what oil to use

[j2023]

ok, i have been researching this for sometime. what oil should i use for the shinai? there seems to be a million answers to this one. and why are you using that one versus the others?

[joekc6nlx]

I don't know if you've been researching the various threads on this topic here in the KW Forums, but I know there are a ton of them, giving all the various oils to use and the reasons why.

Just to keep it simple, though, I use lemon oil, available in the furniture section of the grocery. It's light, it doesn't go rancid, and if it's good for wood, it's good for bamboo.

[LarsCW]

Because I wasn't sure I bought a spraycan of oil from Tozando.

[Andou]

I've heard of many different things. I believe the most convenient that I've heard so far are salad or vegetable oil. I've tried vegetable oil and it worked okay I suppose, but I agree with Joe in getting oil that's good for wood. I'm sure that getting the Tozando oil would be more specific to the needs of the shinai, but I think just using a substitute would suffice too. Hope that helps.

[Paikea]

ok, i have been researching this for sometime. what oil should i use for the shinai? there seems to be a million answers to this one. and why are you using that one versus the others?I prefer canola oil because it does not have an odor and it's dirt cheap.

[Anime12478]

I've used gun oil. If you buy it from Walmart then it's really cheap.

[Hotei]

I also use lemon oil. It's cheap, it works, and it's available just about anwhere.

2 caveates, there: First, it (like many oils) builds up pretty quick, and (if you use cheap-o stuff) will actually cause more soiling of your shinai as it becomes sticky.

Second, your Sensei may make fun of the fact that, yes, you will ocassionally smell like lemon oil.

[j2023]

thanks for all of the suggestions, i have a new practice shinai on order. when i get that i will try the lemon oil. i guess in the back of my mind i beleive whenever i strike MEN, my opponent will think "lemon fresh". we shall see.

[Andoru]

Hmm why isn't linseed oil mentioned I wonder? This oil is recommended for wood.

[Hotei]

It's entirely possible that linseed oil could be good for shinai, BUT I would be very hesitant, as linseed is actually used to raise the grain of wood to enable the wood worker to better sand the area.

We use it on our cricket bats when we're knocking them in (seasoning them) but you have to be extremely careful not to use too much, as you can ruin a bat before even getting to use it.

I would think that the last thing you want with shinai is to "raise the grain." It seems like that would be almost dangerous.:dead:

[Andoru]

Hmm interesting. At the hardware store, I was told that linseed oil is used to protect the wood.

[ChaShu]

For shinai I use canola oil. It's thinner and lighter, so my assumption is that the bamboo will absorb it better. For my bokuto I sand it with very fine grain sand paper then coat with a light coat of raw linseed oil. I'm sure that linseed oil would be good for shinai, but the canola oil goes cheap at Costco and I have to apply oil to shinai more often, so I use that for shinai instead. Another sempai on the forum recommended waxing the joints as well. A sempai at my club also recommends using extra virgin olive oil.

[AkuSokuZan]

According to the AKATSUKI site, the oil recommended for polishing is rapeseed oil. I have no idea why... but thats what I read.

[ChaShu]

According to the AKATSUKI site, the oil recommended for polishing is rapeseed oil. I have no idea why... but thats what I read.

Canola oil and rapeseed oil are the same. Canola is made from the rapeseed plant which is an edible crop plant related to cabbage and mustard. Actually, Canola is a brand name for a kind of rapeseed oil derived from "Canadian oil, low acid". More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapeseed

[Hotei]

Well, according to my neighbor, linseed oil is just about the most useful stuff in the world. I'd be surprised if he didn't claim it to be more versitile than plastic. I suppose I may have been on drugs, but I swear that it was linseed oil that we used (sparingly) on our bats. . . I may be insane; it happens.

That being said, there are two good reasons not to use it on shinai:

Linseed oil is mildew food... Many vegetable oils are food products for humans... all vegetable oils are food products for mildew! Linseed oil is not completely denatured, so it can encourage rather than discourage mildew growth.


Difficult to remove from wood... Multiple coats of linseed oil are gummy and difficult to remove fully for refinishing.

. . .And that's straight from the internet, and we all know that you can always, always trust everything that you read on the internet. The government checks all webpages for accuracy, you know. . . :rolleyes:

When in doubt, ask your Sensei. He'll probably say canola. :wink:

[Hotei]

Canola oil and rapeseed oil are the same. Canola is made from the rapeseed plant which is an edible crop plant related to cabbage and mustard. Actually, Canola is a brand name for a kind of rapeseed oil derived from "Canadian oil, low acid". More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapeseed

WOW!! And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is everything you could conceivably need to know about canola.

. . . I mean really. Who knew? :confused:

[ChaShu]

Actually, linseed oil is made from the flax plant. The first cold pressing is usually called flaxseed oil and is edible and chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, which apparently is good for you. Other derivatives have non-edible uses, such as polishing bokuto. :D More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil

[Hotei]

Actually, linseed oil is made from the flax plant. The first cold pressing is usually called flaxseed oil and is edible and chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, which apparently is good for you. Other derivatives have non-edible uses, such as polishing bokuto. :D More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil

ChaShu will be here all week, ladies and gentlemen; ChaShu! Every night a new fact! Every Saturday a new act! ChaShu! Try the veggie plate ~ Don't forget to tip your waitress!

:smiley:

[ChaShu]

ChaShu will be here all week, ladies and gentlemen; ChaShu! Every night a new fact! Every Saturday a new act! ChaShu! Try the veggie plate ~ Don't forget to tip your waitress!

:smiley:

Mmm... veggie plate...

[Wes Nazo]

My sensei recommends linseed oil and I use it because I do oil paintings and have some artist's grade on hand. I haven't had any problems with it. If it's good enough for my paintings, it's good enough for my shinai.

[stuartwilson]

I use a mixture of 25% linseed oil and 75% turpentine. I have found that without cutting the linseed oil, it's just too thick and builds up heavily. The turpentine also helps it penetrate better.

After they dry, I wipe down the tsuka portion with a solvent (like laquer thinner) to keep it from gluing to the leather.

This formula has never raised grain on the outside of a shinai. I live in a very humid place, and have had no problems with mildew.

Finally, for high quality shinai that I use sparingly, I don't use oil at all.

[don don]

I use beeswax.

[mad_god]

My sensei recommends linseed oil and I use it because I do oil paintings and have some artist's grade on hand. I haven't had any problems with it. If it's good enough for my paintings, it's good enough for my shinai.

Any kind of oil is fine.
Discuss about type of oil is waste of time.
If you have time to think about oil, think about the kind of bamboo your shinai is made.
If you have time to think about kind of bamboo your using in your shinai, think how you can handle (use) in order to save it longer.
That's the correct way of thinking.

MAD GOD

[NorthernKendoka]

I usually use linseed oil diluted with some turpentine. There are three reasons: it's very good for treating wood, we usually have it at home and it smells wonderful. i try not to leave to much oil on the surface of the shinai since it can get sticky, sometimes I put layer of parafine oil after I'm done with the linseed oil.

[ChaShu]

Any kind of oil is fine.
Discuss about type of oil is waste of time.
If you have time to think about oil, think about the kind of bamboo your shinai is made.
If you have time to think about kind of bamboo your using in your shinai, think how you can handle (use) in order to save it longer.
That's the correct way of thinking.

MAD GOD

I don't believe IMHO that discussing the kind of oil we use is at all frivolous. Part of the bushido ethos that we hope to incorporate into our lives includes duty and respect. The duty portion of it comes into effect when we respect our equipment and understand that we need to maintain them well, and oiling our shinai and bokken are part of that maintenance. The respect component of it comes into effect when we face off with our fellow kenshi with the knowledge that we have done our duty well in maintaining our shinai and we have done our best to ensure that our equipment does not hurt someone else due to shirking of our duty. While we all strive to have correct technique and so that we handle our shinai without undue breakage, it is after all, made of organic materials that need to be maintained to be used safely. While a discussion of what the best oil to use on your shinai may seem a waste of precious time and an incorrect way of thinking, in the sense I have outlined above, it may be more valuable that one may perceive.

[mad_god]

I don't believe IMHO that discussing the kind of oil we use is at all frivolous. Part of the bushido ethos that we hope to incorporate into our lives includes duty and respect. The duty portion of it comes into effect when we respect our equipment and understand that we need to maintain them well, and oiling our shinai and bokken are part of that maintenance. The respect component of it comes into effect when we face off with our fellow kenshi with the knowledge that we have done our duty well in maintaining our shinai and we have done our best to ensure that our equipment does not hurt someone else due to shirking of our duty. While we all strive to have correct technique and so that we handle our shinai without undue breakage, it is after all, made of organic materials that need to be maintained to be used safely. While a discussion of what the best oil to use on your shinai may seem a waste of precious time and an incorrect way of thinking, in the sense I have outlined above, it may be more valuable that one may perceive.

That's a good thing you have respect for your shinai and shows it in form of "kind of oil" to be used.
I hope you continue doing it everytime.
By the way, dismounting it everytime after keiko, cleaning with soft fabric and oiling a little bit, taking out the excess of oil, mounting it again is part of duty and respect for the shinai also.

By the way, how to dispose your broken shinai also is a very important issue to be considered when talking about respect and duty.

Of course, I am sure you're doing it.

MAD GOD

[ChaShu]

That's a good thing you have respect for your shinai and shows it in form of "kind of oil" to be used.
I hope you continue doing it everytime.
By the way, dismounting it everytime after keiko, cleaning with soft fabric and oiling a little bit, taking out the excess of oil, mounting it again is part of duty and respect for the shinai also.

By the way, how to dispose your broken shinai also is a very important issue to be considered when talking about respect and duty.

Of course, I am sure you're doing it.

MAD GOD

Of course. Don't you? :D

[j2023]

so the use of canola oil seems to be the prefered oil.

what about light olive oil?
that is what i have been using on the shinais i have now.

[Hotei]

LIght olive oil is great for bamboo. . . Right before you add the mushrooms and the tofu. A little light soy, a shake of roasted sesame, add to steamed rice and VOILA! NOW you're talking KENDO, baby!!

:smiley:

[j2023]

lol, i will have to try the chef kendo technique in class next time

[Berugijin]

I use olive oil (vierge). It gives a nice scent to my shinai :-P

[ChaShu]

I use olive oil (vierge). It gives a nice scent to my shinai :-P

I love the smell of oiled bamboo in the morning!

[mushinman]

I like Castrol 10w-40 for the winter, but sometimes switch to 30w for summer. Both are great and easy to access...I simply slide the dipstick from the block and apply a liberal amount to my shinai. This is also good for telling if you have struck a clean kote as the marks are quite discernable on bogu.

[LNGUYEN]

I find the massage oil called "Sensual Summer" is the best. I stripped my all the way, hand rub from the top to bottom. I like to fume filling up the room, and give me the sense of engage into the ji geiko I don't know why but my was last a long time.

[alan dean]

I use PAM
it's a spray light cooking oil that gets into the cracks. PAM cant be that bad to get on people because we cook with it , so that must mean it has passed a few health concerns.

I would not want the guy fighting me to have coated his weapon with a car oil. Because the chances are that it will shaken off into my eyes and burn.

My guess is that it is the safe thing to do is to always use a oil that is oK to get on your face, of even get a bit sprayed into your eys or mouth.

PAM seems to work for me and because it's a spray it seems to get inside there and coat the inner parts better than just a rub down with a rag could

But I have No Idea if PAM is better than other palm oils.

[~keiko~]

I use plain old canola oil. But one of my senseis likes using candle wax, but I really don't know if it's better or not

[nikolaj]

When I got my shinai, I just put it in some kitchen-oil (I believe it was olive) for a few days. I only did this once and I'm still using my first shinai, so this stuff must work! ^^