How to Disassemble a Katana
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Maintaining your equipment properly is an integral part of the discipline of kendo and iaido. And if you practice iaido, you should know how to disassemble your katana safely and without damaging it.
Dojo etiquette disclaimer: If your sensei shows you a different way, please follow the instruction of your own sensei.
Right to the point, detailed description and no add breaks or anything. Great video Sensei!
Thanks Paul. I've read descriptions of the process, but a visual aide makes many points much clearer.
Thank you Paul! I truly appreciate you taking the time to explain the proper technique so that I can do it properly and safely, as you describe!
Obviously he is very knowledgeable. Spoke clearly and used the proper Japanese terminology for the names of the parts of the katana. Very, very good tutorial - I learned what I needed and a little extra. Thank you
Thank-you for a well presented and informative lesson.
A beautiful short video [less than 10 min] showing exactly what it is meant to show without superfluous statements and with utmost clarity. These are the perfect type of instructional videos!
Arigato gozaimasu shita. My Katana started rattling a bit and I didn't feel safe practicing with it in fear of hurting others. The little trick with the paper solved my problem immediately. Now I just disassemble every so often to put anti-corrosion oils and change the little paper. Thank you so much.
This really helped just was surprised how tight the fittings on my katana were
After 35+ years of Iaido (and 59 years in Budo) I find it difficult to understand why anyone would own a Katana without knowing it's basics. Thank you for a much needed reminder of what is proper etiquette when caring for the Soul of the Samurai.
Anyone interested in Japanese Steel needs to watch your videos, and often.
a katana is like a car, you need to know how to use it in order to even own one
A katana is part of a thousands of year old history, maybe hard to understand for people who live in the USA (a country, or colony, that almost has no history) but the history, the culture and spiritual aspects of the Samurai are very important. I dont think its something to "just consume"... I have just read some things about shinto believes, Buddha, japanese society in the Edo-era and classics like the book by Musashiand it still feels like having understood just a very few bits here and there. The spiritual understanding is very important in my opinion - even more than the "sport"-side of Iaido, Backyard- or Freestycutting etc.
eh, it's a cool weapon. It can be just a cool prop, a toy or even just decoration to someone
considering the rise in popularity of anime, many fans simply like it superficially.
thank you for brother, for sharing your technique how to assemble & disassemble of KATANA. i really want to have SAMURAI sword.
from phillipines
Very informative and helpful. Thank you. I have 3 WW2 Katana Samurai Swords. (as well as an incredible blade in a wooden saya that belonged to a Japanese Lieutenant General in WW2 but the handle was never finished. It is in a purple silk case with red tassels.) I am trying to dis-assemble them to see the tang, but am struggling. The wooden one is no problem and has writing on both sides. The 3 military style ones have metal scabbards and painted metal handles, and 2 of them have screws instead of mekugis. I can remove one screw, but the other is really stuck and I do not want to damage the head. The third one has no apparent screw or mekugi. All 3 also have a triangular wire piece at the back of the handle that seems to go all the way through. Perhaps as part of the way to attach the sword to the wearer. If you have any suggestions on how to take the handles off, not covered in this video, or if there are other ways the swords may be put together, I would be most appreciative. Thanks again for the video.
The WW2 katana are what are known as "kunto" -- "kun" for military and "to" for sword. They are generally -- but not always -- swords that are mass-produced in factories, rather than produced by bona fide swordsmiths, hence the mass-produced "furniture," such as screws instead of mekugi, etc. If you're really set on trying to see the tang, it's best to send them to someone who knows what they're doing (I can put you in touch with someone, depending on which part of the country you're in). But with kunto, the vast majority of times, the tang is not signed, and it's generally not worth your time trying to disassemble it. That's why kunto are often used for tameshigiri, because you don't have to worry about ruining a good blade.
Thanks for a very helpful video
Thank You , was able to replace my tsuba with a decorative "gold leaf rose" tsuba quickly and without any damage .
Myomoto Musashi Nice!
I kind of want to make my own fittings but I'm worried I'll make an irreversible mistake
@@blacktemplar2207 same
A new process learned. Thank you, Sir. I'll try it. 😐
Newspaper or cardboard laid over the blade would help for newcomers who have not had experiences with hammers you do not want to hit the blade
I know something a bit more Durable than a piece of paper..Cut a soda can in half trace the tsuba on it and then cut That out with the exacto knife. Then rinse it under a some water wipe it off and wahla stronger attachment. You can using a pair of plyers bend the soda can aka the aluminum sheet and thus fold it to strengthen the bond more but that's a little extra effort..
That's a fabulous idea! Thanks.
I have a green katana and i wanted to find out the maker of the blade without breaking it. This video is very helpful. Thanks.
Thank you this help me change my habaki but it was a little too short but it helped me figure out how to do it for next time thank you!
great .i wish i had an original Katana from the Land of rising sun
Thank you for making this video🙏
excellent.
Simple slow steps to follow and attention not to damage your sword in the process.
Thanks ! 👍
Thanks something started to rattle in the handle or the tang of my sword it’s not original it looks good.
Did this help fix the problem?
Thanks Paul! my uncle wanted to own a katana so I showed him your video
master my blade is old I saved it when the person sold it to me the rust was unbearable the meat of the blade was too thick it was almost 2 inches I'm in a process of giving it a saya, a wrap and sharpening
I have a question what type of shop you recommend for a cleaning kit?
Would be interested in seeing a photo of it after it's restored.
Good stuff. Thanks, Paul!
Nice tip, piece of paper to make a tight fit. Well done informing video. Thanks
Thnx alot, someone gave me a katana but the blade is old and dull, almost everything is loose, and th handlebarr wood is old to, i dont know anything of katanas but im trying to learn and this helped alot
I like your disclaimer at the end. :p thanks for the reference, Paul.
Prefer the katana with two pegs. One wooden peg holding the ENTIRE assembly together is asking for trouble imo. Mine has two pegs, but I have a Wakizashi that is held with only one peg and the blade started to rattle fairly quick. The handle probably needs to be cut WAY more precisely so it friction holds the tang in if it's only one peg, otherwise the tang pivots inside the handle.
That's a good point, but the japanese have been making them with only one mekugi for many many hundreds of years. One very important note not mentioned is that when tanto, wakizashi and katana where being made, they would taper not only the mekugi itself, but also inside the mekugi ana in the nakago. Modern renditions typically aren't made this way which is not so great. It should really only go in one way. You might find that a custom made tapered mekugi pin made from buffalo horn or even brass may help fix that sort of movement provided that the seppa and habaki are properly fitted, flat, and aligned first.
"First you need to take out the mekugi. There is a miniature hammer specifically designed for taking out the mekugi. There is a pin that comes with the hammer. To remove this pin you will need to have an even smaller hammer." 1:41
Not a katana, but am trying to disassemble my sword. Unfortunately the tang is a threaded bolt that is submerged in resin, might have to destroy the grip and make a new one. All just to straighten the blade 🤪
Another reason to remove the handle is for auction identification and authentication.
Very nice video
3:04 ooooof! 9 strikes to the wrist? I thought it could be done in two or even *one* by experts! Was this a particularly difficult bade to get out? Rust, moisture etc?
Do I push on the larger, raised bump or on the other side of the mekugi?
Not sure what you mean by the "larger, raised bump." Can you describe further?
Screw it, I give up. I have hammered until the wood has cracked, and it still isn't coming off.
Yeah. Sometimes it's REALLY hard to get off if you're doing it for the first time. You have to be really patient with it.
Paul Shin True, I got it now. Thank you.
If I really wanted to, could I just not put the tsuba back on, and put everything back together excluding the suba?
Nope. Because all the fittings, including the handle, would then be loose. That's what the seppa is for -- to create a tight compression fit. Without the tsuba, you'd have a huge gap.
Paul Shin Okay, thanks
Very understandable, I like it! Helpful!
This was extremely helpful. Thank you
it seems like my sword, who I named akaiittou, tang is stuck in the tang
The company that made it probably apoxied it in there. Best to just leave it honestly as you will most likely have to actually break the handle off and then go to work removing the apoxy, and attaching all new fittings. Believe me the thought has crossed my mind, but i figure with a cheap blade like that, probably better to just buy the real deal when you can save up the cash.
small smooth strikes with a heavy hammer is ALWAYS better than a lot of heavy strikes from a small hammer. A plastic 1lb deadblow is a much better choice
thanks
Thank you.
Thanks
Thanks
Excellent tutorial. Thank you!
Hello, I tried this on my katana which I bought from Yarinohanzo, a practical Carbon Steel Iaito. On the website, it did say that this katana can be disassembled like a real katana. So I got up to removing the Mekugi but when it came to holding the tsuka with the blade away from me, and bashing my forearm with the other one(kind of hurt a bit but hey that's fine), I did this really hard and it didn't even come loose. So I bought that maybe I was doing something wrong so I put the mekygi back in and the katana is completely solid. So I thought I should maybe get confirmation of what went wrong before I continue to try again. Thanks for this helpful video though.
Some factory-made swords cannot be disassembled like a bona fide shinken. That being said, even if it's a shinken, taking off the tsuka for the first time can be tricky, as I mentioned in the video. Do you need to dissemble the sword for a particular reason?
Paul Shin Ok thanks. I misunderstood the part of removing the tsuka, I was thinking that you are meant to use the hand and wrist method before using the wooden block. From what I have heard, the sword is made in Lonquan China, and then shipped to Italy to be stored and then sold on the website. The reason why I would like to disassemble it is because a while ago I started Iaido and I am still using a bokuto. However I am about to move onto an Iaito. But my Sensei said that before I start using my Iaito sword I should first check if it is properly secured with mekugi, and not glued on. They are really quite strict with this as they have had incidents in the past where students have come along with a really cheap katana where the tang was glued to the tsuka (they didn't know this as they had never checked) and the sword came flying off the tsuka across the dojo. So since then, to prevent that happening again, your katana has to be checked for safety before being used. Even though it says on the website "properly fixed with mekugi and full tang", websites can be sketchy.
@@blacktemplar2207 Yes, they should indeed be strict about safety. Because of the potential safety issues, at our dojo, you're allowed to use either an iaito or a bona fide shinken. That is, no factory-made swords allowed. I recall there was an incident at a regional seminar where someone with a factory-made sword had the blade break off at the tsuka.
@@PaulHBShin my katana doesn't have the thing you called it in the beginning of the video I don't know how to spell it but I hope you know what I'm saying but the tuska on my katana is very loose are there any other ways of disassembling a katana
@@orenthieusmays4855 Are you talking about the mekugi -- small peg that goes into the handle?
Thank you Paul, great video
Thank you.
very informative thank you
Such a beautiful weapon.
😮😮😮😮😍😍😍
i actually just wanted to find out how blades fitted in the handle but the is was
I'm pretty sure the idiot who owned my katana before me fckin glued the handle to the tang. I cannot, for the life of me get it off!
Now the tsuba Is all loose and there's not a lot I can do without potentially harming the blade as I can't take the handle off! *Frustrating!*
Oh dear. That's indeed frustrating.
Thank you 🙏
It don't work for me... My iaito blade don't want to get out
I count out it out it was to hard whit arm and the pice of wood and hammer
The pin itself is called the Mekugi and the hole is called the Mekugi-Ana at least on Japanese swords.
My tsuka is completely stuck. I will need to use a dremel to cut it in half to remove it. If I try to force it out, an accident might just happen.
Woah. Before you take a drastic step, is there a reason you absolutely NEED to disassemble the sword? Also, are you sure this is a bona fide shinken and not a decorative or factory-made sword?
im making one myself, and this is helpful, im trying to make it semi realistic (can dis-assemble) and make it full-tang, so i can use it for practice if i want to
ok well the blade is going to be made out of mild steel, but its the best i can do
Should i attach the blade to handle with one or two wooden pins? wouldnt two be more sturdy?
Thanks for this video🙏...Blade coming loose with the tsuka🤦♂️that's the worst
what if the habaki is stuck, mines stuck and theres rust building under it and i’d like to get it looking nice again bug cabt remove it soooooooo yk
Is it a shinken made by a swordsmith? Or a factory blade with a live edge? Or an iaito?
@@PaulHBShin i believe it was hand made (yes sharp) but other than that thats all i know,
How to fix a loose tsuka?
My katana has one Mekugi
Try using the paper method that I mention in this video. Paper in the shape of a seppa.
Hi, got an old katana today(got no idea which year and what type it is) Anyone with experience and knowledge to help me? Would appreciate it 😊
Helpful I have to completely refurbish a blade that I got from my sister and she manicured it
wow everyone who has one should know this and i had no idea. Having everything held by a pin is convenient but scary that it's not more commonly known.
les coups de maillet en cuivre sur la goupille et la tresse me font dresser les cheveux ! autre chose , le chasse goupille est d'un diamétre trop petit et doit lesser des traces ..
Meguki doesn't look tapered to me.
Thank you, from a brand new Iaidoka.
Beautiful
The attention to detail is excellent.
Really usefull...Thanx
This was helpful thx!
very nice blade you have there
Once you get the handle off what is the Japanese writing on the inside mean?
If there is indeed writing, it's usually the swordmaker's signature.
I'm certain the answer will be something along the. lines of "that's what you get for buying cheap equipment". A more helpful answer would be appreciated. While my katana (not cheap) is in fine condition, my to is a rattle trap, and.appears to have no megugi. There is a hole where one would expect the megugi to be, and there is what appears to be a second megugi, but only on one side and not one opposite. Anyone ever have this issue?
If it's not the mekugi that's holding the handle secure to the tang, then do you know what's securing the handle in place?
@@PaulHBShin I’m honestly unsure. I think it would be the other, one-sided mekugi as I don’t see anything else that would be. I will do a quick video and post on my RUclips page, showing you what I’m seeing and maybe you can offer some guidance.
@@PaulHBShin I posted the video on my RUclips
At 4:09 he mixes up omote and ura
I got a new handle for my sword thanks for the video by the way I need a new one as the handle broke when in use and sword went right in to the floor is there any metal pins I can get ? as that broke as well
I absolutely love japanese craftsmanship !!!!!
THANKS
A third reason for disasmbling a katana would be that you didn't buy a katana at all and bought a shirasaya instead! Horrible choice btw, I would rather a tsuba. What I'm going to do is that I'm going to buy a tsuba and seppa. I don't have a brass hammer with the screw on thing so can I use something else for it without damaging the mekugi or the blade itself?
Yup. You don't need the brass hammer. Just use something to hammer out the mekugi gently.
Yours look way different from the one I got on Amazon
If you got your sword on Amazon, it likely wasn't made by a swordsmith, but rather is factory made. Would caution you against trying to cut anything with it. In fact, factory made sword have been known to snap -- usually where it attaches to the handle -- just from swinging it hard. Be very, very careful.
I know it's been a while since you made a video, but would you be able to make a tutorial on how to wrap the tsukaito and correctly secure the tsuka gashira?
What is the brand of that Iaito? Looks amazing!!!
I actually don't know the brand. Got it so long ago that I quite honestly have forgotten.
What do I do if my tsuba just won't come of?
Do you have a shinken or an iaito?
I bought my first full tang katana and a new tsuba to go with it it may have one or two meguki botched that word I'm sure. What's the difference between the eel and rayskin tsuka?
Don't think I've ever encountered an eel skin tsuka. Ray skin (sa-me) is the norm.
I broke me mekogi big sad
How much was that Katana?
I have been gifted a ww2 "souvenir" katana. I must travel to get it, so it is not in my possession yet, but I have seen pictures. There are kanji in the tang. (The guy took it apart, luckily, he didn't clean the tang, but the blade appears to have been cleaned at some point).
The grip appears to be wrapped, not cast.
I am very excited to get this!
If you want to find out the provenance of the sword, you'll want to get it appraised at some point. A lot of WW2-era swords are what are known as "kunto" -- military swords -- which were generally mass produced. But if the tang is signed, maybe it was made by a swordsmith.
@@PaulHBShin , thank you. I am a U.S. Veteran, and I have studied various Martial Arts for 33 years. The katana has always fascinated me. This will be my first "real" one.
Part of me wants the blade to be an original, for its history, but ,at the same time, I would rather it be a mass produced blade, because of the same (possible) history. I hope this makes sense.
In any event. I will treasure it, simply because a fellow Veteran (even though he fought against the U.S.) carried it.
Would you happen to know where to get it appraised, or, at least, examined?
Thank you
@@adrianfirewalker4183 Which part of the country are you in?
TN
@@adrianfirewalker4183 OK. I'll ask around to see if there are any appraisers in your neck of the woods.
Where can i buy a real made katana? Not a factory made one
Hi Paul, i have a question, when i clean my shinken with oil, do i have to disassemble the sword to clean the part of the blade underneath the Habaki ?
When you say cleaning your shinken with oil, I'm guessing you mean applying oil AFTER cleaning it? (Check out my video on how to clean a shinken.) No, you don't have to clean the part of the blade hidden by the habaki -- at least not on a regular basis. That would entail disassembling the sword each time you clean it, which is not practical.
thank u so much ..
somehow i cant remove it even with an hammer and without the penkogi
Are you sure it's not a decorative sword that's not meant to be disassembled?
@@PaulHBShin hm... i didnt know about this option thank you
Does anyone know how to go about getting a Japanese sword evaluated for authenticity and value, for insurance purposes. I was gifted a Katana that was brought back during WWII, and it is painted green on the scabboard. The blade and handle appears very well put together, and very solid and heavy. I do not think the mans story was fake, but it could be, and if there was a way to determine who it belonged to I would consider getting it returned to them. Please let me know if anyone can help.
If it was brought back during WWII, then it's likely that it's a kunto -- a mass produced military sword. Have you tried taking off the handle and checking to see if there's a signature carved into the tang of the blade?
@@PaulHBShin Not yet but will do that when I get home tonight
👍👍👍👏👏👏🤗🙏 !... Bonne continuation ! ❤️...
The pin isn't there on my katana so I can't figure out how to remove the tsuka
If there's no pin, it probably means the tsuka is glued onto the tang. Probably intended as a display model, so I'd be careful about trying to disassemble it or trying to use it for practice.
Sehr gut erklärt und hat bei mir funktioniert als hätte ich noch nie etwas anderes gemacht :-)
domo paul
Thank you paul. Ican do that now on my kanta.