Bamboo Shinai: Best before...?

[Phlebas]

I will be returning to training after a long hiatus, and I was wondering about my shinai. I have one that has never been damaged in practice but it is several years old. I have kept it sanded and oiled, and re-tied it from time to time, but what I want to know is whether bamboo shinais have a "shelf life". Assuming a shinai has NEVER been used, how long can you keep it? Under what conditions can its life expectancy be increased (proper care, etc), and by how much does that prolong its life? I don't want to bring an unsafe shinai to practice, even though I will not be trading blows with anyone for a while.

Thanks!

-Phlebas

[Steve]

As long as you keep it in good condition (ie oiled) the bamboo shouldn't dry out or anything. Meaning, your should be perfectly fine.

If its kept in good condition, i guess the only shelf-life you'd have to worry about would be natural decay (rot) of the wood, leather, and strings; ie a long time away!

[Phlebas]

Thanks Steve, I think you're right about the leather; it does look a bit old so I'll replace it. Good to know that you can keep a shinai for a long time! I can see advantages in this if I find one I really like.

Another related question just occurred to me: I have heard that if there are small cracks in the bamboo stave you can repair it with white glue, then sand and oil when completely dry.

True? False?

[ben]

I think the glue idea is taking an unnecessary risk with your training partners' safety. It might work OK for a while, until it gives way and probably in spectacular fashion. Better to retire the questionable slats and make them into a suburito.

I'd also be wary of a shinai that had been kept for a long time before use. Fine if you've looked after it meticulously but I know that in Australia bamboo dries out quite quickly in our dry climate. It's a process I don't think you can completely stop, only slow down. I've also used shinais that were bought "on sale" from bogu shops in Japan that had obviously been sitting around since the Showa period and they blew apart pretty quickly.

b

[Steve]

Yeah, you CAN repair it, but why risk using a weakened shinai against a friend of yours. Best to retire it...

[Phlebas]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll shelf the idea of repairing a cracked stave if it is in any way unsafe.

My older undamaged shinai has been lightly sanded and oiled regularly, but after what I've read here maybe I'll just use it as suburito. Nice to see that most people would rather spend money on a new shinai than put anyone at risk!

[kanyil]

I had one from my grandfather that could not be a day less than 20 years old. It was supposedly one of his "old" shinais from long ago and I imagine it would be completely dried out by now.

[hyuna]

I don't know if there is any truth to it, but I've heard some sensei say that shinai get stronger if you let them sit for a year before using them. I've never tried it, and it seems pretty counter-intuitive to me, but there it is.

[Bleda]

My sensei had a shinai that was passed onto him from his sensei, it was 7 years old before some guy he let borrow slammed it and broke it. Aslong as you keep it oiled and free from cracks you should be okay. BTW you can re-hydrate a dried shinai, it just takes MANY MANY weeks of oil. Put it in a long PVC tube with end cap and just fill it with mineral oil and let it sit for a couple of weeks. It will pop out just as moist as ever.

[meow]

I had one from my grandfather that could not be a day less than 20 years old. It was supposedly one of his "old" shinais from long ago and I imagine it would be completely dried out by now.
I would keep this one as a souvenir. It would be a pity to break it.

Maybe you can make it a wall-hanger for inspiration. ;-)


greetings

meow

[Neil Gendzwill]

BTW you can re-hydrate a dried shinai, it just takes MANY MANY weeks of oil. Put it in a long PVC tube with end cap and just fill it with mineral oil and let it sit for a couple of weeks. It will pop out just as moist as ever.

That's a good way to wreck a shinai. If you store it that long in oil, it will get soggy and weak.

[Bleda]

Depends on how dry the shinai is, I had one which was very (VERY) dry, i had to leave on in the oil for 2 weeks before it was anywhere near useable. You should be checking the shinai daily to make sure its not over soaking but that doesn't mean it won't take a solid chunk of time to make it useable.

[Neil Gendzwill]

It's a bit hard to tell, though. I oversoaked one and when it broke, you could see how soggy and weak the fibres were inside but it didn't look that bad from the outside - maybe a bit darker than normal. Mind you I was using canola oil.

[Bleda]

I use light mineral oil (really refined) so its a very very light oil. It never conjeals and never dries, but ya you got to be careful not to over soak. The 2 weeker though i still have and it works okay.

[Sithlord]

U should stay away from oils...only use rapeseed oil to bring the shine back after u have fixed a splinter and finsihed sanding.

All i use is and have been told to use is bees wax on the edges to prevent cracks etc.

[Bleda]

My sensei had told me the opposite, he had said to stay away from drying oils such as vege's and foods for use on the shinai and to use mineral oil (which i have a ton of since i make choji oil for my blades). I use wax on the edges though, it really makes a noticeable difference with and with out the wax.