kote

[Chris2703]

Hi!
I´ve got this kote http://www.sehyun-kumdo.com/images/kote-001-large.gif together with a new Bogu (Nr.110) from Sehyun on monday. I read a lot about "how to break-in" the kote (e.g. Chibabogu) but I didn´t read something about "how to break-in the inner side" of the kote. Because my new kote are very stiff inside (I think it must be the compact deer-wool) my knuckles are aching. First of all the knuckelos of the left an right forefingers. In my Dojo one told me to tread the kote with a sledge-hammer from outside (like this they would tread kote and men in Japan to get them soft) What do you think about this method?
thank you

[plotty]

Gruess Dich Chris,
I wouldn't recommend hammering them with a sledgehammer, because that would just break apart the deerhair in your kote, without making it mold onto your hand. The reason why bogu makers use deer hair is, because it breaks apart into tiny little pieces and moulds onto your hand nicely. So just bashing up the deerhair would be kinda counter productive.
On another note, I was looking to buy the same pair of kote, so I was wondering, what they feel like, aside from the stiffness. Are they well made? How well do they absorb impact etc.

[ben spain]

They better be awesome for £200!!! I would love to know how 1.0Bu set from Sehyun would be like though (at £750 it looks like a bloody bargain for someone who is looking for a quality set) - Please post a review ASAP!

[plotty]

Ben,

they are more expensive than Mine Kote from Chiba Bogu and they are supposed to be the dogs bolocks!!! I want a review too!!!

[Chris2703]

dear plotty,
I will post the next days if the kote stand the test being good or not. After the first training I can not say too much about their "inner values" but: they are very good manufactured and are pretty good looking (sorry for my bad english...) I got a kote-hit yesterday and felt no pain ..... more about kote (and bogu) later after a several times

[Taek]

There is a very good kote breaking-in instruction on Chiba bogu website.

http://www.chibabogu.com/catalog/inf...7ec1ee964a8c01

I have two pairs of kote, one from Samshin (1.2 bu hand stitiched) and another one from Moribudogu (4.5mm machine stitched). As far as the protection is concerned, Moribudogu one is far better than the Samshin one. I get always burise on my wrist whenever I act as a motodachi wearing Samshin kote. And comparing my Moribudogu kote against Mine kote (6mm machine stitched), Mine kote looks better and has even softer and thicker kote buton than my Moribudogu which I assume it would provide better protection. At the end, I guess more important factors for good kote are what sort of material they use and how they construct the kote rather than just stitching distance.

[Andoru]

I like my Mine kote much better than my 1.2bu Sehyun kote.