How many mekugi pins should a katana have?
If we are taking a traditional look at nihonto (traditionally made Japanese katana) – the answer is one. The big question should be – is two or three poor mekugi pins better than one proper one. We suggest the replacement of mekugi pins on most production shinken (including the ones we sell). Most are made of bamboo that is too soft. We also recommend reshaping the mekugi-ana (mekugi hole in the tsuka (handle) and nakago (tang)) to form a proper wedge shape. We have a DIY article on replacing mekugi (click here). If a sword is riveted, glued, or screwed together – it is not a katana.
