Anyone Have Long-term Experience with Japanese-Style Take-Downs?

Rick Marchand

Rick Marchand

Donkey on the Edge
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I am looking for comments with regard to long-tern use/wear/degradation. Does the assembly loosen at all over time? are they more subject to expansion and contraction? That sort of thing. I am interested in exploring this style of handle mount.

Specifically under heavy use, in all types of environments. Who has been using these babies for realz?
 
I'll test one for you :)
 
Rick,
i don't have first hand experience, but i know that wear may take place only on the peg, wich is then substitute to recover snug fitting.
Generally taking it apart frequently is what promotes wear. Japanese nihonto maintenance drill dictate changing the peg each time.
 
Lycosa said:
Good question.
Can you contact Tom Mariner? (sp)
rolf
Click to expand...

Tom used a completely different approach to his take-down system....never used a peg, it was all steel and similar to the toggle arrangement on a Luger bolt.
 
Are you talking about Tom Maringer's take-downs?

Dave's(Crossed Heart Forge) recent lawnmower blade Nata build thread lit the fire under my butt to get on this.
 
Always wondered the same thing Rick. Would love to try the concept but was afraid that too many disassembling /reassembling would loosen it.
I am looking forward to hearing more about this. Thanks.
 
I'm thinking if it is properly sealed(inside and out) that the pin/dowel and perhaps a spacer adjustment would keep it properly maintained. The concept fascinates me because of the possibilities and options.

-Cleaning and maintaining of the blade made easy.
-Alternate handles for a favorite blade.
-Alternate blades for a favorite handle.

I was going to post this in Shop Talk but felt it better to get input from a more evenly dispersed crowd of collectors, users and makers.
 
why not use the traditional method with different materials? Like a titanium pin, or maybe two?
Now you got me thinking....
 
That is what I'm thinking. Though, not much to improve on design except materials... Everything stabilized and wear resistant.
 
I have heard that the Seppa and other washer like fittings would be changed out or added to over the years to account for wear. Every once in a while the blade is polished and new fittings are made... often with several in rotation.

Walter Sorrells has a great series of videos on the subject... I'm gearing up for some traditional blades myself and find them intriguing.
 
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Hi Rick

How ya been buddy

I have

20 + years ago I carried a Michael Bell Wakizashi strapped on a day pack for a 22 day trip in Zimbabwe

I didn't chop wood with it but I did light camp work clearing brush etc

The Japanese have been utilizing this type of mount for generations and it has proved itself in battle IMHO like no other blade

Most blades that are destined for hard use would probable utilize a two Meguki type setup

The Meguki for your application might be made of something other than bamboo or wood ..... Maybe some short of fibers is phenolic or titanium

I don't know titaniums shear strength

What you use for Seppa would be very important also

For a normal use blade I think this way of mounting would more than suffice but for a very hard use chopping piece I would think a different mounting set up might be preferred
 
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I totally have! Man, my memory SUCKS!

In '09 I got my hands on a huge bowie made by Shosui Takeda, which had a ferrule, half tang, one piece oak handle, held together with a bamboo pin. I put a thread together but unfortunately there are no pics so it's boring. I pulled out the pin and put something metal in there, epoxied the tang and wrapped it all up with hemp twine, then sealed it with spar varnish. I used it a bit as it came from where it came from, and it developed play really quickly, and tore my hands up some.

It was an excellent knife, and held up under various weather conditions, doing the type of work I usually put knives through, which could be considered abusive. Especially after the modifications, which made it feel much more solid and infinitely more comfortable, (I reshaped the handle as well).
 
I have often thought of trying a pin set up as in a 1911 main spring housing. I just havent put pen to paper to work it out yet.
 
One of my SD carry knives is set up that way-mostly so I can show folks the tang construction at shows. It doesn't get much camp/utility use but it's cut a lot of tatami omote and bamboo-aluminum guard, walnut grip and aluminum pin.
The only rattly bit was the guard, and that just needed a couple punch marks on the back.
Collaring wood handles helps too-didn't do that with mine.
Shiva Ki's spirit knives are usually takedowns, if I remember correctly. That's what inspired mine.
 
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I think just one mekugi is the way to go. If you put 2 one is not in tension.
Also the material, bamboo won't slip and is elastic...there is a reason why they didn't use steel against the wooden handle.
I am pretty confident there will not be abuse which will shear the peg without otherwise breaking the knife, plus it's cheap to substitute.
Ok i'm hooked....now i have to try :)
 
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