Koshi Chimes String not hanging straight
Aug 15, 2025
If your Koshi chime is hanging at an angle or the top cord seems to pull to one side, the cause is almost always a small bamboo cross-bar inside the top of the tube that has rotated slightly from its intended position. This is a common occurrence with new chimes and is easy to fix in under two minutes.
How the Internal Structure Works
Understanding the mechanism helps you fix it correctly. Inside the bamboo tube, eight metal rods are suspended from the top metal cap. A natural fiber cord runs from outside the tube, through a small hole in the cap, down through the cluster of rods, and connects to a small metal ball that hangs below. When the chime moves, the ball swings and strikes the rods from inside.
At the very top, the cord passes through a small bamboo cross-bar that sits horizontally inside the tube opening. This bar is the anchor point for the hanging loop above: the cord loops up from the cross-bar through the cap and forms the O-ring that you attach to your hook. The cross-bar distributes the hanging load evenly across both sides of the tube wall. When the cross-bar is correctly positioned, the cord hangs straight and the chime is level.
What Causes the String to Hang Crooked
During production, the cross-bar is positioned correctly and the cord hangs straight. However, during packing, the chime is placed into its box and the lid is closed: this process can catch the O-ring or the top section of the cord and rotate it slightly, twisting the cross-bar inside the tube. Because the cord is fixed to the cross-bar, any rotation of the bar causes the cord to hang off-centre, pulling the whole chime to one side.
The same thing can happen during shipping when the box shifts and the chime rotates inside. It can also develop gradually in use if the chime is frequently handled by gripping the cord and rotating it without letting it unwind.
A secondary cause: the metal ball inside has swung to one side and the cord is under tension in that direction, creating a persistent lean. In this case the cord itself is not twisted; the ball simply needs to be centered by letting the chime hang freely for a minute.
How to Fix It: Step by Step
Step 1: Identify the Direction of the Twist
Hang the chime and observe which way the cord and tube pull. The cord will appear to spiral slightly in one direction: either the left side of the cord appears to wind forward (clockwise twist) or the right side winds forward (anti-clockwise twist). Note the direction before you begin.
Step 2: Access the Cross-Bar
Hold the chime so the bamboo tube is pointing upward and the O-ring is accessible from above. Look into the top of the tube through the cord entry point. You will see the small bamboo cross-bar, typically 1 to 2 cm wide, lying across the interior diameter of the tube. The cord runs through its centre.
If the tube top is sealed with a cap through which only the cord passes, you will need to work by feel rather than sight. Insert a thin finger gently alongside the cord into the top of the tube. You will feel the cross-bar a few millimetres below the opening. Do not force anything: the space is tight but accessible for a fingertip.
Step 3: Rotate the Cross-Bar Back
Once you have located the cross-bar, gently rotate it in the direction opposite to the twist you observed in Step 1. The bar will turn smoothly: it is held by the cord tension but not fixed. Rotate until it feels centred and the cord above is lying straight rather than spiralling.
The two small golden pins visible at the top of the bamboo tube are locating pins only. They are not screws and are not threaded. Rotating the cross-bar does not affect them and there is no risk of damage from turning.
Step 4: Hang and Let It Settle
Hang the chime from its O-ring and let it settle for 10 to 15 seconds before attaching it permanently to a fixed hook. The cord should now hang straight and the tube should be level. Gently tilt the chime and check that the sound is even: all rods should strike with similar timing as the ball swings from side to side. A crooked hang often produces an uneven ring because the inner ball is no longer centred under the axis of the tube.
If the cord returns to an angle after settling, the cross-bar has not fully returned to horizontal. Repeat Steps 2 and 3, rotating slightly further.
When to Re-Thread or Replace the Cord
Simple rotation of the cross-bar resolves the vast majority of hanging issues. Re-tying is only necessary if the cord has been cut, frayed at the knot, or if repeated handling has created a persistent kink that causes it to spiral even after the cross-bar is correctly positioned.
If re-threading is needed, use a thin natural fiber cord (waxed linen or similar) of the same diameter. The cord runs from outside the tube through the cap, down through the rod cluster, ties to the ball, then loops back up through the rods and out through the cap, where it forms the O-ring. Both strands of the exit loop must carry equal tension for the chime to hang truly level. If one strand is longer than the other, the chime will lean toward the longer side regardless of the cross-bar position.
How Often Does This Happen?
In our experience, newly unboxed Koshi chimes have a noticeable twist in perhaps one in four or five units. This is a natural consequence of the handmade packaging process rather than a manufacturing defect. It resolves completely with the fix above and does not recur unless the chime is handled in a way that re-introduces rotation.
Older chimes that have been hanging for years rarely develop this issue on their own. The exception is chimes that are frequently taken down, carried, and re-hung: each handling event is an opportunity for the cord to wind slightly. If your chime regularly develops a lean after re-hanging, establish a habit of giving the tube a gentle quarter-turn in the corrective direction before you re-hang it.
Care Tips to Prevent Recurrence
- When carrying the chime, hold the bamboo tube rather than the cord. Gripping the cord and walking causes it to swing and wind.
- When re-hanging, let the chime hang freely for at least a minute before attaching it permanently. This allows any residual twist to resolve under gravity.
- If you store the chime in its original box, place it with the O-ring at the top and the cord straight inside the cardboard insert. Compressing or coiling the cord causes it to develop a set that makes it harder to hang straight.
- If the chime has been in storage for an extended period, check the cord hang before using it: a long time in a compressed position can cause the cord to take on a persistent angle.
Does This Apply to Zaphir Chimes?
Yes. Zaphir chimes use the same internal mechanism at the top of the resonance tube, and the cord alignment fix is identical. The tube material is cellulose rather than bamboo but the geometry inside the top section is the same. Apply exactly the same steps: locate the cross-bar through the top opening, rotate it back to horizontal, hang and test.
If after applying this fix your chime still produces no sound, the issue may be a tangled inner string rather than an alignment issue. See the article on Koshi chime string twisted or tangled for the next troubleshooting step. If the chime produces sound but seems less active than expected, see the guide on why a wind chime stops chiming for placement and air movement advice.
Browse the Koshi wind chimes collection for full product details and tuning information on all four elemental variants.
