Our Expert Repair & Refurbishing Services
Chiba Budougu, Ltd., specializes in building custom bogu, and customization of associated kendo-equipment and accessories.
With an in-house bogu craftsman, we also perform every imaginable repair and modification. Particularly becuase of our expertise, we are capable of repairs and refurbishments not possible by others, including full men reconstruction and correction of monomi-position problems, do repair and reconstruction including restoring the lacquer finish, and fabrication and installation of whole new sections that require replacement.
At the time of repair, we also surface apply aizome, the real Japanese indigo dye, to restore the rich blue finish, and will re-lacquer areas to restore the cosmetics, water resistance, and durability of your bogu. If necessary, we will also replace attachments and cords as you may specify.
Beyond the simple kote-palm replacement, each major repair is unique with its special set of circumstances. Therefore, we ask you to contact us with precise details about the repair you require. Photographs and drawings are also useful, upon which we may base more accurate estimates.
For more details, please contact our Customer Service Department at info@chibabogu.com
Rebuilding Men
We re-build men regularly, including repair and replacement of parts.
The basic fee for rebuilding a men, re-using all the existing parts (ten-chi, the forehead and chin pads, the uchiwa, the cloth ring around the face) the re-build fee is JPY 30,000, plus return shipping and handling.
If the men is quite worn, and the ten-chi and uchiwa are soiled, worn-down, or are just collapsed with wear and are not firm anymore, we highly recommend replacing those parts. The additional charge for the parts and additional labor is JPY 10,000, for a total re-build charge of JPY 40,000 + S&H.
If there are other features, such as replacing the men-gane, the metal face-grill, tsuki-dare (the tsuki-target), repairing-replacing leather trim on the futon, the main men cushion, replacing the yojin-dare, the cloth pad behind the tsuki-dare, etc, charges will vary depending on the variety of the replacement piece, combinations of pieces, etc..
If you can send us photo(s) (front, back-inside, and include details of other notable points) of your men with the answers to all the points above, we can verify the total cost, and suggest what is really necessary.
Also, tell us your country (the shipping destination) and we can give an exact quote for shipping and handling.
Please direct your bogu repair e-mails to Customer Service Department at info@chibabogu.com
Kote Kashira Kit
Kote Kashira (hand
portion) Replacement Instruction
Example of one set with one kote
kashira replaced and futon re-dyed
Kit includes right
and left kashira, 4 laces to refurbish two
kote, and one 100 ml bottle of
aizome, Japanese indigo dye, with which to re-blue the
outside of the existing futon, cushion.
The kits are sized, and will be available in a variety of outer
shell and inner padding materials to suit your needs, and budget.
Kote kashira can be replaced by use of a
heavy duty sewing machine in a matter minutes, or by yourself with
needle and thread given a little more time. Replacing the
kashira gives new life to battered
kote, and eliminates the need for costly two-way
shipping of your kote for repair.
(1) The existing kashira (fist) is
cut from the futon (cushion) with a utility
knife. Care must be taken to avoid cutting the
futon. Small strands of thread and detached
leather should be clipped off with scissors. If the futon has a very
decomposed edge, leather or durable cloth can be sewed on to provide for a good
edge to sew the new kashira on to. (Not
shown.) This will most likely require the use of a heavy-duty sewing
machine.
(2) The curl at the edge of the
futon can be pounded flat with a smooth-faced
hammer. Caution! : A hammer with any
pattern on the impact surface can tear the futon
beyond use.
(3) The futon is turned inside
out. The old himo, or laces, can be used to hold
the futon in this inside-out condition, in a tube-like
shape, in preparation for sewing.
(4) The new kashira is placed
inside the inverted futon, with the bottom edge,
aligned with the top edge of the futon, that is, the
edges of both kashira and
futon, which are to be sewed together should be
adjacent to each other now. Take care to match the correct right or
left kashira to the right and left
futon!
(5) Using an industrial sewing machine, such as might be
found in a shoe repair, or tailor’s shop, the kashira
and futon are sewed together. Care must be taken
to align the edges during the process of sewing. A heavy-gauge thread
sufficient for shoes should be used.
When about one-third of the seam is sewed together, the machine
should be stopped, and the lengths of the remaining portions should be
checked.
(a) If
the remaining length of kashira and futon are the
same, simple complete the sewing pass.
(b) If the
kashira and futon do not match in length, and the
kashira is short, it should be stretched, that is
pulled during sewing, to match the edges of kashira and
futon.
(c) If
the kashira appears to be long and will not
match up with the futon, the
kashira’s material should be compressed, that is, to
force minor wrinkles into the kashira so that the
remaining length matches the futon.
Finally, one more sewing pass should be made so that two
lines of sewing have been made over the entire seam. This is for
strength.
Here’s a view of the seam, the stitching can be done from 3 mm to
6 mm from the edge, but around 3 - 4 mm is the best.
(6) With the kashira towards the
top, placing both thumbs inside the inverted futon,
the kashira is pushed up and over, and simultaneously,
the futon is curled back to its proper outside-out
condition.
(7) Spreading the kote open, the
seam can be pounded flat to prevent irritation to the hands and wrists. It
should be noted that the futon will not bend backwards
or down, it should be pounded flat according to its normal direction. By
pounding the seam flat, the kashira, will be formed at
the seam to make a smooth outside line, from futon, to
wrist joint of the kashira.
(X) For the purists, or those who may not be able to access
a heavy-duty sewing machine, the task of sewing on the
kashira is normally a hand done work. The
craftsmen use a bit of bee’s wax on their needles to allow the needle and thread
to pass smoothly.
For those that are new to this process, the replacement of the
laces should be done one kote at a time. This will ensure that one
complete example is available to check if there is any question. The following
photos will provide a step-by-step guide for the main steps:
Finally, the only thing left is to brush the
aizome dye on to the
futon. We recommend keeping the dye in the
original bottle, to shake occasionally during use to keep the contents mixed,
and to replace the cap if there are any interruptions, or if a break will be
taken between coatings. Aizome oxidizes, so
prolonged exposure to air will reduce its effectiveness as a dying agent.
Use all the aizome provide, in a number of coatings,
while allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next.
This operation should be preformed by a capable repair
person.
Chiba Budougu, Ltd., cannot be held liable for any damage to
the components,
or injury suffered as a result of the use of this
product.
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