Shinai as a Christmas gift?

Discussion in 'Weapons' started by Shokku, Dec 21, 2005.

  1. Shokku

    Shokku Banned Banned

    I just got a shinai in the mail that I ordered for someone for Christmas. I probably should have done a bit of research, first. However, I've recently found that a bokken may have been a better choice.

    From those I've talked to, bokken are better for form... which is basically the reason I ordered the shinai.

    What are the advantages of using a shinai versus using a bokken, or are shinai meant only for sparring? Should I have ordered a booken?

    Or maybe you could be nice and just give me a bunch of reasons as to why shinai are better than bokken, and give me blind satisfaction.

    Or you could be cruel and tell me I need to overnight a bokken and return the shinai later.

    Or you could be honest, which I'm thinking isn't so different from cruel?
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2005
  2. Beckwith

    Beckwith New Member

    They are both very good for practicing, but the boken is more like a sword, so the person may get more used to carrying a sword.
     
  3. xen

    xen insanity by design

    shinai are great for sparring, you can really go for it and they are never a bad investment...get some linseed oil and apply it all over the shinai BEFORE it gets used and every few weeks thereafter...it helps prevent it getting brittle and splitting.

    also, sparring with bokken can be good fun if you don't mind bruises, sore knuckles and the odd bump on the head...it is good because you have to work to stay in control (out of consideration for your partner) but still aggressive enough to be effective...

    for practicing movement on your own a bokken is a far superior tool, i can't think of one reason why a shinai would be useful for this purpose...a curved blade has a different energy to it than a straight blade...and likewise, a curved bit of wood...i've done kata with shinai and it doesn't 'feel' as smooth as with a bokken...also, shinai and belts don't go well together...if your friend is working toward getting a live blade then they will need to be used to drawing from the belt...indeed, depending on the art/style, the draw is often a key element in the technique/kata being practiced...the shinai has lateral ties, (usually leather?), that hold the long sections of bamboo (or equivalent) together...try drawing that from a belt/gi and these snag and that isn't what you want.

    if you've got the chance and sparring isn't a high priority, then go for the bokken...but if your friend hasn't got a shinai and does some sparring, a shinai is a great present
     
  4. Shokku

    Shokku Banned Banned

    Okay, thanks.

    Although the original intention was practicing form, but I'm thinking now that sparring would be a better use.

    We are more into sparring than form anyway, and my instructor has more bokken than shinai (and less shinai than students), so if we're going to sparr, it's good they have a shinai.
     

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