Eye Protectors

[KhawMengLee]

I was just wondering.Does anyone here use the plastic eye protectors you can insert inside the men to protect you from splinters and breaks?

I was talking to a kendoka and he told me how he used to use one. His breathing was effected. He could actually feel the air drawing in from above and below the glass. When he took it off he said it was a different world because he could breath easier.

Does anyone also use the hasagawa men? Does it have the same problems?

http://www.hasegawakagaku.co.jp/emujun.htm

PEACE
MENG

[stinkyKote]

I've never really been able to figure out how these types of protectors are supposed to work- if a shinai breaks, wouldn't it break at the point of impact near the upper part of the men?

If so, those eye protectors wouldn't really do much to stop a shower of splinters from above- ? same thing with the hasegawa men ...?

[lewis]

A shinai won't break into a shower of loose splinters. The splinters will all come together somewhere further down the shinai. I think the idea is that the shinai breaks and, as the kendoka keeps moving forward and follows through, any big splinters that get lodged between the viens of the men get driven into your face. Picture the situation where one-half of a stave of bamboo breaks free and gets caught in the men as two opponents come together. It's a good thing it doesn't happen often.

[mingshi]

I thought this kind of design is to reduce the limited vision caused by the Men-gane...? Great stuff! Next time if I see someone using it I'll do some thrusts to the eyes!!!

But why do they still have the bars? For breathing? Now it looks even more like the one Hannabal Lecter is using :D

[Simon Chien]

Hi MENG ,

I use the plastic eye protecter which you see in the web-shopping everywhere.

It's true that you can actually feel the air flow in from upper and lower the protecter. But I do'nt know whether or not you can breath easier once you take it off since I never take it off. May be I'll try that someday.

Since the weather is still very hot here at Shanghai , I am not sure if there is gonna be FOG on the glass in winter. I'll let you know when the time comes.

I also put protecters in the men of my kids so that just in case ....
My wife will kill me definitely if any accident happens to our kids while there's no proper protection.

By the way , I've seen the hasagawa men in the company's web site and a few web site selling bougu. It's a good idea to have MEN with good visional effect while you can dis-assemble it and wash each part. But I've never seen people wearing it !

[burger boy]

Can anyone who has the eye protector tell me how it installs
in the men? I'm finally ready for bogu and was wondering if I have to order the eye protector at the same time or not.
Also, most of the eye protectors seem to be a one-size-fits-all kind of deal, that's why I don't understand how it would be attached I guess.

Thanks for any help on this everybody.

burger boy

[Simon Chien]

Hi burger boy,
Eye protecor is just one piece of plastic. The shape of the plastic can be changed thus you can put it in the men easily. The edges are fit to both side (inside) of the metal part of men so that it can stay in the right position .

Once you it's in your hand, you know how to install it.

[Neil Gendzwill]

FWIW the eye protector thing originated over 20 years ago after a couple of people lost their lives in France. In both cases, the shinai broke during tsuki and the force of the tsuki drove the splintered bambo stave between the bars of the mengane, through the eye and into the brain. Yuck, as they say.

They're not too popular because they get fogged up and dirty and tend to rattle around in the men.

[hamish]

We've got an article on the Hasegawa men in Issue 4, delivering now.

They still have the bars on the men since people in Japan are pretty conservative, and no-one wants to stand out in the crowd. This was a response to slow sales of the original men without bars.

I'm waiting for the mirrored one to come out, though. :)

[Matthew Lagden]

A German woman in our Dojo (london based) has one of the plastic inner shields on her men - apparently it is compulsory in Germany after an accident similar to the one you describe.

It is quite disconcerting when you are in front of her as it shines and reflects slightly, and you can't help your eyes being drawn to it. At least you can't if you are vain like me...

Also you can see it fogging up, just like glasses did when i tried wearing them under the Men.

[Kangaxx]

Luckily it's not compulsory in Germany to wear eye protectors,
I only know one person in my Dojo using them.