Iaito Preferences

[kundalini]

Just wondering what people like their tsuba wrap to be, cotton, silk or leather?

Oh yeh, and slightly strange question aswell so please forgive my ignorance but do most Iaito's come with metal saya or wooden? Sites like Tozando and Ninecircles don't seem to mention it.

[steliosk]

Just wondering what people like their tsuba wrap to be, cotton, silk or leather?

Oh yeh, and slightly strange question aswell so please forgive my ignorance but do most Iaito's come with metal saya or wooden? Sites like Tozando and Ninecircles don't seem to mention it.
From what I know, most iaito come with wooden saya. However, I may very well be wrong on this. Anyone else have some more concrete info on this?

[R A Sosnowski]

Just wondering what people like their tsuba wrap to be, cotton, silk or leather?

Silk -- it last longer than cotton. Leather becomes slick when wet (due to perspiration), and will develop an oder. Eventually, you will want to have the wrap on the Tsuka redone.



Oh yeh, and slightly strange question aswell so please forgive my ignorance but do most Iaito's come with metal saya or wooden? Sites like Tozando and Ninecircles don't seem to mention it.

Metal saya are the sign of a cheap Iaito. Good Saya are made of wood.

That being said, drawing and resheathing become important aspects to master because a live blade can cut through a saya (and your hand) if improperly handled.

Even with an Iaito, that point (Kissaki) can gouge the inside of the Saya, Generally, the mark of a beginner is a number of deep gouges around the inside of the Saya opening (Koi-guchi). At the end of every practice, remove you Iaito, turn the empty Saya upside down and tap it several times to remove the "shavings." It provides you feedback on your practice (the less shavings, the better), and keeps them from building up at the bottom of the Saya.

The Saya can be replaced, but they are custom-made, so the Iaito has to be sent to the Saya-maker. When getting a custom-made Iaito, it is a good idea, if you can afford it, to have an extra Saya made. Have a plain one made and use it initially. After some period of abuse after getting the techniques down, you can retire it and use the other Saya.

HTH.

[kundalini]

Thanks for that info people. You're good help.

[chidokan]

Ask for a large tsuka. Westerners have larger hands than Japanese and usually the tsuka are small. Avoid cotton at all costs.
To save you smashing up the saya as above try using a bokken with saya for a while. this should help you get used to the move without having to lay out a lot of cash for a spare saya.

[Khabbi]

"Avoid cotton at all costs"

realy ? my first iaito was gonna have a cotton tsuka . whats so bad with cotton ?

was gonna get a 1001 from swordstore but if cotton is crap i would have to go with a 2002 , thats another 100 bucks just to switch from cotton to silk. :ermm: :puzzled:

[chidokan]

it does not last very long under training conditions, tending to loosen quicker than silk and may sometimes fray around the edges where it hits any sword ornaments. Most people who are buying iaito for the first time tend to be slow at replacing them as they get more experienced, so this sword tends to last them for quite some time before it gets upgraded (if it ever is...). It also gets dirtier quicker and is harder to keep clean. As blades are ssimilar no matter were you buy from, you always pay more for fittings. rather than go for a pretty finish or a finer looking tsuba/menuki etc, spend the cash on the tsuka ito, its a better investment in the long run. the cotton will need rebinding a lot quicker than the silk will.

[roar]

it does not last very long under training conditions, tending to loosen quicker than silk and may sometimes fray around the edges where it hits any sword ornaments. Most people who are buying iaito for the first time tend to be slow at replacing them as they get more experienced, so this sword tends to last them for quite some time before it gets upgraded (if it ever is...). It also gets dirtier quicker and is harder to keep clean. As blades are ssimilar no matter were you buy from, you always pay more for fittings. rather than go for a pretty finish or a finer looking tsuba/menuki etc, spend the cash on the tsuka ito, its a better investment in the long run. the cotton will need rebinding a lot quicker than the silk will.

One of my students bought a nice swordstore-iaito with silk ito, and I really liked the feel. my next sword is definitly with silk ito. it will probably be a steel iaito from nine circles or a shinken from japan, trough my teacher. I dont know his sources, but I trust him. Anyways, silk ito it will be.
I have noticed some tear and wear on my "old cotton sword back home", but it has lasted 8 years of fairly regular practise. The tsukagashira loosened, so i had to redo the knot. I put in some superglue as well, to prevent future mishaps. The tsuka would probably last for another decade, but it was much to long and heavy. No that my "bigger is better" disease is gone, I have much more enjoyable practise.
100 usd in difference seem perhaps like much money for silk versus cotton, if the sword last you ten years, you are down to 10 bucks a year. i would not hesitate, i woul rather go easy on the tsuba and the other fittings. A silver habaki is nice for a collector, but doesnt improve your iai a bit.

My first iaito had an aluminium saya. the ito fell of during the first practise.
somewhere I also have a stainless steel-blade, that was attached to a plastic tsuka with a bolt. It was left in the dojo, by a beginner who lasted just as long as his sword. haha

[Khabbi]

hmm ok , thanx , makes more sense to get the silk one .

thanx

[kundalini]

Yeh it looks like silk is the way to go. My sensai has a leather wrap but he also doesn't seem that fussy either. As long as its functional I guess.

I just can't decide whether to get an Iaito from Ninecircles or through my sensai who gets them from Japan through Iwata sensai. I'm sure he knows what he is doing but I don't know if i'll have much choice over the fittings. I'd like my Iaito to be quite personalised as there really isn't anything much more personal than a persons katana.

[roar]

Yeh it looks like silk is the way to go. My sensai has a leather wrap but he also doesn't seem that fussy either. As long as its functional I guess.

I just can't decide whether to get an Iaito from Ninecircles or through my sensai who gets them from Japan through Iwata sensai. I'm sure he knows what he is doing but I don't know if i'll have much choice over the fittings. I'd like my Iaito to be quite personalised as there really isn't anything much more personal than a persons katana.

my last sword was bought trough my teacher. This is the best of the 15-20 iaito i have handled. balance, tachi-kaze, fittings are just spot on, and its about two third of the shop-price.
IMHO it is more personal to appreciate the favor from your teacher, that will give you the best tool for the money, than to choose from 200 diffferent tsuba, silver fittings, fancy saya etc etc. Remember that your teacher is not a zink/alloy business-man, he is doing you a favour that he really wouldnt have to, to help you on in your practise.
All those bits and pieces can be changed later, a good and balanced blade and a solid tsuka is the most important.

good luck with your purchase

:)

[chidokan]

kundalini
Why dont you join the group going over to Japan later on this year and choose your own? that is the best way of getting exactly what you want, and with Iwata s. present you get a good discount!There will be a load of people willing to help you choose a sword. We usually go to a taikai and theres always some bargains to be had. mmmmm, sword shopping....my favourite....drool...
Which dojo are you at?

[kundalini]

Neil did mention that trip. I'm not sure when it is but I really don't know if I would be able to afford it. I'm already going to the US in April. I'd love to though as i've wanted to go to Japan for as long as I can remember. Meeting Iwata Sensai would be a great honour aswell.

I think I heard someone say it is in winter. Do you think I can train with a Bokken till then?

Oh and i'm starting at the Shin Gi Tai in Lancaster this wednesday. I sat in on a training session last week and it was great and everyone was really cool. Can't wait for some real hard training to start.

[chidokan]

Hmmmm....the trip is the first week of November, so thats quite a while using a bokken. Neil may have a spare iaito you can use although if its doubtful that you could go in November it may be worth asking someone to get one for you. We got one for Dave last time, a very light one because of his health problems. It was a good price as well, ask him about it and he may show you the sword.
I'll be down your dojo in August (if not before) for the next seminar Neil is running. There are others around the country before then and most of us organise a car or two from each dojo. If you want to find out what hard training is you are more than welcome to turn up to them...dont forget a new set of kneepads, you'll need them. :wink:
Enjoy your first days training!

[kundalini]

Hmm October, that is a long time isn't it. But that also means that I should be able to save enough to go on the trip. I'll talk about it on wednesday at training. It might be just as easy to have one got for me. If they know the place well then they probably know or have written down or in a catalog maybe all the fittings and stuff. I already know that i want a silk wrap and probably a longer tsuka ito. Would be nice to choose a nice looking tsuba and hamon etc.

I've got to prove my worth as well as I know that everyone expects me to drop out after a few weeks. Aparently the drop out rate is huge. But I know my resolve and i'm in this till death.

Look forward to seeing you at a seminar some time in August then :)

[893 fingerless]

i have it on the best authorty that cotten is better the silk leather so dont let any one tell ya any differant
Tim you have been told

[R A Sosnowski]

i have it on the best authorty that cotten is better the silk leather so dont let any one tell ya any differant
Tim you have been told

"My expert can beat up your expert" :D -- of the choices, there is nothing better than silk.

And in my own experience, after almost 7 years of use, my silk wrapping is in better condition than a cotton wrap that I used for only 14 months.

[FastEd]

it does not last very long under training conditions, tending to loosen quicker than silk and may sometimes fray around the edges where it hits any sword ornaments. Most people who are buying iaito for the first time tend to be slow at replacing them as they get more experienced, so this sword tends to last them for quite some time before it gets upgraded (if it ever is...). It also gets dirtier quicker and is harder to keep clean. As blades are ssimilar no matter were you buy from, you always pay more for fittings. rather than go for a pretty finish or a finer looking tsuba/menuki etc, spend the cash on the tsuka ito, its a better investment in the long run. the cotton will need rebinding a lot quicker than the silk will.


I've had my cotton wraped Iaito for ten years, practicing at a minimum of twice a week and its never become loose. When it gets dirty I clean it, when it frays I snip it. No problems

[kundalini]

I just noticed on the www.ninecircles.co.uk website they have suede replacment tsuba wrap. Wonder what that is like...

[happogiri]

I just noticed on the www.ninecircles.co.uk (http://www.ninecircles.co.uk/) website they have suede replacment tsuba wrap. Wonder what that is like...
It's like leather but upside down :D