IKF specifications for shinais

[Kendoka]

Specifications for shinais drawn from The Regulations of Kendo Shiai and Shinpan, effective 23 March 2000. Published by The International Kendo Federation are at the following link:
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~kendo/shinai.html

[Andoru]

Thanks very much!

[Future Head]

Is it possible to "sticky" this thread?

[Mitsurugi_xx]

seen a few ppl get around those rules... shave their shinais.... and then add wax to the handle end to change the balance. I haven't seen a judge check the shinais yet...

[Pokie]

510gm minimum ?? Mine barely makes it..funny one of my friends more expensive shinai did not pass in weight but a cheap standard one did..easily triple the price of the cheaper one..ironic huh ?

[Andoru]

Just oil your shinai a little bit longer and it'll get heavier

[Stimpson J. Cat]

Anybody know what the maximum legal tsuba size is? I asked the same question on another thread and never got a reply. The biggest ones I've seen ones for sale say "approximatly 9cm diameter" or something similar. The el-cheapo ones that come with the low-end shinai I buy are about 8 cm.

[jasmine]

Anybody know what the maximum legal tsuba size is? I asked the same question on another thread and never got a reply. The biggest ones I've seen ones for sale say "approximatly 9cm diameter" or something similar. The el-cheapo ones that come with the low-end shinai I buy are about 8 cm.

Oh,the maxium legal size is just 9cm.

[samurai999]

seen a few ppl get around those rules... shave their shinais.... and then add wax to the handle end to change the balance. I haven't seen a judge check the shinais yet...

No they never check at local level, but they do check at national level. But not for weights.

Tim

[MrUnWaki]

Im supprised there are fixed lengths for shinais, how long has this been going on?

[[Kensei 剣の聖者]]

its pretty desperate to make minor modifications 2 ur shinai, this isnt formula one or nething...

[nikolaj]

myeah, the chanses of anyone ver weighing your shinai are quite slim...

[Berugijin]

Im supprised there are fixed lengths for shinais, how long has this been going on?

Ever since that guy with the flagpole shinai showed up.

[Paburo]

its pretty desperate to make minor modifications 2 ur shinai, this isnt formula one or nething...

i think exactly the opposite.

IMHO, if you can't notice the slightest change in your shinai, then you're really not one with your sword.

i usually train and compete with the same shinai for that reason. i know the very specific modifications ive done to my shinai and it takes some time to be 100% comfy used to grabbing and swinging it

[[Kensei 剣の聖者]]

i think exactly the opposite.

IMHO, if you can't notice the slightest change in your shinai, then you're really not one with your sword.

i usually train and compete with the same shinai for that reason. i know the very specific modifications ive done to my shinai and it takes some time to be 100% comfy used to grabbing and swinging it

im not so sure about that, u know the old Workman and his tools argument, i think if ur a good kendoka u should be able to pick up any shinai as long as its not radically different (ie 5 times as long) and do good kendo with it.. its like a tennis racket really, all these players r so fussed bout string tension and all that crap but lets be honest if your good your good even if your playing with a wooden racket (which John Macenroe still plays with funnily enough)