Fitting a Habaki

Richard, the habaki isn't final shaped yet. I still have a lot of filing to do. What I meant is I now need to shape the habaki so it fits the saya I have that came with it. Then I'll move on to the seppa and tsuba and the (oh help me) tsukamaki.
 
I made some progress today. It's not final shaped, but it slides into the koiguchi about 30% of the full length. It's a bit tight on the sides, but I think by the time I get it finished that should resolve itself so it's just the mune and ha surfaces holding it. I think I can finally start thinking about seppa and tsuba.
https://imgur.com/GczMRmK
 
Be careful fitting it. Nothing causes bad language than splitting a saya by wedging the habaki while shaping it to fit. I like it to just slip in with no resistance, but no rattle.
 
if you color the habaki with a magic marker or something, you will be able to see on the habaki exactly where the saya is touching by gently pushing it in 2 or 3 times. thats where you file the copper away.
 
Seppa and tsuba fit behind the habaki, so I wouldn't expect those to effect the saya as much, but I could very well be wrong! They effect the tsuka fitting.
 
Thanks for the comments folks. It's good to know that I have people keeping me on the straight and narrow in this new project!
I finished the final shaping and polished it a bit. It glides in and is probably 5% further in than the above pic. Putting the habaki in the koiguchi by itself I can get just a smidge of side to side wobble. I'm taking this as indicating that the sides aren't touching anything, but the mune and ha are making good contact. Since my nakago is smaller than the nakago ana I see in production seppa and tsuba that are advertised, I've ordered material for both. Guess I'll have to figure out how to fab them also.
Again, thanks for all of the help!
https://imgur.com/a/LxQDZK0
 
Seppa should be fitted closely to the nakago. Tsuba can have a much larger ana. You fit copper wedges in the ha and mune areas of the ana to make the nakago fit tight. Or make a custom tsuba and fit it to the nakago with a just barely snug fit all the way around.
 
I finally got time and material to go forward. I did a rough cut on the two seppa, carpet taped them together so they would match after shaping. I haven't decided what, if any, edge decorating I'm going to do. The tsuba still needs a little filing...
https://imgur.com/a/DwEEvZ4
 
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Multiple seppa are used to fit a replacement tsuka, or to tighten an older tsuka that has shrunk. In a first fitting, only one seppa is normally used.
If multiple seppa are used, they normally are stepped in size so the show a double face.
 
OK. I was under the impression that there was a seppa on either side of the tsuba. So the fuchi is all that presses against the tsuba. Rookie mistake. Thank you Mr. Apelt!
 
I would say it's not unheard of to have one also between the tsuba and fuchi. It's in quite a few exploded katana parts diagrams.
 
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