New guy confused as ever .....

[psywarblade]

I hear all this talk about breaking down your shinai sand and oiling but I have no clue as to what you guys are talking about. Is it a wait and let someone show you how or learn while trying kind of thing. Not a single one of my team has ever mentioned it and frankly im dumbfounded about the concept of breaking down something IM GONNA HIT SOMEONE WITH. It would be my luck tying something wrong and breaking someones arm.

Ok basics ......
I know the parts of the Shinai, what kind of oil are you using ? is 10w30 ok ? (that was a joke) What about grit on sandpaper ? How do you know when is a good time to work it over ? And why shinai are cheap why not just get another one ?

any-who can someone help my noobish soul ...

[taganahan]

are you rich enough to spend around $60 everytime you break a stave? i know i'm not. oiling the shinai makes it be more hydrated, so that it wouldn't dry out abnormally. sanding the shinai takes out those splinters that comes out. if you don't do these, something might go very wrong. i've read somewhere around this forum that someone died because something went wrong with the guy's shinai. someone confirm this.

~taganahan

[Ralutin]

are you rich enough to spend around $60 everytime you break a stave? i know i'm not. oiling the shinai makes it be more hydrated, so that it wouldn't dry out abnormally. sanding the shinai takes out those splinters that comes out. if you don't do these, something might go very wrong. i've read somewhere around this forum that someone died because something went wrong with the guy's shinai. someone confirm this.

~taganahan

Hi,

This is the chemist-side of me nitpicking, but: Rubbing oil into your shinai doesn't 'hydrate' it in the literal sense of the word. In fact, it does the complete opposite in that the oil makes it harder for the water to penetrate into or escape from the shinai (O-Chem 101: oil and water don't mix). Oil lubricates the staves and prevents them from drying out.

If/When your shinai dries out, it will become brittle and splinter very easily. Sanding the splinters out with medium to fine grit sandpaper is definitely recommended if not required, and should be followed with a light coat of mineral oil - I've started using choji oil that I would normally use on my shinken (do a search on the iaido forum regarding choji oil).

Incidentally, the incident involving a kenshi dying during practice occured when his opponent's shinai splintered while a tsuki was being delivered. A huge splinter managed to enter through the men-gane, piercing through the poor soul's eye socket.

If you run a search in this section of the forum, I'm sure you'll find other discussions on how to take a apart and maintain your shinai.

I hope this helps.

[Swissv2]

Ralutin is correct about the oil. New shinais are dry for the most part. The oil allows the shinai to retain the moisture; moisture means flexibility. Try to keep your shinai out of the sun in a cool dark place. Do not store your shinai handle up, your staves will warp.

Please read this link.
http://www.halifaxkendo.org/oil.html

[Swissv2]

Oh and btw, I recieved a shinai from an individual I believe is indigo0086, but due to the private messages botched up, I couldn't get the address of this individual. Please respond if you have time, thx!

[itachi]

Rich boy show off o.O....
my senseis use sesame oil + baby oil.

[taganahan]

my bad....but almost same idea. hehe

Do not store your shinai handle up, your staves will warp.

ummm...what does this really mean, especially the warp part? i've been storing my shinai handle up.

~taganahan

[Hai_hai]

...oiling the shinai makes it be more hydrated, so that it wouldn't dry out abnormally... someone confirm this.

~taganahan

A shinai does not become dehydrated.

[psywarblade]

my bad....but almost same idea. hehe


ummm...what does this really mean, especially the warp part? i've been storing my shinai handle up.

~taganahan

I can only assume that this means if you store your shinai (like I have been) with the handle in the air standing on the tip leaning against something eventually it will fall victim to gravity and warp the staves in the direction that it is stored.

[Ralutin]

A tad off-thread, but that's a cool Zoltar avatar, Hai_Hai...just a bit gay, no?

Getting back on the thread...sort of...anyone know how long it takes for a shinai that is stored tip down under nominal (temp. = 20-25 deg. C, rel. hum. = 20-30%), constant conditions to warp?

I'm assuming that if you leave your shinai propped up against the wall for anything less than a few days out of direct heat, cold or sunlight that it will not warp.

[LNGUYEN]

Don't worry, You are not going to hit something or someone with your shinai for the first few month, so forget about oiling you shinai. By the time you are ready to use your shinai for heavy duty like hitting, you will know what to do with your shinai from your learning. For now shinai is only for swinging.

[Hai_hai]

A tad off-thread, but that's a cool Zoltar avatar, Hai_Hai...just a bit gay, no?

Oh, right, the lipstick on a grown man was a big clue.

[psywarblade]

hmmmmm not exactly. I have been doing live contact with the guys in bogu for 3 weeks now. Its kind of un-nerving because they are "not suppose" to hit you back but phantom the movements. Senpai about made me stain my gi pants

[Apostrophe]

are you rich enough to spend around $60 everytime you break a stave?

~taganahan

My Dojo charges $25.00 for practice shinai's. Its just as easy to replace them as needed. We inspect them before practice and after warmup, and offer them for inspection on request.

[psywarblade]

My Dojo charges $25.00 for practice shinai's. Its just as easy to replace them as needed. We inspect them before practice and after warmup, and offer them for inspection on request.

thats what I paid for the shenai I am using now. Sensei says it wouldnt suprise me if it lasted well over a year. Which in my book is a small price to pay.