The sound of shinai...

[meow]

Hi,

Today I received the bokken and the shinai I ordered.

The bokken looks and feels beautiful although it´s just a cheap one for 15,- Euros (about 15,- US$)

I already own a shinai which I purchased from a local weapon store. So I compared both shinais: The new shinai I received today, smells "different" than the one I owned before...maybe it is treated with wax or oil, I don´t know. I mailed the guy who runs the store to get information about this. (He is very kind and I am very satisfied)

The new shinai also makes a different sound, when I slap it against my hand. It sounds like "THUD"...a very solid sound, whereas the shinai I already owned sounds more like "CLACK"...a more clicking and thinner sound. I hope I could explain...

I guess it could be, because the shinai I got from the weapon store is dried out and the other one I got today is a better bamboo quality and possibly oiled...!?

P.S. My english sucks...

[Khabbi]

just ask some one at the dojo ,

[Kendo ISB]

Usually, we oil down our shinai after practice......first we sandpaper it to make sure it doesn't have any cracks....(Do this before practice) then after, we oil it. Oiling just keeps it in better shape. Lasts longer.
as for the sound, as long as it makes a "pow" as you hit, its good :P
Hope that helps yo.

[meow]

Usually, we oil down our shinai after practice......first we sandpaper it to make sure it doesn't have any cracks....(Do this before practice) then after, we oil it. Oiling just keeps it in better shape. Lasts longer.
as for the sound, as long as it makes a "pow" as you hit, its good :P
Hope that helps yo.

I just disassembled the older shinai and oiled it. (I also sanded the bokken and oiled it too.) Tomorrow I will reassemble it and see, if it still sounds the same.

BTW: My shinai never make "POW" because I nerver hit anything...it´s just suburi, suburi, suburi...

[Kendo ISB]

Don't sand it down too much :P You might end up with a really light and brittle shinai, that can't be used in competition because of the weight:P What i mean by sanding it down is for cracks and splinters.....that usually don't form unless you hit something :P So dont sand until you need too. I reccomend oiling it though. It helps .

[meow]

Don't sand it down too much :P You might end up with a really light and brittle shinai, that can't be used in competition because of the weight:P What i mean by sanding it down is for cracks and splinters.....that usually don't form unless you hit something :P So dont sand until you need too. I reccomend oiling it though. It helps .

I didn´t sand the shinai. I only sanded the bokken.

After I oiled the shinai yesterday I put it together this morning. (Well, I still have to retie the tsuru...) It looks better and the surface feels much smoother now but it still makes this "Clack" sound because the bamboo staves are a bit separated from each other. But as long as it works, I don´t mind.

And competition is something I won´t care about for the next few years, I guess...

I will reassemble the new shinai in the next few days. I will let you know, what kind of differences I experienced then...

[Kendo ISB]

The clack sound is common within most Shinai's after some use....(or its just getting loose.) as long as its relatively tight, its not a problem. And yeah, I guess competition is rare for beginners. But perhaps you can attend a Kyu tournament. Your dojo can give you the rank of the 10th Kyu. But u need a master with i think 3 dan or above to give you the test.

[yangs]

I think sanding shinai is good. For two reasons, one is it make the shinai lighter. Another is it make four pieces of bamboo move more smoothly. It will lessen the pain that your partner feel when you strike.