shinai maintenance...again!

[burger boy]

Hi everybody,
I took my shinai apart a week or so ago to sand and oil. When taking it apart there was some adhesive used to glue the staves
together near the handle. I gently pryed them apart and went on with my maintenance. When putting everything together I can't seem to get as good a fit. There is always a creaking of sorts coming from the handle. I've even used a rubber mallet all the way around the handle to make sure that the little metal piece is firmly in place, but it didn't help. Does anyone reglue the
handle after they've done maintenance work? If so, what kind of glue?

Also, what is the japanese word for the little metal piece inside the handle that secures the staves together? I can't seem to find the word for it on any shinai diagram.

Thanks.

burger boy

[Neil Gendzwill]

Originally posted by burger boy
Does anyone reglue the
handle after they've done maintenance work? If so, what kind of glue?
Nope. You might want to give the interior of the handle portion of the staves a little sanding so they fit back together nicer, sometimes there's a little bit of crap left after you break it apart the first time.

Also, what is the japanese word for the little metal piece inside the handle that secures the staves together? I can't seem to find the word for it on any shinai diagram.
lituru metaru pisu

Thank you, I'll be here all week.

[Confound]

Burgerboy,
Maybe this goes without saying, but just in case: be careful when you're sanding the shinai. Sawdust from bamboo really can be a major irritant if you get it in a cut or in your eyes.

c

[Kendoka]

Originally posted by burger boy
Hi everybody,
I took my shinai apart a week or so ago to sand and oil....

Have a look at http://www.shinai.org/housemef/shinaimaint/shinaimaint.html


Richardu

[Fenix]

what type of sandpaper do you use?

[burger boy]

wow, this post is a real blast from the past; and
Neil, I still wince when I read that joke from you! :silly:

anywho, Fenix I usually use a medium grit sandpaper and
that seems to do the job just fine.


burger boy

[Nanbanjin]

The square piece of metal inside the tsuka is called the "chigiri" in Japanese.

[Preacher]

Burger boy,


Glue is not used to attach the staves together. The flat metal keeps the handle in line and together and the leather grip does the rest.

[Vansen]

Is the chigiri slot on all 4 staves of bamboo supposed to be perpendicular to the stave?

I've recently took apart my shinai and found the chigiri on a angel.

So when you lie the 4 staves down next to each (running horiztonal) like this:
---------------- Top
---------------- Right
---------------- Bottom
---------------- Left

the chigiri slots looks like this:


|
\
|
/

This means that i can't swap the staves around unless I renotch the bamboo.
Is this right or did i get a dud shniai?

[streetcleaner]

Vansen
you can take a knife and make _any_ chigiri slots you prefer. don't you?

[DCPan]

Is the chigiri slot on all 4 staves of bamboo supposed to be perpendicular to the stave?

I've recently took apart my shinai and found the chigiri on a angel.

So when you lie the 4 staves down next to each (running horiztonal) like this:
---------------- Top
---------------- Right
---------------- Bottom
---------------- Left

the chigiri slots looks like this:


|
\
|
/

This means that i can't swap the staves around unless I renotch the bamboo.
Is this right or did i get a dud shniai?

Don't worry, the chigiri slots are not always perpendicular.

You'll have to make your own slots anyway, if you are piecing shinais.

There are saws you can buy that has the exact same width as the chigiri that don't cost much at the local hardware store...I just picked one up eventually because the saw on my Swiss Army knife is too wide for the slot.

BTW, some shinais are shipped with the handle glued...esp the oval-grip ones.

FWIW.

[Neil Gendzwill]

what type of sandpaper do you use?

I find the foam sanding blocks to be the most useful. They usually come with two sides medium and two sides fine grit.

[Charlie]

I always throw the chigiri away, myself. Especially since all the staves left over will go into assembling new shinai from old staves.

[taganahan]

if you're taking off your shinai, you can mark down the staves so that you'll remember the order.


~taganahan