Cut and thrust katanas

[nana]

Sorry to bring this up on this thread but I've just been gifted with some sets of swords that are not in amazing shape blade wise but are in amazing condition handle-wise. I'm hoping to convert them from show blades to working rapier blades. Obviously I'd have to replace the blades, but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to go about making the handles work with a Darkwood blade. Thank you! Any help at all is appreciated! I've tried to find information in the search function on Tousando but I don't come up with anything.

[Please Delete]

What kinds of swords, and what kind of blades?

-Ii

[nana]

I'll post pictures later today but they are a 3 piece set of katana, wakizashi, and tanto. I just want to be able to reuse the handles for rapier since my buddy gave them to me. The blades are damaged from him trying to slice up trees and other things not meant to be cut with a chinese(yes made in china) katana blade.

[Lash]

Nana-hime are you coming to estrella ? if you are i could look at them for you . if not i will be going to the southern collegium.

[Please Delete]

The tsuka are made for a specific nakago. Granted, some of the modern factory made SLOs might also have mass produced tsuka, but they will still need that nakago. You won't be able to put a threaded tang in without major modifications. My thoughts: 1) Get a custom piece made with a nakago (you could probably send them the original blades, or at least pictures). 2) Alternatively, see about welding a nakago on to a blade. This risks a break at the weld line, so I would want someone who really knows what they are doing. 3) Take the tsuka apart completely and make a brand new one. You probably want to make sure the tang on you blade can take at least one mekugi--for C&T I would probably want two. I don't know the blade you are using and how realistic that idea is. This would also require that you build the wooden core of the tsuka all over again, and you may need new samegawa and tsukaito depending on how well the previous tsuka comes apart and how well the new tsuka matches the old. Mekugi are pretty cheap, but they can also be milled from old shinai staves or bamboo knitting needles. In general, don't use chopsticks. I've also seen metal pins, which don't break as easily but have to fit very well since they don't compress much.

Remember that it should all be a very tight fit or you will rattle, and that kind of movement introduces new stresses that can ruin the tsuka and cause critical failure if not treated properly.

-Ii

[nana]

Trying to find lost camera- sorry it's proving difficult since we've recently moved.

Thank you Ii-dono- great information! I'll see you at Southern Collegium Lash-dono! I won't be at Estrella this year I'm afraid. You promise you will be at collegium? Last time you said you'd be there to teach a class I didn't see you at all.

[nana]

Ok- after much digging and cursing I found my camera and took pictures of my swords.

Please see them on my flickr photostream. www.flickr.com/photos/shaunathescared/sets/72157629630221881/

If there are any pictures I've missed, please let me know what else you'd like to know/see of the swords. Thank you.

[tengumoon]

oravainen - you dont need to shape the tang differently to hav a curved handle - tho I do recommend have a full (or almost full) tang to deal with the forces involved with combat use

all my hilts are double pegged