For a made-to-order wa handle, we need two main measurements in millimetres: the height and thickness of the tang at the machi. Tang length is helpful, but it is optional.
You do not need to take your handle off. Measuring with the existing handle fitted is the normal way to do this.
The machi is simply where the blade stops and the tang begins. Measure the visible steel at that point. If a measurement is difficult, send us a photo with a ruler in the frame and we can read it for you.
The two measurements we need
1. Tang height at the machi
Measure the tang from top to bottom at the machi, in millimetres.
Look at the point where the blade finishes and the tang enters the handle. That junction is the machi.
You do not need to measure any hidden part of the tang inside the handle. We are asking for the visible steel at the machi — the narrow section between the blade and the ferrule. It is noticeably narrower than the blade above it, and the blade itself is not the measurement we need.
2. Tang thickness at the machi
At the same point, measure the tang from side to side, again in millimetres.
This is the thickness of the steel at the machi, not the width of the handle or ferrule.
A caliper is the easiest way to take both numbers, and it is what the photos above show. A ruler works too. If the reading is awkward either way, photograph the machi with the ruler in frame and we will read it for you.
Do not worry about chasing a perfect-looking number. A close measurement with a clear photo is more useful to us than a confident measurement taken from the wrong place.
Do I need to measure the tang length?
Only if you can.
Tang length means the distance from the machi to the end of the tang.
With the handle fitted, the end of the tang is hidden, so this measurement can be awkward. You do not need to remove a secure handle just to get it.
If you cannot get a useful length measurement, simply leave it unavailable. “Not available — handle installed” is a valid answer.
We cut the socket to fit your knife rather than working from one standard tang size. Height and thickness at the machi give us the most useful starting information, while length can be handled as optional when the existing handle hides it.
If you are curious about how tang depth affects the finished fit, see How Deep Should the Tang Seat in a Wa Handle?
What if my handle is already off?
If the handle happens to be off already, keep using the same machi as your reference point.
Measure:
- height at the machi, top to bottom;
- thickness at the machi, side to side; and
- if practical, length from the machi to the end of the exposed tang.
With the tang exposed, the optional length measurement is simply easier to reach.
There is no need to remove a fitted handle to recreate this situation. This section is only for knives whose handles are already off.
When the time comes to fit the replacement handle, the separate wa handle installation guide covers that process.
Can I just send a photo with a ruler?
Yes.
If reading the measurement yourself is awkward, put the ruler in the photograph and send us the image. We are happy to read the number ourselves.
Try to make the machi and the ruler clearly visible in the same photo. You do not need to turn an awkward reading into a precise-looking number for the sake of completing the form.
The useful information is the knife itself, the visible steel at the machi, and a scale we can read.
What if I cannot measure it at all?
That is also fine.
If measuring is not practical, you can choose Starter Fit on your order page after checkout: we cut a deliberately small starter socket for your knife type and you file it to fit. Send the maker and model of the knife as well, and photos after ordering.
The two alternatives are therefore completely normal:
- send a clear ruler photo and let us read the measurement; or
- choose Starter Fit on your order page if measuring is not practical — a small starter socket for your knife type, filed to fit by you, with photos after ordering.
Neither means you have measured incorrectly or need to dismantle the knife.
Why we ask for these measurements
Every made-to-order handle is fitted to the knife rather than cut to one universal tang size. That is why we ask for the actual knife information before making the socket.
There is also a limit to what anyone can measure while a handle is fitted: the hidden part of the tang is hidden. We do not need you to pretend otherwise.
What we want is the best information you can safely give us from the knife as it is:
Tang height at the machi. Tang thickness at the machi. Both in millimetres. Tang length if available.
A ruler photo is welcome, and if none of those measurements are practical, Starter Fit lets us continue: a deliberately small starter socket for your knife type, which you file to fit. Your own numbers always beat it.
When you have the information ready, you can use it to configure your wa handle.
For general cleaning, drying and maintenance after the new handle is fitted, see the Wa Handle Care Guide.