Are tsubas worth it?

[Kyung]

I was looking at e bogu and they have fancy tsubas and stoppers. Do they have anything to contribute or are they just for decoration?
I really don't like the orange tsuba i have and the rubber stopper. But i don't think I want to spend over 50 dollars on them

[Anonymous]

I can see getting a bigger tsuba, one of the guys at the dojo decided to get one after managing to get his thumb broken. I dunno about paying a large amount of money for a small hunk of plastic though...

[Paikea]

I was looking at e bogu and they have fancy tsubas and stoppers. Do they have anything to contribute or are they just for decoration?
I really don't like the orange tsuba i have and the rubber stopper. But i don't think I want to spend over 50 dollars on themMy leather one will never break - I've had two plastic ones that did.

[cesarekim]

I like my decorative tsubas for two main reasons:
1. They are usually presents and therefore free (although gift exchanges get expensive really quickly);
2. They are usually bigger and heavier than plastic. This can actually make a difference in the balance of some tip heavy shinai and it definitely helps protect my hand a little more.

I have the large rubber tsuba dome that are sort of bell shaped. They work better than the simple round ones as they won't flip backwards.

YMMV

[Kenzan]

"Toosba."
LOL
I'll never forget that....
:D

[Kyung]

I'm looking at this nice looking leather one, but there's not a lot of choices. I wish there was some graphite ones or something. And the tsuba stopper itself look nice. I am constantly afraid that my stopper (rubber) would erode...it looks very flimsy

[neko]

i really like ebogu's "fudo" tsuba stopper. it is the one that is mostly navy leather on the outside with a little tiny rubber part in the center. they stay in place, never wear out, and are easy on/easy off.

as far as tsuba go, the leather ones (not the handmade ones, stamped with designs) are extremely durable. they last forever, so spending 30 bucks on one is not being extravagant.

[neko]

http://www.e-mudo.com/Shop/ProductView.asp?ProductCode=Tsubaantler4&CateCode=51&Page=1&Type=0

this is the tsuba i have. i bought it in a bogu shop in kyoto last year. the site above has other designs (dragonfly) and colors. it is a bit fancy, but i love it. it is only decorated on one side, so i keep the plain side to my opponent. the flowers are just for me. :)

[Kyung]

which ones are home made??
I want to get something like this: http://www.e-bogu.com/Top_Quality_KUROZAN_Tsuba_p/hir-ken-shi-kurozantsuba--.htm

but it looks like home made

[Kenzan]

http://www.e-mudo.com/Shop/ProductView.asp?ProductCode=Tsubaantler4&CateCode=51&Page=1&Type=0

this is the tsuba i have. i bought it in a bogu shop in kyoto last year. the site above has other designs (dragonfly) and colors. it is a bit fancy, but i love it. it is only decorated on one side, so i keep the plain side to my opponent. the flowers are just for me. :)

You do realize that pattern is for girls, yes?
I only say that because I almost bought one at my local shop, and my wife was all like:
"Hold on there, Bubba!
Ya'll know them thar blossom patterns (Kyushu Dialect) is fer us Jap'nese wimin folk or Lil' chillin's din'cha?"

I honestly had no idea.
It looked cool to me!
:D

[Kyung]

the dragon fly ones look pretty cool. are they for wimin?

[A Wadlow]

I want a tsuba that makes the other guy get scared of being hit by the attached shinai. If your kit looks old/new/neat/dark, nice. If it looks crap you have already lost a bit before you even fight.

[Kyung]

I want a tsuba that makes the other guy get scared of being hit by the attached shinai. If your kit looks old/new/neat/dark, nice. If it looks crap you have already lost a bit before you even fight.


I heard something similar to that in terms of gears. My kwanjangnim told me kendoists are very keen to equipments you use. They won't even want to spar with you if you are wearing cheaper gears because they think you dont take the art seriously enough, he said. I might get the Dragon fly. I killed many of those in my childhood. Now I will atone myself by fighting for them.

[Kaoru]

I heard something similar to that in terms of gears. My kwanjangnim told me kendoists are very keen to equipments you use. They won't even want to spar with you if you are wearing cheaper gears because they think you dont take the art seriously enough, he said. I might get the Dragon fly. I killed many of those in my childhood. Now I will atone myself by fighting for them.

I never heard that before, and I do kendo. As far as I know, all we care about is if the person we are working with is honorable and does good kendo. As a matter of fact, it is actually considered by many(some?) that having fancy gear is like being a show-off, especially if that person is a lower rank. I think it's been discussed here before, if I remember right. If anyone wants to
correct me, please go ahead.

I own two fancy tsuba. One was given to me by a sensei when I first began Kendo. It came from Japan and is tortoise shell imitation.
The second one I bought at the LaCrosse Taikai(was a volunteer) in Nov. 2005. I got the Hasegawa pink sakura tsuba e-guchi had on display because pink is my favorite color, and, I was told that those tsuba are very strong and won't break. I don't want to break the one I was given.

And, wouldn't I just love to put pink tsuru on my shinai to match it! But, I think my sensei might not like that! Sure want to... Pink rules!! :D

I think that dragonfly one is a Hasegawa. I saw it once before. It's cool looking tsuba. :) Are you going to get it?

Kaoru

[LNGUYEN]

I heard something similar to that in terms of gears. My kwanjangnim told me kendoists are very keen to equipments you use. They won't even want to spar with you if you are wearing cheaper gears because they think you dont take the art seriously enough, he said. I might get the Dragon fly. I killed many of those in my childhood. Now I will atone myself by fighting for them.

And if you look like a Poor Ronin, they will spit on you. That's why I need $5000.00 bogu

[A Wadlow]

As a matter of fact, it is actually considered by many(some?) that having fancy gear is like being a show-off, especially if that person is a lower rank.

Yeah fancy gear looks silly unless your the money. But looking the part is important. I think having a nice tsuba dome is (a very very small) part of that. More over if you have a shite little rubber thing it looks a bit poo.
Kit plays a definate part but most of it is body language.

I think tsuba's are better as gifts. Practical and you can never have too many.

[joekc6nlx]

You do realize that pattern is for girls, yes?
I only say that because I almost bought one at my local shop, and my wife was all like:
"Hold on there, Bubba!
Ya'll know them thar blossom patterns (Kyushu Dialect) is fer us Jap'nese wimin folk or Lil' chillin's din'cha?"

I honestly had no idea.
It looked cool to me!
:D

You do realize that Neko is female, yes? So, if she decides to buy a tsuba for a woman, well, I guess she's entitled. :silly: Isn't that right, Elizabeth?
I don't see a "need" to buy a fancy tsuba, but then, I don't see a need for mag wheels, NO2, rear spoilers, and funky neon lights under my Honda Civic. Of course, I don't have any of that stuff for my Civic, but I do have E-bogu's "Sakura" tsuba, because I like the design. No other reason, just that I like it, I had the money, and bought it.

You go with what you want, what you like, and what you can afford. If you wanted to use a papier mache tsuba, I guess that would be your choice, since it wouldn't cause any injury to your opponent. (tongue-in-cheek comment)

[mark]

I was looking at e bogu and they have fancy tsubas and stoppers. Do they have anything to contribute or are they just for decoration?
I really don't like the orange tsuba i have and the rubber stopper. But i don't think I want to spend over 50 dollars on them

Yes they can be more durable, and yes they can be a little bigger and protect a little more. They are also a present you can easily give to others or to yourself to celebrate a special occasion that does not cost very much. It is the kendo equivalent of a massage at the end of a marathon. One of my friends sells his bogu and buys another after every successful shinsa. A fancy stuba is a lot cheaper.

[mark]

I heard something similar to that in terms of gears. My kwanjangnim told me kendoists are very keen to equipments you use. They won't even want to spar with you if you are wearing cheaper gears because they think you dont take the art seriously enough, he said. I might get the Dragon fly. I killed many of those in my childhood. Now I will atone myself by fighting for them.

Tied broken or uneven himo, - frayed patched equipment, - sweat stained, or wrinkled uniform ....ok. Plastic tsuba? I wonder if anyone would even notice it?

[joekc6nlx]

I heard something similar to that in terms of gears. My kwanjangnim told me kendoists are very keen to equipments you use. They won't even want to spar with you if you are wearing cheaper gears because they think you dont take the art seriously enough, he said. I might get the Dragon fly. I killed many of those in my childhood. Now I will atone myself by fighting for them.

I believe your kwanjangnim is being a little bit patronizing towards kendoists. I have never come across a kendoist who would snub another kendoist because they didn't have "fancy equipment" or RBSO bogu. You never know if that person you snubbed just happened to be a very experienced visiting kendoist who was using "borrowed" equipment and you just passed up an opportunity to practice with someone who could teach you something. Personally, if someone comes up to me with inexpensive bogu and wants to spar, I don't look at the bogu, I look at the person inside the bogu. My experience is such that I'm happy to spar with anyone who wants to spar with me and I will never refuse an opportunity if I can help it.

There is no room for "elitist" attitudes in kendo. I don't know about Korean martial arts, though, so can't comment on them.

[Kyung]

I believe your kwanjangnim is being a little bit patronizing towards kendoists. I have never come across a kendoist who would snub another kendoist because they didn't have "fancy equipment" or RBSO bogu. You never know if that person you snubbed just happened to be a very experienced visiting kendoist who was using "borrowed" equipment and you just passed up an opportunity to practice with someone who could teach you something. Personally, if someone comes up to me with inexpensive bogu and wants to spar, I don't look at the bogu, I look at the person inside the bogu. My experience is such that I'm happy to spar with anyone who wants to spar with me and I will never refuse an opportunity if I can help it.

There is no room for "elitist" attitudes in kendo. I don't know about Korean martial arts, though, so can't comment on them.

Actually my kwanjangnim was talking about high-dan japanese kendoists. I guess from his experience.

[neko]

maybe that is the way he perceived the situation. i too have never heard of another kenshi blowing off another because their bogu was not up to high class standards. but then again, i am not japanese nor high ranking. but i don't think that anyone i train with that is japanese though, would give a rats ass about what kit you have.

and joe is right BTW, i am wimin folk, and i like anything with the sakura motif on it. i figured the person asking was probably a guy and that is why i mentioned that there were other motifs. i think that dragonfly would be acceptable enough for a guy (i actually think that the sakura one is okay for guys too). but your wife is probably correct from her standpoint.

and kyung, i said handmade, not home made. but if you want a different tsuba, get one. :) but i don't know of anyone that has the one you are looking at. so i can't comment on durablity.

[stuartwilson]

I have one of these
http://www.e-bogu.com/Top_Quailty_Leather_Tsuba_Double_Stitched_Layered_ p/hir-ken-shi-tqtsubastitch--.htm
and I really like it. I use just a regular rubber tsuba-dome though. The two fancier ones I have tried just didn't work well. One was SO tight, it was really hard to get on and off (a real pain if you have to change shinai during a match, and also hard on the tsuka). The other was not so tight, but it was too thick and just didn't feel right.

If you buy a tsuba, be advised that it may come with too small a hole for your shinai size, and in that case you will have to enlarge it. There is a thread on that.

[Kyung]

and kyung, i said handmade, not home made. but if you want a different tsuba, get one. :) but i don't know of anyone that has the one you are looking at. so i can't comment on durablity.


lol homemade...
the dragonfly one I like is out of stock...and the red one is communist.
I'm hoping my kwanjangnim has some connections. Maybe I can get them through him. There doesn't seem to be a lot of choice from what I see in e-mudo and e-bogu

[kartoffelngeist]

And if you look like a Poor Ronin, they will spit on you. That's why I need $5000.00 bogu

You need to watch more films, it's always the poor ronin who kicks ass...

edit: oops, didn't notice there was a second page...

[Kyung]

You need to watch more films, it's always the poor ronin who kicks ass...

edit: oops, didn't notice there was a second page...

I bet Darth Vader's bogu's more than 10,000. And he still kicks ass.
But the emperor's bogu's just a cloak worth 10 dollars. And he kicks even more ass. So you know just goes to show you.

[Inner_Silence]

I can see getting a bigger tsuba, one of the guys at the dojo decided to get one after managing to get his thumb broken. I dunno about paying a large amount of money for a small hunk of plastic though...


the same happen to me.. a larger tsubagives you the feeling of being more protected when you have that kind of accident...

anyway if you got money a fanci tsuba looks cool... anyway, everybody everywhere wants to fight the guy with the fancy equipment

[Kyung]

How did this breaking of thumb happen? Usually, I get hit on the knuckle portion of the hand. I haven't gotten hit in the hand so far. It's the right thumb your'e talking about yes?

[Neil Gendzwill]

maybe that is the way he perceived the situation. i too have never heard of another kenshi blowing off another because their bogu was not up to high class standards. As a matter of fact, I know one 7th dan guy whose bogu is over 25 years old, and he just doesn't care about your fancy kit - what can you bring him on the floor?

[D'Artagnan]

I have both the tsubas aforementioned - i.e. the Kurozan one, and the sakura pattern one.

I usually use the kurozan one for shiai as its pretty much bang on the size limit as you can see here (http://www.simulacre.org/wordpress/photos/album/72157594419801158/page/1/photo/322137728) and here (http://www.simulacre.org/wordpress/photos/album/72157594419801158/page/1/photo/322138305)

as for the sakura one... girls and kids eh? that explains why the hole is so damn small...

[cesarekim]

I have both the tsubas aforementioned - i.e. the Kurozan one, and the sakura pattern one.

I usually use the kurozan one for shiai as its pretty much bang on the size limit as you can see here (http://www.simulacre.org/wordpress/photos/album/72157594419801158/page/1/photo/322137728) and here (http://www.simulacre.org/wordpress/photos/album/72157594419801158/page/1/photo/322138305)

as for the sakura one... girls and kids eh? that explains why the hole is so damn small...

Out of curiosity, what the heck do you have on your hakama? That has to be the longest name I've ever seen... Did you ask for the red lettering for the hakama, btw? I'm sure it's strictly a Korean superstition but you never write your name in red as that's the ink they use for writing your name at your funeral...

Sorry for the hijack, just curious...

[Kenzan]

Don't touch that dial!
More "Lifestyles of the Rich and Fabulous Kenshi"..after these brief messages.....
:D

[D'Artagnan]

Out of curiosity, what the heck do you have on your hakama? That has to be the longest name I've ever seen... Did you ask for the red lettering for the hakama, btw? I'm sure it's strictly a Korean superstition but you never write your name in red as that's the ink they use for writing your name at your funeral...

Sorry for the hijack, just curious...

erm, off the top of my head it says -

第十三回世界剣道選手権大会
英国ナショナルチーム
アンディフィッシャー


Although it is also a superstiton in Japan, about writing your name in red, I believe it is only applicable when reffering to ink. Thus from what I understand it's OK for the embroidery on my hakama.

Hope that answers your question :happy:

[Big One]

It is the direction for received a British Warm Beer Brewing which gibbo has on his Hakama :cheerful:

[cesarekim]

Thank you for your kind answer, Andy. I THINK the first line is related to WKC 13. Is the latter part something to do with your name and dojo? Kanji I can sort of fake but Japanese is something I learned to swear in but never read...

Cheers

[D'Artagnan]

Thank you for your kind answer, Andy. I THINK the first line is related to WKC 13. Is the latter part something to do with your name and dojo? Kanji I can sort of fake but Japanese is something I learned to swear in but never read...

Cheers

hahaha, basically -

第十三回世界剣道選手権大会
dai jyuu san kai sekai kendou senshuken taikai
13th World Kendo Championships

英国ナショナルチーム
eikoku nashonaru chi-mu
British National Team

アンディフィッシャー
...thats me...

A little more reserved than what is essentially a silvery-stitched menu on the back of some peoples' hakama... :wink:

[cesarekim]

Cool stuff. If nothing else, it sure beats the "I was there" polo shirts I used to have made for project completion parties.

Cheers

[D'Artagnan]

..."I was there" ...

- see gibbo's hakama...

[A Wadlow]

- see gibbo's hakama...

If anyone hasn't actualy seen the missing part of the old testament which gibbo found and had stitched on his arse, check out this picture:

http://static.flickr.com/132/322137904_693c91a9c9.jpg

[yohed55]

I would suggest the fudo Tsuba dome. It works very, very well. I remember my old rubber dome used to fall down the tsuka after a rotation or two. I have been using the same fudo dome for about a year now and it has yet to fail me once.

[Kyousuke]

Quote:
Originally Posted by D'Artagnan View Post
- see gibbo's hakama...
If anyone hasn't actualy seen the missing part of the old testament which gibbo found and had stitched on his arse, check out this picture:

http://static.flickr.com/132/322137904_693c91a9c9.jpg

-------------------------------

omg I couldnt stop laughing! That was a great and real funny analogy. I wonder what it says?

[ZtefaNNN[K]]

I also have the fudo tsuba dome, it was a gift from a sensei, it works really well and is very easy to handle. I don´t know as far as tsubas but i have seen leather and plastic ones break, actually more leather ones.

what does gibbo´s hakama say !?