I bought my first shinai... now what?

[Moonrise]

As indicated in the title, I bought my first shinai, a size 39 one as the instructor indicated, from the shop the instructor indicated. I've figured out the tsuba and tsuba dome. But I'm wondering if there's something else I should do before using it. There are some red strings wrapped around the nagasa... should those remain? Be clipped off?

[SanguineKendoka]

I bought my first shinai... now what?

Find someone in armour. Hit them with it.

....I kid. The strings should be cut or untied, and removed. Other than that, you should be good to go (I didn't oil mine until a few months in when I was more confident, but I suppose it comes down to preference).

[batusai.]

As indicated in the title, I bought my first shinai, a size 39 one as the instructor indicated, from the shop the instructor indicated. I've figured out the tsuba and tsuba dome. But I'm wondering if there's something else I should do before using it. There are some red strings wrapped around the nagasa... should those remain? Be clipped off?

Yes, the red strings should be cut off. Be really careful as you might cut the tsuru (white string). You ought to oil it before using to condition the bamboo. Vegetable/Canola/Coconut oil will do just fine.

[Kaoru]

Yes, the red strings should be cut off. Be really careful as you might cut the tsuru (white string). You ought to oil it before using to condition the bamboo. Vegetable/Canola/Coconut oil will do just fine.

If she got a complete shinai(One that has all the fittings), and since she is a complete beginner, this shouldn't be a problem right now.(What my sensei told me when I asked about that once, when I first started and bought my first shinai.) She'd never get it back together again properly for safe use unless she gets a sempai(senior-for Moonrise-san) to help her. And, I wouldn't suggest a manual right now, since she is so new... it's still easy to screw something up by looking at a book.

Moonrise-san, if you are concerned about oiling it(You'll need to eventually do this with other shinai that don't come complete or even your new one if you want to.), please ask your sensei or a knowledgeable sempai first before actually trying it. There is a right and wrong way to do it. And, you want to make sure all the fittings are put back on correctly, and the shinai itself is put back together properly too, since the whole shinai will have been taken apart. (I had help when I finally decided to do mine when staves needed switching around. It's a pain... At least, for me it was.)

Oh, and also, forgot to say, you should see what your sensei says about this too.

Kaoru

P.S. Oiling it keeps the bamboo from drying out.

[ArcticBlizzard]

Like kauro and others stated, you're good to go when you've untied the red strings and put on the tsuba. You should show the shinai to your sensei and sempai so they can check it out before you start using it.

At a later stage you'll
Dismantle it
Check everything
Sand it
Check it again
Oil it (I and fellow dojo mates use boiled linseed oil)
Let it dry
Wax it (optional but it works great for me)
Put the shinai back together again.
You can ask your sempai or sensei for advice on when and how to do this. There are also a couple of guides that can be found on the internet on this subject, I think some vids on youtube can be found as well.

[JuJitsuGiraffe]

Usually when I get a new shinai, I take it apart entirely before using it. You never know what kind of damage it's sustained while in it's travels to get to you.

[Kaoru]

Usually when I get a new shinai, I take it apart entirely before using it. You never know what kind of damage it's sustained while in it's travels to get to you.

If it's packaged correctly, there's usually nothing to worry about, especially if you get it from a reputable shop. Complete shinai are also not like the more expensive shinai that come unassembled.

Kaoru

[Moonrise]

So, what are the advantages of more expensive shinai? Particularly, why do some sites advertised "smoked" shinai?

[Kaoru]

So, what are the advantages of more expensive shinai? Particularly, why do some sites advertised "smoked" shinai?

They are better quality and well made and the balance will be better with the more expensive shinai. But as a new beginner, you just need a standard practice shinai... In case it should break. The nicer shinai can get very expensive! You usually see the more advanced people with those type of shinai. That's what I have noticed anyway. Once you start wearing bogu and get to go to tournaments, you can try out some of the nicer shinai. At some tournaments, places such as e-bogu sometimes sell stuff there, and you can try them out. Not hit with them of course, but see what you like with a few suburi. I got to volunteer at one tournament, and that's where I got my current tsuba. (The Hasegawa one.) Or, if a sempai has a really nice one, ask if you may try it out.

As to smoked, I have been wondering that myself. It sounds strange... I've seen them advertised on reputable sites, but I can't answer your question. Sorry.

Kaoru

[batusai.]

Wouldn't it be cost effective if a cheap shinia is used instead? I mean it's going to break eventually during practice. With regards to the higher priced smoked shinai, as far as I have read and understood, it doesn't splinter that easily. It will only show some protruding hair of the treated bamboo which can easily be sandpapered, unlike a regular shinai which shows major splitting.

[ArcticBlizzard]

So, what are the advantages of more expensive shinai?

Like cars there are a lot of different types of shinai

Beginning with the tsuka
Round or Oval
Normal or large grip

Weight distribution

Standard or Chokuto
The standard Shinai with an even weight distribution.

Dobari
The weight of the Shinai is close to the tsuba. This makes the Dobari quicker than the standard Shinai as it has a centre of gravity closer to the fulcrum (hands of the kendoka) so the lever action is easier as it seems like you are lifting and swinging a lighter weight.

Types/treatments (quality varies a lot between shinai who are in the same category, you can have cheap student grade shinai and competition grade shinai who are roughly made the same way but vary in price and (material)quality)

Normal
Mass produced, ok quality

Hand made
often better materials and better balanced

Bio treated
The Bio-shinai is a bamboo shinai that has been low-temperature "cooked" in resin. The process cause the greater portion of the moisture in the intercellular spaces of the bamboo to be displaced by the resin in which it is cooked in. The resin solidifies and becomes integral to the substance of the shinai.
The process produces a shinai that is not as affected by humidity changes as a normal untreated shinai, and one that is much stronger.
The Bio shinai is still, a bamboo shinai, therefore, it is not indestructible; however, for most kenshi, it will last longer than an untreated shinai, and for the advance expert with good technique, the Bio shinai will last a long time. (chiba bogu)

Smoked
The surface is reinforced by the special smoked process, to make the shinai more durable.

Carbon
One expensive s.o.b.
Built to last, made of carbon graphite and high performance plastic should have a durability 30 times higher than a bamboo shinai.
Some people love them, some people hate them.

I think I named them all, if a made any mistakes of missed one feel free to correct me.

Particularly, why do some sites advertised "smoked" shinai?

My guess, they want to sell them.

[ArcticBlizzard]

So, what are the advantages of more expensive shinai?

Like cars there are a lot of different types of shinai

Beginning with the tsuka
Round or Oval
Normal or large grip

Weight distribution

Standard or Chokuto
The standard Shinai with an even weight distribution.

Dobari
The weight of the Shinai is close to the tsuba. This makes the Dobari quicker than the standard Shinai as it has a centre of gravity closer to the fulcrum (hands of the kendoka) so the lever action is easier as it seems like you are lifting and swinging a lighter weight.

Types/treatments (quality varies a lot between shinai who are in the same category, you can have cheap student grade shinai and competition grade shinai who are roughly made the same way but vary in price and (material)quality)

Normal
Mass produced, ok quality

Hand made
often better materials and better balanced

Bio treated
The Bio-shinai is a bamboo shinai that has been low-temperature "cooked" in resin. The process cause the greater portion of the moisture in the intercellular spaces of the bamboo to be displaced by the resin in which it is cooked in. The resin solidifies and becomes integral to the substance of the shinai.
The process produces a shinai that is not as affected by humidity changes as a normal untreated shinai, and one that is much stronger.
The Bio shinai is still, a bamboo shinai, therefore, it is not indestructible; however, for most kenshi, it will last longer than an untreated shinai, and for the advance expert with good technique, the Bio shinai will last a long time. (chiba bogu)

Smoked
The surface is reinforced by the special smoked process, to make the shinai more durable.

Carbon
One expensive s.o.b.
Built to last, made of carbon graphite and high performance plastic should have a durability 30 times higher than a bamboo shinai.
Some people love them, some people hate them.

I think I named them all, if a made any mistakes of missed one feel free to correct me.

Particularly, why do some sites advertised "smoked" shinai?

My guess, they want to sell them.

[ArcticBlizzard]

@ batusai

A cheaper one isn't necessarily more cost effective

If I use shinai 40 euro a piece and they hold out for about 9 months and compare the number of shinai I have to buy + price to the price of a carbon shinai and durability of that one to each other it would be something like this

Normal = 40 euro
Carbon 240 euro
That means I can buy 6 normal bamboo shinai for one carbon

The normal ones last 9 months, 6X9=54 months
54 months is 4.5 years
The carbon should last for 30 years

So after 4.5 years the normal shinai would be more expensive than a carbon shinai, because I need to buy them more often.

[rfoxmich]

All right I'm going to be the heretic of this thread regarding 'shinai prep'. For the last 15yrs or so I've never oiled my shinai, never sanded them other than when they showed damage. I practice hard. My shinai last about a year or more typically. I live in Michigan USA where in winter the climate is incredibly dry.

Having said this (and looking over my shoulder for the men with the dark sunglasses), I'll say that each dojo, and each person has its own set of superstitions about how to treat new shinai. Ask your sensei about the superstitions they have and start there.

Oh, and it's probably better if you don't use the word 'superstition' when you ask. Use words like techniques, scientific methods of shinai preservation and so on.

..And most of all, enjoy your kendo journey!

[b8amack]

+1

I'll sand them when they show very minor damage, but any more than that and it's better to take them apart and save the good staves for jukdomancy (Frankenshinai).