Long Shinai Handles - How I Stretch Them, etc.
The leather handle of shinai varies in length as it stretches naturally over lots of use. This seems to be the case, unless you're the type to never replace shinai staves or take your shinai apart. The standard seems to be 30cm or less for shinai tsuka today. I’ve noticed there is a typical variance of something like 3cm between all the people who never purposely change their tsuka length from the default one they get on their shinai.
We've all seen those old/new/ancient photos of super long tsuka, super short, ect. You've heard of how different lengths were in fashion depending on era, part of certain schools, etc. I got curious about trying them out at one point and started trying short/long ones on itto shinai and later nito shinai.
I currently like longer tsuka, but used to think they were a gimmick or a subtle flex. I once thought they ruined my tenouchi.
There is a way for certain handles to be 'unfolded', but I prefer the thick look of the double fold at the top of the tsuka. So, I stretch them.
We've all seen those old/new/ancient photos of super long tsuka, super short, ect. You've heard of how different lengths were in fashion depending on era, part of certain schools, etc. I got curious about trying them out at one point and started trying short/long ones on itto shinai and later nito shinai.
I currently like longer tsuka, but used to think they were a gimmick or a subtle flex. I once thought they ruined my tenouchi.
There is a way for certain handles to be 'unfolded', but I prefer the thick look of the double fold at the top of the tsuka. So, I stretch them.
Above are some of my weird shinai.
How to stretch handles:
I soak a leather handle under running water for a few seconds, blot away the excess water with a towel and force stretch it as I put it on the shinai. I place the tip on the ground and keep pushing the handle downward as if i'm climbing the tsuka. It takes some time and muscle. Doing this over and over and sliding my hand down the handle stretches the wet leather little by little. I remove excess water with the towel as you stretch and let it dry after stretching for over 24 hrs drying on a box fan. This method works well to stretch shinai handles every time I try (over 8 different handles I've tried so far). The actual additional length limits tend to vary, but you can always sew the handle shorter if you go too long.Handles that stretch the best:
I use a thicker and more premium double fold leather tsuka. If you stretch a cheaper/thinner one, you'll obviously get even thinner leather. I now purposely buy a size ‘LL ‘leather tsuka that was meant to be used on a specially thick diameter shinai handle. This means I'm mostly changing the dimensions of the tsuka without actualy stretching it longer. These particular handles were in stock at ebogu at the time used an unusually thick leather with tightly woven fibers. I soak these LL tsuka in water and force stretch to them on the shinai till it gets to this longer ~39cm average length. This stretching method worked for the two new looking white tsuka shown above (and for two more I used in the past, not in the photo).
Poor quality leather:
I have specific leather quality preferences:
So I think some leather is not for me, even if it is perfectly functional for others. Every bogu place I've bought from tends to have it's different lines of leather parts. Typically the cheaper practice shinai use parts I don't like.
The two 39 shinai above with blue stained handles used a different specially made ‘extra long’ tsuka, from ebogu also. Although it was a specialty product, I didn't like the quality. The leather was so stretchy and thin that I had to cut it three times a tsuka till it stopped naturally stretching out of control at the tsuka-gashira base of the handle. The leather still feels too soft, stretchy, and thin. I dip the tsukagashira in boiling water and dry it on a box fan for the night every once and a while. This shrinks and makes rigid the stretched out portion.
- thicker
- very closely woven fibers
- smooth to the touch
- not stretchy when dry
So, I don't like leather that is
- thin
- had loose fibers falling off it that cause a fuzzy look
- becoming rough and grippy to the touch due to loose fibers that harden over time
- stretchy when dry
So I think some leather is not for me, even if it is perfectly functional for others. Every bogu place I've bought from tends to have it's different lines of leather parts. Typically the cheaper practice shinai use parts I don't like.
The two 39 shinai above with blue stained handles used a different specially made ‘extra long’ tsuka, from ebogu also. Although it was a specialty product, I didn't like the quality. The leather was so stretchy and thin that I had to cut it three times a tsuka till it stopped naturally stretching out of control at the tsuka-gashira base of the handle. The leather still feels too soft, stretchy, and thin. I dip the tsukagashira in boiling water and dry it on a box fan for the night every once and a while. This shrinks and makes rigid the stretched out portion.
Enlarging tsuba holes:
When you force a long handle on a normal practice 39, you realize your normal tsuba won’t fit on the bulb of the shinai where the tsuka if pushed up to.
Using sand paper by hand is near impossible. I needed to remove maybe 3mm diameter plastic/leather, and this method would barely remove 1mm.
Dremel rotary tool:
I first used a Dremel (rotary tool) to get the tsuba size large enough. I screwed up twice and made a couple plastic tsuba with much too large diameter holes. Below is a leather tsuba with successfully large rotary-tool hole. The hole isn't perfect though.
Using sand paper by hand is near impossible. I needed to remove maybe 3mm diameter plastic/leather, and this method would barely remove 1mm.
Dremel rotary tool:
I first used a Dremel (rotary tool) to get the tsuba size large enough. I screwed up twice and made a couple plastic tsuba with much too large diameter holes. Below is a leather tsuba with successfully large rotary-tool hole. The hole isn't perfect though.
I now use a 'step drill bit' that I bought online for $20. It's barely large enough to properly enlarge the hole. The enlarged hole is a perfect circle. I can sand it a bit to get the hole's texture and exact size perfect.
I've never used this tool many of us have seen before online, in a magazine, or in person.
My long tsuka shinai preferences:
I’ve used oval, octagonal, thick handle shinai, oddly weighted shinai, madake, bio treated. I didn’t see much value in them. I prefer to use the cheap practice 39s that I end up breaking often, even for long tsuka use. The standard 39s have a standard 'bulb' shape that makes the top of a long tsuka much thicker. I'm ok with this.
These are all ebogu products I use, they’re so cheap for the quality. Yes, I’m not sponsored or anything. https://www.e-bogu.com/Top-quality-Hand-made-Tsuka-p/ank-ken-shi-tqtsuka-all.htm
Chudan and jodan technique differences with long handles:
As a 6’2” 187cm human, my arms are luckily proportionally long. This might be partly why I now prefer the long handle for chudan and jodan itto shinai kendo. I appreciate how the additional distance between my hands makes the push-pull mechanic of small strikes is more exaggerated. The top and bottom hand’s complimentary roles are exaggerated.
This change in handle length was hard to get used to at first. My right hand wouldn't stay up at the tsuba during suburi/uchikomi, but I corrected this over time. The tenouchi on the moment of impact was very hard for me to achieve at first, but I gradually learned how to exaggerate the hand’s differing roles here too. Do-uchi actually feels easier and more natural now on this long handle, although many people think do is always better done with the hands completely close and touching each other.
Some practice a one-handed zanshin for certain do waza (like shiai kaeshi-do). I practice and use this variation often, and get negative commentary on it frequently of course. Having the right hand higher allows for a quicker rotation of the shinai as it loops around my targets torso after the initial impact. Achieving the correct downward/diagonal cutting hasuji for this 'taikai' kaeshi-do requires my left hand to assume an exaggeratedly low position with a long tsuka. This conclusion is from lots of video frame analysis to see the hasuji and hand shisei clearly. But, this low hand impact shisei isn't a problem for me.
There is that saying that longer tsuka is better for certain ojiwaza. I don't see enough of a difference for most ojiwaza and kaeshiwaza after my body adjusted. Even hikiwaza isn't really that easier. Things like hiki and oji waza seem to be more requiring of timing, reading your opponent, and other nuances of datotsu-no-kikai. Of course this is another way of saying there is more to kendo than reach and leverage in your shinai. Tsuka length is probably not going to make or break someone's kendo given they learn how to get the most use out of it.
I haven't been doing jodan long enough to really understand the full advantage of the longer tsuka, but I do feel more confident in using the mile long stretch between my hands as a shield for menuchi. This is probably not a good thing when you're supposed to be that archetypal "kamae of fire" of course. That katate men thing where you fling the shiai forward with your top hand really does seem easier when you purposely slide your top hand along the tsuka.
I do lose a few cm on my completely maxed out reach shisei for all 4 datotsu. Again, I think people tend to get myopic on max reach and see this as a huge disadvantage. I don't see much difference. Your body will adjust for the difference over time with maai, footwork, etc.
Straight kihon shomen, kote, do uchi requires slightly more shoulder hanmi (regardless of how forward and non-hanmi your hips are throughout the strike), if both of your arms are fully straightened and extended. I personally use and practice both completely straight and bent elbow contact shisei depending on the waza, so this again isn't all that big of a deal.
This change in handle length was hard to get used to at first. My right hand wouldn't stay up at the tsuba during suburi/uchikomi, but I corrected this over time. The tenouchi on the moment of impact was very hard for me to achieve at first, but I gradually learned how to exaggerate the hand’s differing roles here too. Do-uchi actually feels easier and more natural now on this long handle, although many people think do is always better done with the hands completely close and touching each other.
Some practice a one-handed zanshin for certain do waza (like shiai kaeshi-do). I practice and use this variation often, and get negative commentary on it frequently of course. Having the right hand higher allows for a quicker rotation of the shinai as it loops around my targets torso after the initial impact. Achieving the correct downward/diagonal cutting hasuji for this 'taikai' kaeshi-do requires my left hand to assume an exaggeratedly low position with a long tsuka. This conclusion is from lots of video frame analysis to see the hasuji and hand shisei clearly. But, this low hand impact shisei isn't a problem for me.
There is that saying that longer tsuka is better for certain ojiwaza. I don't see enough of a difference for most ojiwaza and kaeshiwaza after my body adjusted. Even hikiwaza isn't really that easier. Things like hiki and oji waza seem to be more requiring of timing, reading your opponent, and other nuances of datotsu-no-kikai. Of course this is another way of saying there is more to kendo than reach and leverage in your shinai. Tsuka length is probably not going to make or break someone's kendo given they learn how to get the most use out of it.
I haven't been doing jodan long enough to really understand the full advantage of the longer tsuka, but I do feel more confident in using the mile long stretch between my hands as a shield for menuchi. This is probably not a good thing when you're supposed to be that archetypal "kamae of fire" of course. That katate men thing where you fling the shiai forward with your top hand really does seem easier when you purposely slide your top hand along the tsuka.
I do lose a few cm on my completely maxed out reach shisei for all 4 datotsu. Again, I think people tend to get myopic on max reach and see this as a huge disadvantage. I don't see much difference. Your body will adjust for the difference over time with maai, footwork, etc.
Straight kihon shomen, kote, do uchi requires slightly more shoulder hanmi (regardless of how forward and non-hanmi your hips are throughout the strike), if both of your arms are fully straightened and extended. I personally use and practice both completely straight and bent elbow contact shisei depending on the waza, so this again isn't all that big of a deal.