Kanna Blade Tighness

[vladimir nesterov]

I picked up a used Kanna off ebay and the blade was too loose so I removed some martial from the bed and shimmed it up with some veneer. I took the veneer shim down a bit so that the blade just barely protrudes when I give it a few hits with the hammer. The blade is very tight and im worried it may be too tight. Anyone have suggestions for gauging when its just right in terms of fit?

[David Weaver]

It should come just short of the mouth with very firm hand tightening, and then tighten the rest of the way with a hammer.

[Jim Matthews]

I was taught to apply some camellia oil to the blade back as it's inserted.

The oil leaves a mark where it's tight.
http://thejapanblade.com/kanna_setup.htm

[David Wong]

First, you should let the dai acclimatize to your environment for a few weeks. Assuming that's done, if adjusting a kanna in the winter, I like to leave the blade on the tighter side. During the summer months, the kanna may loosen up a bit. When you knock the blade in, you can tell by the sound when it is solidly bedded. I aim for the edge being ~1-2mm from the mouth opening at that point. Desmond King's excellent ebook "Getting the Most from your Kanna", recommends the edge be 4-5mm from the mouth with hand pressure only.

One clue if a blade is too tight, is to see if it is deforming the sides of the dai by bulging. Use a straightedge on the dai when the blade is inserted by hand, and after you knock the blade in. If the sides bulge, you need to trim the sides.