Mekugi pins?

[obiwanknabbe]

Does anyone have any thicker pins? My wife bought me a sword for my birthday (am I a lucky man or what!), but the mekugi was frail and snapped. I dont have any spares. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Almost best and quickest way is to buy some bamboo knitting needles of the required gauge, chop off the ends, and sand off.

[ROKUJURO]

I have found bamboo with a wall thickness of up to 10 mm in hardware stores.

[Franco]

Mekugi pins can sometimes be found on ebay and Etsy.

 

You might also try contacting saya makers like Brian Tschernega or John Tirado.

[The Blacksmith]

I used to use bamboo chopsticks. Easily and cheaply available. They are tapered and easily cut to size. Just slightly round off the ends and there you have it, and they make quick good mekugi.

[OceanoNox]

Mekugi should be made of strong bamboo, ideally smoked. You can buy some here: https://www.namikawa-ltd.co.jp/product/143

 

Otherwise, the next best thing is following this: https://ejmas.com/ti...nart_fowler_0502.htm

If you use store bought bamboo, use the bamboo near the outer surface, where the fibers are dense.