Interesting Kendo Video

Hi, everyone,

David shares with us a very interesting and educational video. Here is his message:

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Hi Sensei,

I came across this video that shows how a hand-made shinai is made and it's produced by the same people who made the video detailing how a set of bogu is made. Below is a rough translation of each of the subtitles as they appear.

http://sc-smn.jst.go.jp/8/bangumi.asp?i_series_code=B070601&i_renban_code=237

On the right you'll see three options to play the video. One for Windows Media Player and two for Real Player.

0:20 How A Shinai is Made

0:27 The shinai, used in kendo, is made of bamboo and part of the equipment developed towards the end of the Edo period (1603 - 1868).

0:37 A shinai is made of 4 slats of shaped bamboo.

0:49 A shinai is generally 3 shaku and 9 sun long, which is equal to 118 centimeters. (Handle, center/balance point, and tip)

1:03 These are bamboo trees that will be used to make a shinai.

1:13 This is a prepared section of two-year-old bamboo.

1:25 One bamboo section is split into 6-8 slats.

1:35 The rough shape of the slat is cut using a small cleaver-like knife.

1:57 Width shaping.

2:05 Using a hand plane, the sides of all four slats are smoothed.

2:27 Straightening

2:32 The bamboo is placed over a gas flame.

2:40 The heat from the flames make the bamboo fibers soft.

2:51 "Straightening" is the bending and twisting of the bamboo to give the correct shinai shape.

3:03 A "straightening block" is used to shape the slats.

3:25 Before straightening.

3:30 After straightening.

3:35 It is clear how straight the slats are now that the bends and twists have been corrected.

3:48 Molding.

3:58 The edges on the outer side of the slats are cut to a rounded shape.

4:19 The same is done on the inner sides.

4:50 A plane is used to shave the inner sides to a 45 degree angle.

5:11 Each pass towards the tip makes very thin shaves.

5:26 The 45 degree angle of the inner sides allows all for slats to stay securely together.

5:43 (left) After molding (right) before molding.

6:19 Surface Correcting

6:27 Both sides of each slat are shaved to center the outer skin.

6:45 A file is used on the node of the slat.

7:17 A tool called a kaki is used to smooth the edges of the slats after shaving.

8:00 An electric sander is used to smooth the entire slat.

8:16 A hard shark skin is used to further polish and smooth the slats.

8:39 All four slats are secured and bound with string.

9:28 A steel plate is placed inside the tsuka (gripping end) to ensure that the slats do not move.

10:01 The slats are then placed on top of of a "shakudai" (measuring board) and any extra length is cut off the tsuka.

10:19 A rotating sander smooths and rounds the tsuka.

10:52 The tsuka area is shaved down.

11:25 A round plane is used to smooth down the entire tsuka.

11:46 Sandpaper is used to futher smooth the tsuka.

12:04 A hot brand is used to label the shinai.

12:26 The shinai is then fitted with a tsukagawa made of cow leather and a plastic stopper underneath the tip cover, also made of cow leather.

12:35 The sakigawa (tip cover) and the tsuka are secured to each other with a string (tsuru).

12:48 And this is what we receive as the finished product.

The end.

David