Storing Bogu/Bogu Stand

[Tachi]

Does anyone have one of those stands like at E-Bogu to hang your Bogu on? I have my first Bogu on the way, and I'm wondering if this is a good way to keep it off the floor and to dry it out after practice. How do you guys store your Bogu?

[tango]

I've got a big, semi-hard duffle bag with wheels and an extended handle on it..
When I get home from practice, I just set the bag upright, unzip it and open it up. I work the kote a little bit and then leave them in the bag (they normally dry out in a couple days) and set the men on the top of the bag (kinda hanging on the extended handle of the bag)..

Just leaving the bag upright and wide open airs everything out pretty good.

PS: Whatever you do, don't leave your kote in a CLOSED bag.

[Phlebas]

I dabble with various woodworking projects and I am in the midst of designing a bogu stand. The ones I've seen are barely functional and seem to be designed for something other than holding bogu, not to mention they are ugly and unimaginative. With a little planning and a little work you could design and build your own... and it would be something you could be proud of too. From what I've seen most of the ones you can buy from stores are WAY overpriced. If you built your own, not only would you save money but it would fit your bogu better, and probably look nicer too! Don't spend $50 - $80 on a ready-made one. You'll be disappointed.

Good luck and don't be afraid to experiment. Just don't forget to varnish or paint the wood (if you use wood) and wipe it down every once in a while -- otherwise you'll have a funny-smelling bogu stand in a week or two. :-)

I'll post pics of my contraption when it's finished... probably at the end of January.

[Tachi]

I dabble with various woodworking projects and I am in the midst of designing a bogu stand.

That's a great idea! The ones I have seen for sale do look kinda flimsy. I'd also like to make something to put an old MEN on to practice with. Don't forget to post some pics when you are done!

[Neil Gendzwill]

You can get stands designed for drying out hockey equipment pretty cheap, at least here in Canada. They work fine.

[Blueman]

I have the Ebogu stand and use it to dry my bugo. It is very simple in its design and easy to assemble. My bogu is not as damp and dries out relatively fast since I started using it (I practice 3-4 times a week). Plus, it attracts a lot of attention and interest with my bugo on it when people visit my house. Not a "must have", but definitely in the "cool thing" to have category. On a humorous note, my wife screamed when she saw it standing in the corner of the room the first time with my bogu on it (lol).

[jasmine]

it's unnecessary to do something special in storing bogu.put it outside if it had bad smell or let it sleep in the bag .

[Neil Gendzwill]

it's unnecessary to do something special in storing bogu.put it outside if it had bad smell or let it sleep in the bag .
OK, this is just flat-out wrong. You have to at least take the men and kote out of the bag and let them dry. They don't have to be on a special stand, but they should be out of the bag and away from direct heat or sunlight.

[jasmine]

OK, this is just flat-out wrong. You have to at least take the men and kote out of the bag and let them dry. They don't have to be on a special stand, but they should be out of the bag and away from direct heat or sunlight.

yeah...u r right.of course they should be dry .i mean we neednt to do other special .cas we have just a cheap bogu.If we got a expensive one ,we have to take much care of it.for example,sprinkle acholhol into the kote after training...

[LNGUYEN]

but they should be out of the bag and away from direct heat or sunlight.

Is it included the heat from vent inside your house? I used to put the Men and Kote at the vent to dry them, is it ok?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Is it included the heat from vent inside your house? I used to put the Men and Kote at the vent to dry them, is it ok?
I wouldn't do that myself. Leather which is artificially dried too fast tends to shrink and get stiff. But if it has worked for you in the past, it's probably OK.

Sorta-related funny story - when we were kids, one of my buddies in Scouts managed to step on a gunwhale getting into a canoe, and over he went. This was May in northern Saskatchewan, so the water was really cold. He dried/warmed himself by the fire, and had his leather boots off and also drying by the fire. They shrunk 2 sizes.

Not that by the fire is the same as by the vent but you see what I mean.

[dwang]

i just tied my bogu up after used.

this unit looks pretty good.

bogu stand (http://kendoshop.com/eshop/index.php?mode=subdetail&num=154&flag=catedetail)

--
David

[tango]

what's this about sprinkling alcohol in the kote?

i've never heard of doing it.. what exactly is that supposed to accomplish?

[Phlebas]

It keeps funky germs from multiplying in your equipment... and it keeps the bad smell in check. Some people use diluted Clorox (bleach) at a ratio of 20 or 30 parts water to 1 part bleach, some use alcohol. I've never used alcohol myself (for bogu anyway) but the water/bleach solution seems to work well. As long as it's really watered down it shouldn't harm your equipment. I aim a small fan at my bogu while it dries, too.

Salt stains are the problem for me. I can't seem to get rid of them! I tried several techniques I read about here on KWF but to no avail... :-( Oh well, at least my kendogu doesn't smell like low tide on the Thames, it just looks like I have a salt-lick at home.

[Wark 1978]

I saw a hanger for drying out men and kote at a kendo shop in Japan that cost just over Y1000 but I'm sure you could make one for less.

It's a plastic tube, maybe 2cm in diameter and about 50cm in length. Attached to the middle of the tube were two hooks, one pointing up and one down. The one pointing up is used to hang wherever you choose to dry it. The men is hung through the men grille using the downward pointing hook. The kote are slid on either end of the tube. Job done.

It's not the most attractive set up but if you're on a budget it'll do the trick.

[twotoedgiraffe]

Does anyone or has anyone seen any designs where you stabilize your equipment enough to practice on?