plastic skin

[elssha]

Oki,
I've just bought 3 shinai (a friend's friend went to Korea... got them for $14 each, so I couldn't pass it up), and they're all wrapped in that plastic skin, not the loose bag the other ones i've gotten were in. My question; would it be better to oil the suckers (even though I'm not planning on using them for quite a while, especially 2 of the 3), or would leaving them in their shrinkwrap till I need them be a more prudent choice? I'm guessing they won't see action till september at the earliest, as there'll be no kendo for me come summertime.

[Andoru]

Shinai can get dry even if not used. It depends on temperature and humidity. No harm oiling them first before storing them in the shrinkwrap.

[elssha]

the shrinkwrap is already on them though... so if i take it off, they'll just lay there in the open air. thus my problem; which will keep them better; the oil or the wra (as that way it sort of locks in that moisture, and what not)

[Andoru]

Oh sorry I misunderstood you. I thought it's one of those plastic wrap which comes with the shinai.

How airtight is this shrinkwrap? If they're quite airtight then I suggest that you leave them be.

[Miyu]

There's no problem keeping them in the plastic wrapping since you're not going to use them right away. Though you should still oil them before you first use them and check for splinters. I've gotten a splinter once over a "fresh" shinai wrapped in that airtight wrap and that sucker hurt.

[fighting mochi]

don't forget to sand down the edges so they don't push into each other. most people forget to do that and that's when they fracture happens. the staves push into each other causing stress and when they are dry splinter and fracture quickly.

[mushinman]

I would recommend busting them free of the shrinkwrap and then treating them like you used them every week. Keep them oiled over the summer and ready to go in the fall. I once saved a madake shinai without doing anything to it for a couple of months before testing. I was keeping it "fresh" for testing. It broke on the first strike from being dried out.

[mushinman]

By the way, why can't you practice kendo this summer?

[elssha]

Yes, skin tight... I think the only place that it's not fully sealed is at the very top, over the leather tip.
I know to sand/oil them before using, it's just the now-to-fall time i'm wondering about.
I can't practice kendo during the summer for several reasons, the leading one of which is that I will no longer be at the U where my dojo is. I don't know if I'll be able to go the EU sometime this summer or not, since the first part of my summer will be quite busy (another reason for no kendo @ that time)... the list goes on.

[geeunit000]

i say leave it in... but dont trust me cause im a noob... it just sounds like the right thing to do.

[elssha]

guess i'll keep it on then, except on the one i plan to have ready as my backup ^_^

[Munnin]

All the Shinai my club provides come this way and they are very dry. Unwrapping them now will probably not cause them to get dryer.