EdWolf Posted July 3, 2017 Report Posted July 3, 2017 Hi to all, I have a blade and the habaki is stuck. I have tried to remove the bakabi but it’s not moving. After searching this forum I have also tried the hot water method but still no results. Anyone other ideas how to remove the habaki? BTW the hakabi is made of copper. Regards, Ed Quote
ROKUJURO Posted July 3, 2017 Report Posted July 3, 2017 I have tried to remove the bakabi but it’s not moving. After searching this forum I have also tried the hot water method but still no results. Anyone other ideas how to remove the habaki? BTW the hakabi is made of copper.Hi Ed,there seem to be more problems with this item! Maybe the hot water will help as a first step. There are special wooden tools to remove a stuck HABAKI, and you can make them yourself quite easily (http://toyamaryu.org/katana_disassembly.htm).Some years ago, Barry Thomas advised here on the NMB: Posted 02 June 2012 - 02:58 PM .....A method I have used very successfully without damage is to slowly pour a kettle of boiling water over the habaki (tang down) whilst rotating the blade. When the water is all gone take a piece of thick cloth (have it ready to hand), wrap it around the habaki, grip it tightly on the habaki, and gently (more or less...) bang the tang down on a largish block of soft wood (eg., pine in a 4 inch x 4 inch x 12 inch length). The habaki usually comes off fairly easily. If this doesn't move the habaki then one is reduced to hammering directly on it. Again, here one can still use the hot water, but use a piece of soft wood as a drift (i.e., intermediary block between the hammer and habaki). I am confident that helps! Quote
EdWolf Posted July 3, 2017 Author Report Posted July 3, 2017 Hi Jean, Sorry about the typing error. I forgot my reading glasses so my sight is little bit blurry The wooden tool looks easy to make. I will give it a try. Thanks for your reply! Regards, Ed Quote
nagamaki - Franco Posted July 3, 2017 Report Posted July 3, 2017 Hello, On 7/3/2017 at 7:14 AM, EdWolf said: Hi to all, Anyone other ideas how to remove the habaki? Regards, Ed Hello Ed, I use an L shaped piece of wood and a small hammer. First, I place the sword flat on a padded table surface with the nakago/habaki extended out over the edge. Then, clamp the blade down with either a wood clamp and padded material, or with help, padded material and by hands. Then, placing the L shaped piece of wood flat on its long wide side on the sword with the end lip against the front lip of the habaki, I gently tap the habaki off by tapping the hammer against the short end of the L piece of wood sticking up. Often this requires turning the blade over several times to tap and work the habaki off evenly. Additionally, I usually work sword oil under the edges of the habaki and let it soak before hand. This method has never not worked, and never any damage with careful attention. Quote
EdWolf Posted July 3, 2017 Author Report Posted July 3, 2017 Hi Franco, Thanks for your advice! I will give it a try. Regards, Ed Quote
Dave R Posted July 3, 2017 Report Posted July 3, 2017 Have you tried "Break Free" or other penetrating oil? Quote
EdWolf Posted July 3, 2017 Author Report Posted July 3, 2017 Hi Dave, I haven’t tried ‘break free’ or any other kind of oil. I was too afraid to ruin the patina of the nakago. I have only tried the hot water method so far. Is it safe the use these kinds of oil? Regards, Ed Quote
Dave R Posted July 3, 2017 Report Posted July 3, 2017 Personal opinion, yes it would be ok provided you then removed the oil afterwards with Isopropyl alcohol or similar. However perhaps wait for some others to weigh in with their opinion. Quote
Ken-Hawaii Posted July 3, 2017 Report Posted July 3, 2017 Habaki are made tight by necessity, Ed, but I've found that there is always one angle by which I can remove them by hand. This method takes some patience, & to be honest, it helps if you put it on yourself, which doesn't apply in your case. But I have trouble picturing a habakishi who would make one so tight that it required hammering for the initial installation. So unless your blade or habaki is damaged, please give the simple manual method a try, with a soft cloth around both blade & habaki. Good luck!Ken 1 Quote
b.hennick Posted July 3, 2017 Report Posted July 3, 2017 Make sure that you protect the blade, the habaki and yourself. Wrap the blade, clamp it in place. Gently tap against the habaki with soft wood, hit with a mallet or small hammer. Go slow. Work both sides equally. People have been badly cut trying to remove a habaki. Be careful. Habaki are relatively easy to replace, blades and fingers no so easy. 5 Quote
EdWolf Posted July 4, 2017 Author Report Posted July 4, 2017 Thanks all for your opinion. Maybe I'm to careful because I don't want to damage the blade and the habaki. Tonight, after work I will give it another try. Regards, Ed Quote
nagamaki - Franco Posted July 4, 2017 Report Posted July 4, 2017 (edited) Additional thoughts, Yes, safety first, which means being in the right frame of mind, calm and relaxed, before starting. Make certain the blade is secure. Stop if there is any sign it is not, movement. Don't try to catch a falling blade, a reflex action. Gentle [firm] tapping is all that should be needed, do not force. If you have to use excessive force then something is not right, reevaluate. Beware, there have been rare instances reported of a habaki having been soldered on. In the difficult instances of my habaki removals I found some combination of green and black crud and/or corrosion rust built up that was the problem. Gentle persuasion. Good luck. Edited July 4, 2017 by nagamaki - Franco 3 Quote
EdWolf Posted July 4, 2017 Author Report Posted July 4, 2017 Hi Franco, Thanks for the additional thoughts! Never heard about the soldered habaki. Forewarned is fore armed. Regards, Ed 1 Quote
Dr Fox Posted July 4, 2017 Report Posted July 4, 2017 Two short pieces of wood each side of the nakago, a brass bolt or rod through the wood and mekugi ana. Place blade upright in a vice. This allows a stable blade so you can access all areas. Padding the blade edge is a useful safety tip here. Slow and steady wins the race. 2 Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted July 4, 2017 Report Posted July 4, 2017 Usually a smart tap or two, using the method barry described in combination with some penetrating oil was enough for me. 2 Quote
Lance Posted April 29, 2020 Report Posted April 29, 2020 Provided a pic of tool others mentioned above, place long side of wood against blade striking downward on front of habaki with wooden mallett. Solder will make this more difficult though. Might be worth trying to contact someone like Bob Benson in Hawaii to remedy it. I don't know what he'd charge you but you could probably get some input on the mei and sword itself from him at the same time. https://bushidojapaneseswords.com/index.html Also Ted Tenold who's a member here might be able to provide guidance as well and I believe he resides in California too. http://www.legacyswords.com/about.html Regards, Lance Quote
ROKUJURO Posted April 29, 2020 Report Posted April 29, 2020 Lance,the thread is almost three years old - should be enough time to get the HABAKI off, I hope. Quote
Dave R Posted April 29, 2020 Report Posted April 29, 2020 Regarding soldered on Habaki, I have personal experience of one that was glued on with what I think was an animal glue. The prize though goes to one I saw on a militaria forum, of a shin gunto with a cast on white metal Habaki. Quote
Lance Posted April 29, 2020 Report Posted April 29, 2020 On 4/29/2020 at 9:21 PM, ROKUJURO said: Lance, the thread is almost three years old - should be enough time to get the HABAKI off, I hope. Hahaha, sorry, It was meant for the topic below, http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/31971-niji-mei-kanemoto-info/ This is what happens when multiple tabs are open looking for information. Others already provided my recommendations so all's well that ends well. Regards, Lance Quote
doomsdaymachine Posted April 30, 2020 Report Posted April 30, 2020 Just saw this. Thanks, Lance! Quote
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