Make shinai heavier?

[Ryden]

We're off to the national championship here in Sweden this weekend and they have informed us that there will be an extensive shinai check at the tournament including weigth check.

I weighed my brand new dobari from Ninecircles and it came to just 508 gr in prepared condition (rounding of take, overnight soaking in water, overnight soaking in turpentine/linseed oil and a wax coat on the edges)

How crucial is the 510 gr limit?
Is there anything I can do to make it a bit heavier? (my plan so far is to soak the tsuka in water during the night before the checkin)
Should I ask for a new shinai from Ninecircles as the one they sent won't stand up to regulations?

[nebosuke]

510 is crucial. Throw a coin or two in the bottom of the tsukagawa, or lead tape inside the take.

I doubt you have a leg to stand on with the vendor unless you weighed it before rounding off the take and it was already underweight, at which point you should have contacted them before modifying it at all.

[JSchmidt]

510 is crucial. Throw a coin or two in the bottom of the tsukagawa, or lead tape inside the take.

And get disqualified on the spot. Stupid advice!

[ace]

i agree dumb idea.
i would oil it more shouldn't be to hard to add 2 grams.

[JoDuncan]

508 g Vs 510 g

Come on, they can't be for real. I hope their scales are accurate to 2 g if they are going to shaft you for it.

are the shinai weighed with tsuba and dome? Can you just get heavier ones?

Replace tsuka gawa with a new, heavier one?

I dunno, just spit ballin' like a crazy beast.

[Andrew S]

I agree with the oiling, and a pointer from school kendo clubs: always have a second shinai that meets specs - you never know what will happen at a taikai (your main one doesn't quite make it up to standard, a split piece in your first round, etc.)
Hope your shinai absorbs enough oil for the extra 2g, and good luck!

[Kendoka]

Dampening the tsuka-gawa is a method used by a lady that I know.

And don't put a foreign object inside the tsuka as suggested above (a joke I guess).

Say hello to Kristina for me, we trained together for 3 yrs, until a month ago, when she returned to Sweden.

[The great I AM]

508 g Vs 510 g

Come on, they can't be for real.

Yes they can, rules are rules, Love.

[Ignatz]

I have seen some digital scales that will change the result if you move the shinai around on the plate.

Back in my day building engines when we weighed connecting rods we used two scales, one at each end.

[Neil Gendzwill]

are the shinai weighed with tsuba and dome?

No, they are weighed with all the parts except the tsuba and tsuba-dome. And the answer to the original question is to have at least 3 shinai that you believe are in spec, so that in case they reject one of them you still have a legal spare. Don't forget to check tip diameter while you're at it.

[shred_lord]

Put a extra Tsukagawa on it. Or for the sake of 2g an extra long nakayui.

[JoDuncan]

Yes they can, rules are rules, Love.

I can accept that providing that their scales are accurate to at least 0.5 g. If they're all anal about weights of shinai to a couple of grams then i will get anal with them.... wait a minute

2 grams, i've farted more than 2 grams... and it wasn't even a rasper.

[Ryden]

I'll think I just hose it down and hope for the best (sorry about that hand sweat sir, I'm a bit nervous...)

My backup is a twelve year old beginners shinai (yes they will last that long if you take proper care and maybe replace a take) which interestingly enough also weighs 508 gr

@Kendoka
I'll try to say hi to Kristina if I can find her, do you know her last name?

I read what the subsidiary rules says about shinai

1. Shinai shall consist of four slats and shall not include any other objects other than the core inside Sakigawa and Chigiri inlaid at the end of Tsuba;

Strictly speaking, a coin in the tsukagawa isn't inside the shinai as they define it here, it's in the tsukagawa and there is nothing on the contents of the tsukagawa in the rules.

Is it for example allowed to put sports tape on the tsuka to make an overtly large tsukagawa fit better?

I will not try this route until I get a clear answer to whats allowed, I have oiled it as much as it will take, and I'll wet it down a bit if that doesn't do the trick

[subygal]

Strictly speaking you should have weighed it when you got it. If it was underweight then - returned it. Then tell everyone where you got it so that no-one else buys from there and makes the same mistake

I'm lucky - because I am female my shinai weight is 440g but I use a 39 as I am taller and have longer arms (most girls I train with use 38s) so my shinai will always be over - strictly speaking it should be over 510g

[Chief D]

Just one question: Would it be allowed to solder a tiny piece of lead onto the chigiri?

CU
Chief