you in the right direction. ruclips.net/user/slappybuckshot
@@PaulHBShin Thank you! I'll check him out.
Pretty good, my Koiguchi is a metal one and after 8 years it got lose, so it's now apart from the sheath, the sheat is outside wood and inside some little plastic, the Koiguchi ist real metal, could you give me some advide what for a glue I should use to fix it together? It was glued at the outside of the sheath (plastic) and at the inside of the Koiguchi, so some superglue applied with a small brush would work or not?
Many thanks in advance, looking forward to your fast answer :)
And a pretty good video you've made here, really good :D
Not quite sure from your description how the koiguchi of your sword is constructed. Generally speaking, you don't want to use adhesives like super glue. If it's wood, then regular carpenter's wood glue would be good.
@@PaulHBShin sorry of course I can show you, here: i.imgur.com/bJn5O0r.jpg
(I know the pic is small, made it with the smartphone) ^^'
The white at the sheath is the plastic in it, the red is the wood with paint varnish, the Koiguchi lies between the sheath and the blade ^^
(dunno if some wood glue will do at that (thick?) and smooth layer of varnish), the Koiguchi was mostly attached to the outer sheath, the wood.
And thank you very much for your kind and helpful reply :D
@@creat_yve This doesn't appear to be a sword made by a swordsmith, but rather a factory blade. If so, it's not really critical what type of adhesive you use. I would start with the wood glue (since it is the least aggressive and also reversible) and then try a stronger glue if that doesn't work.
Yeah it is, it's from a weapon shop, but not a cheap product, some of it is actually handmade, here in Germany you don't get much real (whole) handmade swords. The only thing that irritates me is this small plastic piece that serves as an attachment for the koiguchi. That's why I didn't known what kind of glue was right. I'll try it with the wood glue as you'd say.
Thank you very much, it's so kind of you giving my problem some thoughts and giving me such nice advises :)
this sword's already over 8 years old and I would think it would be a shame if only because of that it would no longer be good, after I took so much care of it all these years ^^'
If I'm gonna buy a real handmade sword someday, it will be a Jiang, my favorite sword :)
(Because it's more robust than European and Japanese and also easier to handle for a petite person like me. Nothing against the japanese swords, but they only one-edged) :)
ive had my katana since i turned 5 thx for this video
Wtf
You're friggin 5 you need to pass elementary first
@@hmuphilly9129 i said i had it since five..
@@Kris4Prez i bet your still like 10 years old wow
Great video but you should use a pointer or pen to point the location. I find it a little confusing about the location.
I've used maple veneer with good result FWIW
dziekuje za zwrócenie uwagi że powinno sie to naprawić żeby miecz trzymał sie dobrze w pochwie ja myślałem że mój miecz jest zle wykonany bo sie obluzował a to sie poprostu wyrobiło od wyjmowania miecza.Chciałem zapytać o sznurowania samurajskie tułowia bo wiem że jest coś takiego i sam sobie sznurowanie wykonałem z 3 linek,wiąże sie nimi brzuch i biodra i do nich przymocowuje sie miecze i nóż.Czasami sie sznuruje żeby schudnąć na tydzień albo półtora tygodnia i to sznurowanie było jedną z tajemnic samurajskich inaczej sznuruje sie łydki a inaczej tłów powstaje takie bardzo obcisłe body ze sznurów.
Hi Paul. My saya does not have a buffalo horn koiguchi. How would I go about fitting one?Thank you :)
Where can I buy / source this thin wood for repair pls?
Japanese suppliers? Australian ? I am in australia
Thanks
Alexander
Try to find the closest relative to one of these three tree species: Magnolia, tulip poplar (aka yellow poplar), alder. The wood used in Japan is honoki. These are all species with minimal tree resin. Then see if a local carpenter or woodworker can get you some thin shavings.
Okay, this fixes one problem with my new shirasaya tanto, but I still have to fix the split handle and figure out what is rattling inside the handle. Should I just send it back?
Is this a shinken? How long have you had it?
I don't know what a shinken is, but I can tell you that I bought it off ebay, and it just arrived today. It is handmade in Lanquan China, and it is a folded T-10 steel, kiriha-zukuri style 13" blade, rosewood shirasaya tanto. A really badass and beautiful short sword. I just sent the seller a message saying that instead of returning it, I'll accept a small refund and repair it myself.
The rattle in the handle sounds like a cross between a rainstick and a baby rattle. Is this intentional? Is that was a shinken is?
Shinken is a basically a real sword made by a swordsmith using traditional techniques -- folding, forging, etc. Sounds like you sword is factory made. I can't really say what's causing the rattle in the handle. So it's basically up to you whether you return it or not.
@@honorb4glory606 "The rattle in the handle sounds like a cross between a rainstick and a baby rattle. Is this intentional?"
A properly made sword, whether a tanto or a daito or any other Japanese-style sword, shouldn't "rattle." It sounds like the opening in the inside of the handle that should snuggly fit the tang of the blade was too large, and they tried to shim it with something that instead came loose. Also, as Paul Shin said, "shinken" (真剣) is a "live blade," one that is made of steel and is sharp, as opposed to an "iaito" that is made with a non-sharpened alloy blade, or a "mogito" that is made with a dulled steel blade. So it's been a year since your post; what did you do?
Hi Paul. Struggling to source suitable veneers. Someone online suggested bamboo. Would madake work. I have old take that I could plain to produce a thin enough piece. Do you think that would work or is that a bad idea do you think ?
I've been told that bamboo has substances in it that can scratch the habaki, and even dull the blade if you put it on the ha side of the koiguchi. If you have a plane, you could get a block of alder, walnut, or oak, and plane off your own veneer. A block of magnolia would be even better. Avoid cherry and hickory, because they sometimes have resin pockets.
@@seikibrian8641 thanks that's very helpful.
Is the Tsuka-ito on your sword lacquered?
Nope. Don't think I've seen any sword with lacquered tsuka-ito.
ありがと。
To much to as for links in the description of where you purchased the hinoki wood I guess huh or some online store that sells them or some kind of other meta tags that can be search with on amazon or the web just in general ... great
Is there any websites I can order the wood from so I may repair mine
I'm not aware of any websites where you can order the wood. Best option locally would be to see if there's a hardware store near you that carries small quantities of the wood species that I mentioned and create shavings yourself. Or ask any friends/acquaintances who may be woodworkers.
@@PaulHBShin thank you
Sorry for my comment thank you for the advice anyways may life bless you. And if the blade unsheathed or not takes us to the path of hell no matter what form may we both go there.
The only thing that I would add is that it is okay to not have the koiguchi flush against the tsuba, but rather be tight with a 2-3mm gap.
Yup, I agree.
Yes but then you have the problem that the fit is to tight and you can't release the sword with your thumb.
***** I've never had that problem. If done properly, the katana will fit completely into the saya if pushed, but it will be very tight. With the gap I've described, that would be the way you store and use your katana for iaido and there shouldn't be any problem with release. It's recommended that you buy or make one of those small leather disc-looking pieces that fits between the tsuba and the koiguchi just to maintain that gap when your katana is being transported in the case. Especially when you start using a shinken, the last thing you want is your katana falling out of the tsuba unexpectedly.
Bradley Anderson FYI, for those out there looking to buy one of those leather discs (or asking someone to get it for you) in Japan, it's called a "koiguchi-kun."
Bradley Anderson I always have that problem and usually have to sand every shim I use.
Help i tried cleaning out my scabbard using paper and a small metal rodd. Now paper got stuck at the bottom. And i cannot get it out.
The wax is still in there. And the scabbard is now ruined. All i can think of is pushing the sword in and hoping the piece of cloth at the bottom doesnt get more stuck and the blade will still fit.
Or try and burn it out? But its all the way at the bottom and the scabbard outside might crack and burn.
Has anyone had this happen before? And fixed this? Or should i throw the scabbard away?
Sorry to hear this. When you say wax, what kind of wax are you referring to? And what were you using the wax for?
@@PaulHBShin i believe its a coating that was put in there by Ryujin themselves to preserve the blade during long shipments. Is what i was told by others.
@@raycheldiaz3176 Not familiar with that practice of using wax. That's a new one to me. I'm guessing this is a factory-made sword and not a shinken made by a swordsmith?
How do you tie the knot on the sageo?
That's something that your sensei or sempai could show you pretty quickly. Best to ask them.
plzz can you tell any alternative of that wooden. because i live in india and can't find. it
Hmm. Hard for me to say since I don't know the kinds of wood available in India. Basically you have to find a type of wood that is relatively free of resin.
I used a thin rubber piece (5mm long, 3mm wide), cut from the gasket of a deodorant can. I only had to scrape out 5mm of the thin wood at the very end of the opening, just enough so the rubber pad doesn't press into the habaki too hard. Works like a charm.
Hello I was wondering I just got a katana and there string on it what should i do with it
Where is the string? And where did you get the sword and what do you intend to use it for? This will inform my answer.
@@PaulHBShin well I the sword itself is for presentation purposes and I’m not sure where the sword is from I got it for Christmas and the string is on this case
@@manuelflores5548 By string, do you mean the sageo?
@@PaulHBShin that’s probably what it is I’m sorry I don’t know a lot of this terms I just got a katana
@@manuelflores5548 Check out this video. You'll see if it's the sageo that you're referring to. ruclips.net/video/Wfq7QRzZMLs/видео.html
Same happen to my sword but it was thin foam inside and I accidentally took it out, so how I can fix it?
Do you mean there was thin foam inside the saya?
Paul Shin yes
@@nickzapotocky1689 If you have foam inside the saya, then it may be a decorative sword rather than a shinken or iaito. What do you use the word for?
Paul Shin I will take pic of my sword and send to you
Does anyone know where I might be able to buy some vaneer
Amazon?
Nice. Gonna get me one first paycheck at ne job. For $159 and it meets with your approval. I know I can get her stupid sharp and get rid of the fake hamon. Dude. Get a 5000 grit red line belt. Sometimes you don't even need to strop.
Where i can buy that picies ?
What are picies?
@@PaulHBShin the smal wood picies, please
@@GiorgioCa99 Ah, the think wooden pieces. Not sure which country you're in, but if you're outside of Japan, unlikely that you'll be able to buy those where you are. Best to see if there's a local carpenter that you can befriend who can give you some thin shavings from the species of wood that I mentioned in the video.
@@PaulHBShin thanks you very much, have i nice day ❤️
やはり朴に限るのですね。
how about using a material stronger than wood? like resin?
Absolutely not. You will scratch the polish on the sword. Honoki wood is quite soft.
Paul Shin even if you smooth out the resin? How about other polymers?
Yup. Even if you smooth it out. I guess you could experiment with other polymers, but do so at your own risk. If it's a saya for an iaito, then maybe. But if it's a shinken, then I would be very cautious before using something that hasn't stood the test of time.
Paul Shin gotcha, thanks!
Oh magnolia
Watch your thumb placement.
Bull horn
Wood filler, Then sand, Let rest, Done.
It will damage the habaki and maybe the sword. Used to make my living doing this. And regrettably I have tried what you suggest...stick to the shims. Any seasoned medium hard wood is ok. I used yellow poplar.
How dare you Nippon style katana sword lover if this is a trick to the hell's of your way of life hope of loss to Nippon from an Okinawan Òshoú student and essence practioner.