How often do you oil your shinai ??

[rainmaker]

I practice only once a week. I do wear bogu and yes, I also do jikeiko. Even though I live in Florida where it is very humid, we do have air condition running 24 hours so my house is still very dried. How often should I oil my shinai ? I have a cheap one and the other is about $60 shinai.

[Wifenmummy]

i havent even thought of oiling my shinai yet... i was looking at a website which was telling me that only expensive shinais come ready made.. and that u have to take it all to pieces and oil it and put it back together.. pah! i dont think thats possible. :(

[rainmaker]

Yes, actually you should smoothen your shinai with sand paper and oil it first... Otherwise you will crack it very soon...

[Hisham]

I do shinai maintainance every three months (oiling the inside and waxing the outside of the bamboo sticks).i would suggest you keep your shinai in the bathroom as it s obviously the only place that would be humid enough.
Good luck

[Hisham]

Yes, actually you should smoothen your shinai with sand paperSanding your shinai is not in effect untill you see those small cracks at the edges of the bamboo sticks (btw wax the edges so as not to see it happen in the short term and also insist on the cuting motion while striking that way your shinai will last longer even if it s cheap)

[rainmaker]

A brand new shinai especially needs some attention before use and looking-after during its life. If properly treated a shinai can last quite a long time. When a new shinai is purchased the edges are too sharp and therefore must be sanded down with common sand paper. Many fencers maintain the natural humidity of the bamboo by periodically applying a coating of oil to the dry canes. Life can also be extended by storing your shinai in a humid place.




Sanding your shinai is not in effect untill you see those small cracks at the edges of the bamboo sticks (btw wax the edges so as not to see it happen in the short term and also insist on the cuting motion while striking that way your shinai will last longer even if it s cheap)

[Paikea]

i havent even thought of oiling my shinai yet... i was looking at a website which was telling me that only expensive shinais come ready made.. and that u have to take it all to pieces and oil it and put it back together.. pah! i dont think thats possible. :(
Of course it's possible - you just have to go slowly the first time so you understand how it's put together. Thanks to Marsten-sensei, there is an excellent web page that covers this:

http://www.kendo-usa.org/reference/firststrike.htm

[Paikea]

I practice only once a week. I do wear bogu and yes, I also do jikeiko. Even though I live in Florida where it is very humid, we do have air condition running 24 hours so my house is still very dried. How often should I oil my shinai ? I have a cheap one and the other is about $60 shinai.Once a month seems to work for me.

[Halcyon]

BTW, just a minor thing, but I would suggest scraping with a sharp-edged blade instead of sanding. Sanding seems to raise the bamboo fibers a bit. I feel like I get a smoother result with scraping. You're mileage may vary.

[Paikea]

BTW, just a minor thing, but I would suggest scraping with a sharp-edged blade instead of sanding. Sanding seems to raise the bamboo fibers a bit. I feel like I get a smoother result with scraping. You're mileage may vary.One of our group uses a bit of broken Coke bottle to do the scraping - works wonderfully well, better than a knife or shinai tool and dirt cheap.

[rainmaker]

Thanks for your info!!! I will keep that in mind !




One of our group uses a bit of broken Coke bottle to do the scraping - works wonderfully well, better than a knife or shinai tool and dirt cheap.

[nalogg]

Now when they say to oil it, that doesn't mean soak it in oil.

My sensei gave us a little shinai maintainance seminar and you really just put a dab of oil on a rag and wipe the inside and outside of the shinai to cover it, and then wipe up excess with a dry rag....

you don't want this thing dripping it's just enough to get it moist really.

Apparently canola oil is the best to use
(called rapeseed oil in some places... perhaps because canola seeds are really tenacious and have been known to grow and takeover entire crops by just falling off the back of a truck! as if they are raping an entire field)

ANOTHER point that someone can maybe fill me in on is that a couple guys from my dojo use machinery oil because they've heard that using organic oils might attract bugs.

Now this is pretty rare... i've never seen a bug-ridden shinai, but frankly, if you have that much of a termite problem, maybe your shinai isn't your biggest problem at the moment.

[Washington]

I oil my shinai about once a week or once every other week. It's more something to do while I'm at the laundry mat than maintenance schedule though :) I use roasted sesame seed oil, I like the smell of it.

[Washington]

ANOTHER point that someone can maybe fill me in on is that a couple guys from my dojo use machinery oil because they've heard that using organic oils might attract bugs.
Sounds like a Kendo Urban Legend in the making....

[T.Lee]

havent you heard of the shinai-mites? i swear theres a whole thread devoted to them...

+1

[Taek]

[QUOTE=nalogg]Now when they say to oil it, that doesn't mean soak it in oil.

I oil my shinai probably every after 3-4 trainings. As nalogg mentioned, I only use little amount of raw linceed oil and brush shinai inside out. And lean them against the wall upside down until the bamboo absorbs all oil. I only put enough oil that the shinai can absorb. Usually takes two or three applications to reach that stage and wipe any access oil remained before I put the starves together. When I oil a new shinai, it only takes two to three hours to get all absorbed...then it takes longer after.

[nalogg]

I oil my shinai probably every after 3-4 trainings. As nalogg mentioned, I only use little amount of raw linceed oil and brush shinai inside out. And lean them against the wall upside down until the bamboo absorbs all oil. I only put enough oil that the shinai can absorb. Usually takes two or three applications to reach that stage and wipe any access oil remained before I put the starves together. When I oil a new shinai, it only takes two to three hours to get all absorbed...then it takes longer after.
really? i put my shinai together right away...
otherwise i'm afraid i'll forget to do it, and be late for a practice because i'm scrambling to put it together.

[neko kenshi]

what happens when you don't maintain it? i've been using my shinai since april, when i began i of course struck really hard and terribly, and have used it often in and out of class and never oiled. I've never had a problem with it nor noticed a difference between mine and others. so is it really that important?

[Fenix]

whoa man...thats dangerous...id never want to face you

[Paikea]

what happens when you don't maintain it? i've been using my shinai since april, when i began i of course struck really hard and terribly, and have used it often in and out of class and never oiled. I've never had a problem with it nor noticed a difference between mine and others. so is it really that important?Yes! I'm guessing you're with Obukan (or, perhaps OSU?) If Obukan, please come find me at practice tonight or Sunday and I'll show you what to do. If OSU, seek out Kent.

[neko kenshi]

yeah, i'm from obukan. I appreciate your help alot! i'll see you out tonight. thanx!

[neko kenshi]

sry, I can't make it tonight. I promise to ask someone next week tho. thanx anyway.