Shinai Purchase - Where do you buy?

[Karaken]

OK, I'm stuck - maybe there are too many choices - maybe not. Are they all making their own shinais or are they all kind of same shinai with different names. One of the Korean sites suggests that there are no "REAL" Japanese made Shinais only shinais made of Japanese Bamboo and they are all made in China.

So where do you buy? How much do you pay? Are you happy with what you buy? How long do they last? What does Japanese competitors use during AJKF ( They look same )?

Some choices of the answers:

Buy from Sensei : Don't know where it comes from
E-bogu
E-kendo
Tozando
Eguchi
Kendoshop
Sehyun
Bogubag
Tokyoman
Boguya
Kendosale
kumdosale
Did I miss anybody else?


Price : 13-20 : Basic Chinese made ( $24 on e-bay )
20-40 : A bit better quality
40-54 : Premium quality - usually Japanese bamboo
60 and up : Real Japanese made?
100+ : Hand made?

Remember people, I only need (1) shinai to pick and settle on if it's worth it ( regardless of the price ) and let's not discuss Hasegawa, I have one already ( CF-39 ). Oh let's consider shipping too - most of them cost too much coming from Korea or Japan.


Let's go..

Take the center, keep it there..

[Neil Gendzwill]

Where are you physically? For only one shinai shipping costs will kill you, so best pick a supplier as close as you can.

How much experience do you have? I'm thinking if you don't know what you want yet, probably just a cheap one is good enough. Buy a few while you're at it, you're going to break them anyways, may as well save on shipping.

[Karaken]

How much experience do you have?

Neil, I'm Sandan and have boken a few shinai. Some lasted longer than others but they didn't have name on them so I don't know where they came from. I've been using Carbon Shinai since I got tired of having to fix shinai all night after practice.

I'm in NY, USA so Yes shipping a single shinai won't make sense. However, buying a large quantity doesn't make sense either since I still have Carbon Shinai and I believe shinais will dry up if I don't use it. If I can go to a place where they have all kinds of shinais, maybe I can pick one I like and settle for life. But around here martial art stores ( Don't know of any Kendo stores ) carry only cheap ones - they are light, thin and brittle.

I'm thinking shinais priced somewhere between $40-60 would be preety good but not sure. Also shinais of this price range tend not to be complete and I have to purchase leather part ($20-30)separately therefore more expensive. Adding shipping to that could cost me over $100 per shinai.

So the question is " Where do you buy your favorate shinai from? How did you end up settling on that one? ( If you buy the same kind ) How much do you end up spending per shinai? "

The quest continues..

[sminki]

karaken, where do you train in NY?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Karaken, shinai will keep for several years just fine. My sensei is using some shinai that are 20 years old or older. He claims they get tougher as they get "seasoned". I'm not sure about that, but certainly buying a stock of 3 or 4 shinai to last you a couple of years is not a problem.

As far as leather goes: for one thing, the leather bits that come on cheap shinai aren't very good, I prefer to buy better pieces. For another, I routinely swap leather pieces to new bamboo as the leather lasts much longer than bamboo.

We've gotten cheap completes from several sources. I generally don't care for the balance and also find the tsuka too thin (I have big hands). But some people aren't that fussy and will use whatever's handy/cheap.

[Raígma]

Maybe you should add www.ninecircles.co.uk
It´s more or less the same like Kendoshop.com but it´s
cheaper for the ones living near the UK.
I ordered everything there and though I´m new I think it´s pretty good quality.

[dorkusxmaximus]

i recently purchased a shinai from e-bogu. is that any good?

[rottunpunk]

i got my oval one from tozando-kinda expensive but it is really nice-got it for christmas and not a sign of a splinter yet

:p

[Karaken]

Dork and Rott, what model of shinai are those ? If you don't know the model how much did you pay ( for Dork )..:-)

Centerrrr....

[dorkusxmaximus]

umm I paid 20 bucks for it or was it 35, but I don't think I bought a Chinese shinai. Boy, I hope not! Well I probably do own one because there is this one 38 shinai that I got as a gift from my sensei. It feels like I'm wielding a toy because it feels so weightless. Anways, back to my newly purchased shinai. it feels kind of heavy, but it's fine with me. It Reminds me of the first dobari shinai I got for 40 bucks.

[Gothic_Coop]

I have gotten my shinai from E-Bogu. It was one of their top quality one's it was a good deal for me and no splinters yet either.

[KhawMengLee]

Koei budogu and Moribudo.

Got two handmade shinais from moribudo which have lasted me for more than a year and a half now.

And 2 dobaris from Koei which are excellent too.

[KATSUJIN]

I just bought one shinai from kendoshop...well not bad..but the balance is abit to the tip. I also received one shinai from my sensei recently....i am trying to find out where he got it from......the balance is so beautiful!!! :-)

[Karaken]

Katsujin, love to hear about it.. Please mentione whether they're Dobari style or Regular style shinais.

Centreee...

[KATSUJIN]

The one i bought from kendoshop is regular style. The one my sensei gave me feels like a regular one but with just a little bit bigger grip.

[Karaken]

On the same subject, does anyone know what defines Dobari? I know shinais all have some Bulge but what makes them Dobari? Is there a standard?
My CF90 Hasegawa has almost nothing there - does it make it a KOTO style or is it still Regular?

Center only..

[KATSUJIN]

dobari shinais are much bigger than the rest....the bulge is not only at the tsuka but also at the area of the bamboo just above the tsuba....and most dobari have very good balance....thats all i know...if i am wrong..please ....somebody correct me....

[KhawMengLee]

Haven't tried the CF29 before but I hear a lot of negative reviews an=bout its feel and balance. I have a DB39 however and it is really nice. The balance is good and feels pretty good on a hit...then again any good hit feels nice(not on the recieving end;))

[LNGUYEN]

Got two Shura shinai from E-bogu during Midwest Kendo Taikain in Chicago, IL. These shinai are sweet, good balance. I also met Ariga Sensei from E-bogu. Nice man, very friendly.

[ALI G]

Got two Shura shinai from E-bogu during Midwest Kendo Taikain in Chicago, IL. These shinai are sweet, good balance. I also met Ariga Sensei from E-bogu. Nice man, very friendly.

Dem 3 shinaiz from e-boguz iz awezome...Whetherz itz da Mushaz, Hyoeiz, orz da Shuraz yaz cantz go wrongz...

I wonderz if anyonez buyingz da Ladyz Rankoz & usingz it 4 Menz shiai cuz itz da same lengthz butz literz...

[Chook]

I just buy my shinai from a local martial arts shop. They're cheap n nasty, but they get the job done for now until I feel that a more expensive one is in order.

[mystic_kendoka]

i buy mine from my sensei, dont know where she gets them, but i bought my first shinai and bokuto for 20 dollars