Custom Made Shinai

[Farseer]

Dear sir,

I am still a beginner and training basic now. I'm having problem with my shinai. Its kinda too long for me. My height is 5ft 5, 25 years old and I'm using a 39 length of Shinai. With this length, its very difficult for me to control it. Its like swinging a broadsword.

My question is this "It is possible to custom build a shinai with 39 weight and lenght of 37 o 38?"

Follow the regulation, for my age I need to use 39 shinai and the weight of it. But I want to have a shinai in which I can control. Do you know any company in Asia whom can custom build Shinai? If yes, can you give me the email, contact number, or web site?

Please reply soon.

Thank you

Cheers
Oliver, Malaysia

[JSchmidt]

"I am still a beginner and training basic now."

I think that's your basic issue. Very very few beginners can control the shinai, regardless of size. I would stick with a standard 39, unless your teacher tells you otherwise.

Jakob

[Nishi]

I am only 5'7" and have no problem with shiani weight or length. I admit that when i started i struggled, but thats just the learning process. I stood next to Eiga at the worlds (3feet away) and i think i was slightly taller (or the same height at least) and he doesnt struggle with the shinai. Just practice and you'll soon forget about it :D

[xvikingx]

Do more suburi. You are just not used to it yet.

[taiwnezboi]

I'm only 5'6 and I use a 39.. I think I only have to use a 38 though because I just graduated from high school? I like 39 better though.. the extra reach helps and it's not like it's that much heavier than the 38.

[hamish]

You might want to put a shorter 38 tsuka-gawa on it, and hold your hands a little closer than taller kendoka do. Your sensei should be able to tell you the right positioning for your right hand based on your arm length. From experience teaching this makes it easier to wield, along with practice!

[aru-ma]

5ft 5, thats almost 170 cm isnt it? with the name oliver I'm assuming you're a guy, in which case you should be using a 39" regardless, sure you can train with a 38" shinai but you'll have to use a 39" shinai later on for competitions anyway(regulation size). looks like everyone got it right, you'll just have to get used to it.

on a seperate note, is there a dojo in kota kinabalu? so far I've only heard about the ones in KL.

[Farseer]

Everybody,

Thanks alot for helping and all your advise. It does help alot.

In my state, we have dojo established for more than 20 years already. It used to help have sensei from Japan. But now no more. I heard from my seniors, they told me that there aren't any sensei for few years now. So now it left only seniors teaching all juniors. Even for juniors, it doesn't turn out to have many but only me. And for seniors, it only left a few and it used to be have more than 30 kendoist few years ago.

The problem without sensei is that if a senior have a bad habit, he will past it to juniors. For juniors, they don't even know which is correct or wrong, so the just learn without knowing. And in the end, it will turn to be like swinging wrongly and any other errors.

My request from everybody is help me to pass my questions to your sensei. Please help me ask for advise. Once they answer it, please reply to me. It really do help me alot.

Thank you

Cheers
Oliver

[13th warrior]

Farseer,

maybe you could order a 39 shinai with a 37 tsuka. You might find it easier to handle.

[supernils]

The regulated size is a maximum size as far as I know. The weight (510gr.) is a minimum.
If you want to you can use a 5" 510gram shinai

[Farseer]

According to the regulation for adult, the minimum weight is 510g and maximum length is 120cm (39). In this case, I can use shorter shinai but the weight must be 510g. But where can I find that kind of shinai?? Unless a custom made in which from Akatsuki.

Anybody have any idea?

[Neil Gendzwill]

According to the regulation for adult, the minimum weight is 510g and maximum length is 120cm (39). In this case, I can use shorter shinai but the weight must be 510g. But where can I find that kind of shinai?? Unless a custom made in which from Akatsuki.

Anybody have any idea?
Good suppliers will have 38 length shinai in men's and women's models. The men's shinai are a little beefier all-round. Another option is to take a fairly hefty 39 and just cut 3 cm off the end. If it's a chunky 39 you'll still make the minimum weight.

[Doji Jotaro]

Guys, do you remember... physics?

If a shinai is difficult to wield, an inch or two less of length will hardly help. The difficulty lies in things like mass, and centre of balance. Not length.

[xvikingx]

Guys, do you remember... physics?

If a shinai is difficult to wield, an inch or two less of length will hardly help. The difficulty lies in things like mass, and centre of balance. Not length.

Well guess what smart ass... different length shinai have different weight and balance. :calm:

[Doji Jotaro]

Well guess what smart ass... different length shinai have different weight and balance. :calm:

Yes.

But shortening the shinai and keeping the weight (or selecting a shorter shinai with the same weight) the same will do little to improve the original situation.

[yamaguchi]

In Japan, This issure happen to a lot of people, and you can ask to cut off to make 38.5 from 39 shinai in normal Kendo store. This is common. And you will be surprise that how much feel differet for control.

Also change Tuka to different size. 39 shinai length does not mean that you have to use 39 Shinai Tuka. So
Before order made shinai, I will try like this.

Here in USA, you can not try to hand pick shinai, and can't ask to cut off, so you may have to do by yourself, so try cutting off for cheaper shinai. and Practice.

Yamaguchi.

[T.Lee]

i dont mean to be a rules nerd or anything, just curious because im not familiar with exact shiai rules. but isnt cutting a shinai to less than 39 length illegal for classses that require a 39? why would you do this then?

ill add that i use smaller handles because my arms are short. when i use regular handles, the mechanics feel too awkward. so i would recommend trying that. you dont need to get a new handle, just untie the string and roll down the edge and retie.

[T.Lee]

nevermind, looks like theres only a MAXIMUM length. i guess you can make it as short as you want as long as it meets min weight. interesting
http://www.kendo-usa.org/reference/shinai_regs.htm