Mekugi Pins

[The Forest Ninja]

Hello,

 

Just wondering where You people get Your Mekugi pins for the tsuka?

 

Took apart my Hanwei Katana tonight for the 1st time and and unfortunately one of the Mekugi was impossible to take out.

So I drilled it out instead of taking a chance at damaging something else. 

 

Thanks,

[Spartancrest]

Forest, you can always use a bamboo chopstick cut to fit. I think your spelling is a little off "Mekugi" 目釘

You can also get metal antique screw through ones https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1193511145      https://www.jauce.com/auction/v1193029774  some are very decorative  https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1192803948    https://www.jauce.com/auction/b1191697412   

[FlorianB]

I used fine paint brushes serrating the upper tips off. Not bamboo, but it worked as well.

[The Forest Ninja]

4 hours ago, Spartancrest said:

Forest, you can always use a bamboo chopstick cut to fit. I think your spelling is a little off "Mekugi" 目釘

 

Mekugi it is.   

 

Thread title edited too. 

 

 

 

[zanilu]

For the shinken that I use for iaido I use susudake, cut and filed to fit the tsuka and the mekugi-ana. 

 

Susudake is smoked bamboo, thst is strong and flexible, far stronger that chopsticks bamboo. I would not trust chopsticks bamboo for my iaido practice. On the other hand if you do not intend to actually use it normal bamboo will do.

 

I usually purchase mine here https://www.namikawa-ltd.com/product/131.

 

Regards

Luca

[Bugyotsuji]

Susudake is funny stuff, and like toast, comes in various shades of burnt. It used to be very expensive some years ago.

Perhaps as old farmhouses are getting knocked down there is now more on the market? If you do find examples at antiques fairs, etc., and wish to make your own, make sure to get bamboo with thick enough walls and joints from which to fashion suitably sturdy pegs.

[OceanoNox]

Susudake is the best. Unfortunately, some sellers have the habit of burning the ends of non-smoked bamboo to give the illusion of susudake... 

Without access to susudake, there was advice on the Iaido journal, edited by Kim Taylor, a while back. I have used it to make my own: you need to cut bamboo that is on the outside of a tree grove, so that it is exposed to the wind and sun (as it should make the fibers grow stronger). Use the part between the ground and the first ring. Let it dry for some time (mine were left to dry for two years). And use the part near the outside, where the fibers are tightly packed. Then I was told that the the tightly packed section of the mekugi should be towards the kashira (and also inserted from the ura side).

[The Forest Ninja]

Just found this source in Florida.

 

https://nihonzashi.ecwid.com/Susudake-Bamboo-for-Mekugi-p115341470

 

Just found this source in Japan.

 

https://www.yamatobudogu.com/products/smoked-bamboo-for-mekugi