oil?

[Richiro]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but what kind of oil do i use to oil my shinai? Thanks to any 1 who posts.

Maholo and Aloha.

[Taek]

I've tried olive oil, bees wax and raw linseed oil. Bees wax was good but it was a bit too thin and dried out too fast as it contained alcohol. I found raw linseed oil works very well and that's what I only use now. I've heard canola oil (rapeseed oil) is also very good as the oil is very fine and light, and you can buy one of those spray can one from supermarket for easy apply. Interestingly, the canola oil is from rape plant and the rapeseed oil is toxic to human and animal. The name canola oil is from Canadian oil because Canada was the country marketed canola oil in the state. Anyway, I haven't used the canola oil but I'm sure any of oil mentioned above will work fine.

[Richiro]

where can i find em? The oils?

[Taek]

where can i find em? The oils?
Olive oil, canola oil from any supermarkets. Bees wax and raw linseed oil from hardware shops.

[Richiro]

ok thanks.

[dr-spiff]

But ask your parents first. You may already have some in the house. These are standard things that you cook with.

[Pan-Chan]

I use lemon oil. Anything that is all natural and doesn't go stale quickly is good. Stay away from canola and vegatable oils though, they will make your shinai heavy, unbalanced. But if you like it, go for it. The best stuff to use in camilia oil though, according to my sensei.

[Taek]

I agree with Pan Chan about vegitabale oil makes your shinai heavier. Olive oil also made my shinai heavier. That's why I changed to raw linseed oil. However, according to a couple of good japanese shinai makers, they still use rapeseed oil.
Check this link for more detailed info about taking care of your shinai.

http://www.at80.jp/shinai/shinai_teire.html

Shinai maker in the site says he uses boiled linseed oil. May be boilng makes linseed oil lighter.??

[Hongsermeier]

I haven't tried it yet, but I was told by a sensei in Hawaii that surf board wax worked very well. Just get wax that won't melt in the temperature you have. Example, in Ca. most wax is for cold water and will melt at low temp. There is warm water wax that is good for tem[ into the 80's I think. I'm going to give it a try when I get some new shinai.

[Halcyon]

As a matter of courtesy to your fellow kendoka, I'd stay away from waxes in general. Waxes tend to leave sticky streaks across the do. Then you have to buff them out.

[nalogg]

Any kind of non-flavoured non-scented cooking oil is probably good.
Go for a natural oil whatever you do.
And remember not to drench or soak the shinai. You're just rubbing it on with a rag to cover the surface, it gets absorbed over time.

[tanueirin]

Try this old thread for some useful info:
http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2037

[Richiro]

what is rapeseed oil and where can i buy it.

[Catherine]

You can buy cans of oil from bogu stores in a spray on form - it is really good, but a bit expensive. I think it is magnolia oil.

If you are running out of kendo toys - then I suggest that you go the spray on oil!

Catherine

[Stimpson J. Cat]

what is rapeseed oil and where can i buy it.Oil from a type of hybrid rape seed is what is sold as canola cooking oil, any grocery store probably has it. Apparently "rape seed oil" was deemed to be polically incorrect. It's not going to be exactly the same as the older "rape oil" from non-hybrid rape seed, it was hybridized to get rid of something considered unhealthly in the old varieties of rape seed, which were not allowed to be used in food in the US, but it's probably close enough for oiling a shinai - hope so, since it's what I use.

[grasshopper_r2]

I think the different brands of PAM are great. You can have Olive and garlic one day, then switch to a lighter canola and rosemary the next... Variety IS the spice of life. Plus there is nothing easier than an aerosol spray can of oil. These go well with Hai Hai's oiling methods also...HAHAHA!

[Reubino]

How about using Linseed oil? I've used it before on many types of wood for finishing and preserving. Has a nice smell too.

[Catherine]

I was told at Summer Camp in Kitamoto that Linseed oil is too heavy for oiling shinai.

Catherine

[Sakura]

Hi I used baby oil, at least it smells good than the other oil except aromatherapic off course.
Cheaper and more simple.

[Pokie]

when i started kndo i used cooking oil, i let it dry, then smeared my shinai with more..let it dry..then smeared my shinai more. When it was finished, my shinai gained 100 gms..wow huh ?

[Snipar]

Stick with raw linseed oil and you won't go too wrong. Get this from your local hardware store.

[Malekith]

I'm doing my first Shinai dismantle and oiling tomorrow. Just hoping I put it back together correctly.

[don quixote]

I'm doing my first Shinai dismantle and oiling tomorrow. Just hoping I put it back together correctly.Good luck! :)
You know, this is one of the reasons one should always have a spare. :wink:

[Taek]

I'm doing my first Shinai dismantle and oiling tomorrow. Just hoping I put it back together correctly.
Marking on each starves (ie. top, bottom, left and right) before you dismantle your shinai helps to put them together easier.

[Richiro]

I used Lemon oilo on my second shinai and it smeels great and the weight didn't change much. It is supposed to help preserve wood a lot longer.

[nodaka]

i usually oil my shinai with a mixture of clove oil and mineral spirits. it works good.

[Preacher]

Try a 3 to 1 mixture of Linseed Oil & Mineral Turps. The turps acts as an agent to allow the Linseed oil to penetrate the wood.

[Vortex]

It never occured tp me to use a spray can type... Right there in front of me and it never clicked... I'll try that.

[Banza Joe]

This morning i made my 1st attempt at dismantling and servicing my 2 shinais.
one is over 25 years old, bought by my uncle who used to travel to the east back in the early 80s. it hasn't been used (well, not for kendo at least), but when i took it to my 1st practice i wasn't allowed to use it, too loose and dangerous.
So this morning, armed with new bright yellow tsuru, sakigawa and nakayui, i set to work. Sanded all the staves etc etc, then applied WD-40. I'm not sure if anyone outside of the UK will know what this is, but one of my sempais told me that another dojo leader uses it, so i thought i'd try it, its a spray can.
I then did the same with my usual training shinai. now i have 2 freshly serviced shinai....and 2 bloody sore hands for my efforts. Im happy though! :smiley:

[TimBo]

I always used to use gun oil, purchased at any gun shop. its cheap, light, smell free, and you can get it in a sweet spray can. now I use a carbon shinai during practices however....

[alan dean]

I spray a cooking oil too....But I try to take a moment before class to try and bang out any extra oil thats sitting inside the shinai.

One time I didnt and I noticed a spray when I hit with it, so I had to clean it off fast....

Im glad no one else noticed this, as it was a bit rude to have so much oil on it that I might be sending a spray into another's eyes...

[KevinF]

soft candle wax is an alternative to the oils and sprays - less mess too...:grin:

[bluhawq]

Marking on each starves (ie. top, bottom, left and right) before you dismantle your shinai helps to put them together easier.
I read in one thread that you're supposed to rearrange the staves...Is that so??I haven't done anything to my shinai and I've had it for about 4 months. What about sanding? Could I just sand it with a normal sandpaper?Thnx..Just confused..I'll be doing it later in the day..hope I get it back together or else its the clubs shinai for the next training session~~:nervous:

[joekc6nlx]

I read in one thread that you're supposed to rearrange the staves...Is that so??I haven't done anything to my shinai and I've had it for about 4 months. What about sanding? Could I just sand it with a normal sandpaper?Thnx..Just confused..I'll be doing it later in the day..hope I get it back together or else its the clubs shinai for the next training session~~:nervous: When you take it apart, number the staves so you know which one was which. Lightly sand just the edges of each stave with regular sandpaper, you would probably be well off with a #120 or #150 grit paper.

I use lemon oil to keep my shinai staves flexible, I got it at the supermarket in the furniture care aisle. It came in a half litre bottle, lasts forever, since you don't need that much on the shinai. Just moisten a cloth and run it up and down the length of the stave. Once it's dried, then put you shinai back together.

Hint: Untie the tsuru at the tsuka end, it will be a lot easier to put back together that way. If you have difficulty putting it back together, ask your senpai to help you out.

[LarsCW]

I bought this maintenance kit from Tozando and a can of oil.

http://kendo.tozando.com/misc/mot0.html

[Kitsune]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but what kind of oil do i use to oil my shinai? Thanks to any 1 who posts.

Maholo and Aloha.


I use almond oil

[bullet08]

i ran out of PAM, so i used corn oil last time, and it worked fine. i even warmed it up in frying pan so it will get soaked up faster.. tho i forgot to scarp off the egg bits off the frying pan..

pete

[jessica_lee]

Is it ok to use just plain baby oil (light mineral oil with fragrance)? I would hate to spend much money on the spray stuff in many stores, let alone use vegetable oil (doesn't smell too nice). Any thoughts?

[rottunpunk]

olive oil then?
linseed oil from a sports shop or something would do and smells nice.
veggie oil doesnt smell too bad once its on the shinai.
cant comment on babyoil as ive never used it. you dont want something thats going to eat your shinai though.
:p

[Commander]

I take it if you dont oil you're shinai it'll become brittle?

[runsyi]

you can use mineral oil. Richiro, you can buy it at Safeway in Kailua or at Singer in Pearl Kai. I think you'd also probably be able to get it in Longs.

[Cicada]

i'd say mineral oil is a good thing ot use as well -- that's what i use [and what's recommended] to oil my bamboo cutting board in the kitchen, so I imagine it'd be the same for a shinai. For cutting boards [and i's say shinai as well] any cooking oil usually is _not_ recommended because they tend to go rancid and smell bad over time.

...or you _could_ get a hasegawa shinai :silly:

[rottunpunk]

hehe nice plug cicada.

3-in-1 oil. that'll stop squeeky rusty shinai and make it pedal faster too.
:D

:p

[Stixjimbo]

WD40 works well, it is really thin and gets soaked up really well. I second the thoughts from an earlier post that you need to number the staves if you are going to take it apart (I know from experience how much of a pain in the ar*e it can be to put back together if you dont!)
Have fun!! :silly:

[Cicada]

WD40 works well, it is really thin and gets soaked up really well. I second the thoughts from an earlier post that you need to number the staves if you are going to take it apart (I know from experience how much of a pain in the ar*e it can be to put back together if you dont!)
Have fun!! :silly:
WD40 stinks though...and the fumes are pretty bad for your health, as well..

[Stixjimbo]

WD40 stinks though...and the fumes are pretty bad for your health, as well..

Yeah, but the smell doesn't hang around for long if you wipe the shinai down and if you spray it on the shinai outside the fumes shouldn't cause a problem :grin:

[MSPaintClock]

Human Oil works well. :)

[NawashiSukkotto]

I use mink oil on my shinais simply because I have bottles and bottles of it laying around. Seems to work well for me. Soaks into the fibers really good. Doesn't feel like it adds any significant weight to the shinia. Really doesn't have an odor to it after it dries. Doesn't leave a stick residue. I'm really happy with it. Only thing is, mink oil contains petroleum distilates...so some people might get a mild skin irritation from it.

I've also heard that almond oil is very good too, but then you have to worry about if anyone you go up against is allergic to almonds. You would hate to send someone into anaphalaxis just from getting to close to your shinai. Some people are very very sensitive to nut allergies and just being touched with something treated in the oil from whatever kind of nut could have fatal results for them. Just something to keep in mind.

Personally...I would stay away from any kind of vegatable oils as well. They tend to go rancid after a while and then provide a great place for bacteria and fungus to grow. Especially if you let extra oil get down in between the staves of the handle of the shinai. I'm sure that would smell real good when you take it apart for maintenance. Wheeeew!!!

And the best thing to do after every practice is wipe it down with your towel after you wipe your sweat off your brow. Human oils are one of the best lubicants and preservatives. But don't rely on that as the only oil you use. Find something you like and experiment with it and go from there.

[Kan]

I only use the finest whale oils for my shinai, $1000 a bottle but totally worth it. My shinai not only never flakes but when it comes in contact with other shinais it rehydrates the other one as well. Also it does not add weight but somehow actually makes my shinai feel lighter! Amazing!
< /sarcasm>

Honestly I wouldnt worry too much about what oil you use. It really does not matter, as long as it keeps you shinai from flaking and dosent put anyone else in danger (flakes, too much oil, fumes, whatever else...) then your fine. Dont worry about oils adding too much weight, if your putting that much oil on your shinai to make it noticably heavy then thats too much. I oil my shinai with whatever is in my kitchen, do I think my shinai is heavier because of the oil? Maybe, but im sure its mostly psychological, your oil adding more weight is not gonna (should not) effect your kendo. If you think its gonna make a huge difference and keep telling yourself its your shinais problem and not yourself then your gonna develop bad habits. Dont worry about an extra 2 grams. I think most of us would agree that after a long hard practice your shinai feels like 10 lbs anyways. Instead of spending hours making sure your shinai is perfect for next practice, spend more time trying to fix your footwork, body balance, or swing. Your shinai is not gonna last forever not matter what oils your putting on it. Dont get caught up with how perfect your shinai or equipment is, as long as they do what they are supposed to and dont cause anyone else harm then your fine. Of course competition and promotion is a different story, but thats another thread....
< /rant>

[GreenArrow]

I use Tung oil. It's a woodworking finishing oil, but without the additives of Danish oil. It's also non-toxic and smells loads better than Linseed oil, it's made from Tung nuts and is apparently the traditional finish for wood in China and east Asia.

You can get it from most wood-turning suppliers, it's used quite a lot by turners as being non-toxic and non-tainting it can be used to preserve wood that you might eat off.

If you want to use a lighter oil, I suppose you could use Camellia oil, again specialist cabinetmaking/woodturning shops often sell it as it's used for oiling fine handtool blades, although I'd say it's a bit light for bamboo.