How many shinai

[Richiro]

I have heard that everyone should get atleast three shinai. One for tounarments and two for practice. Do you really need this many?

[rainmaker]

I think three is good number. I do always carry two shinais( one for practice($35) and other is for shiai($65)). I also have parts for each shinais. But I am considering to buy another one for practice. But you should have at least two. Buy two cheap one, it is okay. Especially, I've seen many people do jigeiko and broke their shinai and try to fix it.. Invest another $35...




I have heard that everyone should get atleast three shinai. One for tounarments and two for practice. Do you really need this many?

[Taek]

Using two shinais together will give you longer usuage as you can replace starves each other. Many people use normal/heavier shinai for practice and use lighter dobari style shinai for shiai. It is very important to carry at least two shinais when you go to the dojo. I always have a spare shinai ready and leave it close during jigeiko in case it brakes.

[Richiro]

Okay...... I saw some high end shinai on http://www.e-bogu.com/Shinai_s/20.htm are these the kind you would use for shiai.

[Mysticalnet]

You are going to start kendo, so you don't need so many yet when you begin. And if you buy so many at the start, you won't know which kind of shinai you like best then. ^_^

[Munnin]

Richiro, I think you are the right path. You’re working hard to acquire data and understand it. Hold off on spending money until you have enough experience to know what you like and dislike.

Most kendo clubs offer cheap shinai for beginners that they buy in bulk. These are fine to start with.

[ISSAC RU]

na...1 shinai is good enough for you until u get ur shodan..

[Richiro]

shodan..... Thats the rank after ikkyu right?

[Aryan]

I have two shinai. One for practice and one for shiai.
I used a good one for shiai, off course.

[Stimpson J. Cat]

Buy one when sensei tells you to, you'll want to have a backup when you go to your first tournament, in case you break one as you'll usually see a few get broken during a tournament. As to when to get the second one, I got a second one a couple months after being told to buy my first one in order to have a backup for practice, but I would think any time from when you get the first one to your first tai kai would be fine.

[KOMA]

all you need it two, when one breaks use the other one, then when both are broken make two into one

[Vortex]

I have three myself. I found oval grips and never looked back. I tried round again after getting used to oval and hated it. The three I have get rotated in useage. Two go to the dojo, one to use the other as back up and the third I have apart for maintenance at home. I just rotate em every other class.

[kuzu70]

I carry at least two shinai, just in case one breaks. For tournaments, I usually take three shinai.

[Neil Gendzwill]

You only need 1 until you wear bogu, and then you should have 2 in case one breaks. Eventually you will have a little shinai graveyard in your basement (or wherever), where you can build frankenshinai as required.

[kanyil]

You shoul take at least 2 shinais to practice if you wear bogu. Don't let one broken shinai gets in the way of a valuable session of kendo.

If you are going to a shiai then take at least 2 shinais that you have inspected before hand. I have personally had a pre-oiled-and-inspected shinai broke on me 5 minutes before the first match, luckily I had a spare.

Although I am lucky in that I could just rock down to my local boguya and buy whatever shinai I want at really low prices.

[joekc6nlx]

Okay...... I saw some high end shinai on http://www.e-bogu.com/Shinai_s/20.htm are these the kind you would use for shiai.
I spoke with my sensei about using a carbon-graphite shinai. He said that it was better to use the carbon-graphite shinai for practice, since it will take more abuse and will hold up better under that abuse.

He said to buy a bamboo shinai for shiai, because if something happens to the shinai, it's easy to replace staves and much less expensive.

One of my sempai also added that the bamboo shinai gives a much better sound during a strike, and if you're trying to score a point in shiai, the shimpans don't just look at your form, they also listen for the sound of the shinai as it makes contact.

I plan to take my sensei's advice (7th dan, renshi), since he's got something like 48 years experience in kendo, starting in Tokyo where he was born, and continuing through Los Angeles, Toronto, and now Dayton, Ohio.

Your sensei may disagree with my sensei, and if so, that is usually a matter of professional opinion, and not something I would want to dispute. I listen to my sensei, and I think you should listen to your sensei for advice.

I have one kobari grip (oval) shinai, I love it, it was $50 at e-bogu, and I plan to buy an oval grip carbon-graphite shinai when I can get enough money saved.

[EzzzE]

frankenshinai ... you should get that trademarkt'ed *GG*. damn should have gotten 2 of those cheap ones...(to repair each other)

[Paikea]

Okay...... I saw some high end shinai on http://www.e-bogu.com/Shinai_s/20.htm are these the kind you would use for shiai.No, since you are 14, you'll be using a size 37 shinai and it's very difficult to get any of the higher-quality ones like that in that size.