Halcyon
22nd October 2009, 04:22 AM
Update review of Sehyun’s 1.2 bu hand-stitched bogu.
I bought this bogu in November 2006 while I was visiting Seoul. I’ve been using it three times a week since then (no time off for good behavior). It’s holding up well. The mendare seems a little bit unfashionably longish now, since I’ve gotten used to seeing shorter mendare these days – which I’m told is a Kanto style.
The set I got was the No. 130 model, with upgrades. The most expensive upgrade was from the standard do (about US$250 at the time) to a 60-piece bamboo do (about US$800). In total, the set cost me an even 2,000,000 won, or about US$2,090. Though my initial impulse was to save money on the do by getting a polyurethane do, I took the advice of my sensei and sempai and invested in a bona fide bamboo version. Yes, it’s a bit heavier and the do opening expands and contracts as humidity levels change through the seasons, but it definitely feels more substantial.
Men: Before I bought the bogu, I had read some opinions on this forum that Sehyun’s hand-stitched 1.2 bu mendare are a little bit stiff. But having used it for three years now, I can say that stiffness has not been a problem. There is obviously some wear on the men-buton, but nothing out of the ordinary. And the protection seems as good as ever (or I'm just getting numb on that part of my head.)
Mr. Hong, the head of the company and older brother of the Mr. Hong who deals with overseas orders, was at the store when I visited in 2006. It’s a tiny little hole-in-the-wall place near Dongdaemun Stadium that serves as the company’s retail outlet. The company’s workshop is at another location. The advantage of visiting a bogu shop in person is that you can try on various sizes, rather than relying on a tape measurement. After some feedback from me, Mr. Hong suggested a minor adjustment to the stitching of the fabric lining in the men to micro-adjust the size. This is apparently how you can get “in-between” sizes. It felt a little tight at first, but it has since molded nicely to my head and face with use.
Kote: Mr. Hong added some reinforcement details at the edges of the kote (and also on parts of the men that rub up against the himo) where they tend to get worn after years of use. You don’t really notice the reinforcements unless you look carefully. The kote were pretty stiff for the first few times I used them, but now they feel very comfortable. I rotate between three different kote, so these kote get about one-third of the usage that my men does.
Do: I opted for a standard glossy black do, with the M-39 mune pattern, which is about as plain as you can get. Mr. Hong recommended that I get the bamboo body made in Japan for hard, day-to-day practice, especially since I wouldn’t be around locally to bring the do back to him for immediate repairs if necessary. No discernible defects to date.
Tare: Again, it’s about as plain as you can get – just the way I like it. I chose black stitching for all the components (including the tsuki-dare), so it’s pretty low-key. No defects to date.
Mr. Hong suggested that if I have a chance to visit Seoul, I could bring the bogu back for a free touch-up service, such as freshening up the fabric lining inside the men or stitching up any frayed edges.
I bought this bogu in November 2006 while I was visiting Seoul. I’ve been using it three times a week since then (no time off for good behavior). It’s holding up well. The mendare seems a little bit unfashionably longish now, since I’ve gotten used to seeing shorter mendare these days – which I’m told is a Kanto style.
The set I got was the No. 130 model, with upgrades. The most expensive upgrade was from the standard do (about US$250 at the time) to a 60-piece bamboo do (about US$800). In total, the set cost me an even 2,000,000 won, or about US$2,090. Though my initial impulse was to save money on the do by getting a polyurethane do, I took the advice of my sensei and sempai and invested in a bona fide bamboo version. Yes, it’s a bit heavier and the do opening expands and contracts as humidity levels change through the seasons, but it definitely feels more substantial.
Men: Before I bought the bogu, I had read some opinions on this forum that Sehyun’s hand-stitched 1.2 bu mendare are a little bit stiff. But having used it for three years now, I can say that stiffness has not been a problem. There is obviously some wear on the men-buton, but nothing out of the ordinary. And the protection seems as good as ever (or I'm just getting numb on that part of my head.)
Mr. Hong, the head of the company and older brother of the Mr. Hong who deals with overseas orders, was at the store when I visited in 2006. It’s a tiny little hole-in-the-wall place near Dongdaemun Stadium that serves as the company’s retail outlet. The company’s workshop is at another location. The advantage of visiting a bogu shop in person is that you can try on various sizes, rather than relying on a tape measurement. After some feedback from me, Mr. Hong suggested a minor adjustment to the stitching of the fabric lining in the men to micro-adjust the size. This is apparently how you can get “in-between” sizes. It felt a little tight at first, but it has since molded nicely to my head and face with use.
Kote: Mr. Hong added some reinforcement details at the edges of the kote (and also on parts of the men that rub up against the himo) where they tend to get worn after years of use. You don’t really notice the reinforcements unless you look carefully. The kote were pretty stiff for the first few times I used them, but now they feel very comfortable. I rotate between three different kote, so these kote get about one-third of the usage that my men does.
Do: I opted for a standard glossy black do, with the M-39 mune pattern, which is about as plain as you can get. Mr. Hong recommended that I get the bamboo body made in Japan for hard, day-to-day practice, especially since I wouldn’t be around locally to bring the do back to him for immediate repairs if necessary. No discernible defects to date.
Tare: Again, it’s about as plain as you can get – just the way I like it. I chose black stitching for all the components (including the tsuki-dare), so it’s pretty low-key. No defects to date.
Mr. Hong suggested that if I have a chance to visit Seoul, I could bring the bogu back for a free touch-up service, such as freshening up the fabric lining inside the men or stitching up any frayed edges.