Construction of a Katana

A traditional katana can be broken down into a blade, bamboo pegs (mekugi), handle (tsuka), blade collar (habaki), spacers (seppa), and guard (tsuba). They are designed to be disassembled into these parts for cleaning and maintenance.

Bushido Katana

The bamboo peg or mekugi hold the assembled katana together. There may be one or two mekugi that go through the handle and blade. These must be checked periodically and replaced when they become worn. Traditional Mekugi are tapered to lock into the holes (mekugi ana) in the handle and blade.

Bushido Handle

The blade of a katana is curved with a single edge (ha). The back of the blade (mune) has two flat surfaces. There are two notches in the blade on the edge (ha machi) and back (mune machi) that the blade collar (habaki) fits against. These notches and the hole in the tang (nakago ana) are the key mounting points of the blade.

Nakago

The blade collar (habaki) slips onto the tang (nakago) and stops at the two notches in the blade on the edge (ha machi) and back (mune machi). A spacer (seppa) acts like a washer provides a flat surface for the habaki to fit against the guard (tsuba).

Seppa and Habaki

A seppa is placed on both sides of the tsuba as it is slid onto the nakago. Katana are worn / displayed edge up and the main design on a tsuba should be upright when worn / displayed. The front of the tusba should face the handle since this is the side seen from the front when worn.

The handle (tsuka) should fit snuggly onto the nakago. A loose tsuka will quickly wear out mekugi pins. Tsuka are made to fit each sword. Production katana will sometimes be shimmed with wood veneer to make tsuka fit snuggly. The tsuka has a wooden core carved out to fit the nakago. The core is made by splitting a piece of wood down the center, carving out the pattern of the nakago, and gluing the halves back together. The wood core is then wrapped with rawhide ray skin (same’). Same’ is extremely tough and provides a very positive grip. Some katana use ray skin panels instead of wrapping the ray skin completely around the tsuka to reduce cost.

Tuska

Metal fittings (fuchi and kashira) are put on both ends of the tsuka. The fuchi provides a solid surface for the tsuba / seppa to fit against. The kashira provides a durable end-cap for the handle. The handle is then wrapped in silk, cotton, or leather cord (tsuka ito) and tied at the kashira. Handle ornaments (menuki) are placed under the tsuka ito.

Fuchi Kashira