Your Opinion!

[sven beulke]

Hi Folks!
I just finished a new design for a leather tsuba. I would like to know what you think about it! A tsubadome is no longer nessesary. The tsuba is secured by a single strap of leather and fixed at the tsurugawa ( similar to traditionell tsubadome). Here some pics whitout comment! By the way i am not a kendoka.
Kind Regards

[Hishaam Bendiar]

I think you should start a thread about this at the kendo world forum in the shinai section.

[sven beulke]

Thanks for your tip!
I will try that too! Please dont forget to sign all your postings with your full name! . What i want to know is, do you like the design? Thats all!
Kind Regards

[gendzwil]

The tie-on design has been done, usually with a leather tsuba-dome that has straps that go through a hole in the tsuba. It's nice and traditional and all but doesn't work very well because with the single attachment point the tsuba tends to be tilted and somewhat loose, and also the knot comes undone.

Your design is very pretty but I think you've removed too much material and it will break in short order. Kendo players need strong, functional tsuba, most experienced players use quite thick hardened leather. If there's a chance it will break during shiai, we don't want it no matter how pretty.

[PHunter]

I see the additonal pictures, and have to agree with Neil...very likely, the holes are too large - not leaving enough material to remain rigid or last long. Perhaps smaller holes, offset inward toward the tsuka?

As far as tie-on designs go, this seems a bit improved over the traditional method, in that the strap loops through the tsuba at several evenly spaced points around the inner circumference. That might help the "tilting" issue - but maybe not. Seems like it might be a pain in the butt to size properly if the shinai were a little bit thinner or fatter than the tsuba.

[hyaku]

There are tons of these Gimmick goods. School kids love the patterned leather himo, flash tenegui. Kendo accessories are big business in Japan. Someone gave me black shinai tsuba with a gold band on it. I'm not to sure if the one shown would be allowed in competition.

I likle a Seiun dobari shinai thick as a babies arm near the tsuba. A little heavy but well balanced. I use one like this without the holes but they do tend to soften up. The really hard ones that are stitched together with leather and bonded rub on the other guys equipment which is not so nice.

Hey who's shinai is that anyway? It's far too clean and unused!

[sven beulke]

Hey who's shinai is that anyway? It's far too clean and unused!

Hello!
its mine, and cause kendo is not my budo ist clean and yes, unused . Thanks for your comments . Actually its a tsuba that has not more practical value than a standard tsuba. I just experimented whith some designs and look what is possible with with "my leather". Three years ago i was thinking about purchasing a leather tsuab for my bokken i use for jodo. Also a budo where a strong tsuba is very important! I experimented with diffrent kinds of leather an come up with a method to laminate a very stiff leather. I will not go into details until you are member of my ryu ! Similar to plywood the leather becomes stiffer and more durabel with any layer. A typical leather tsuba made whith five layers ist almost indestructable . The tsuba on the picture will not break no matter what pressure. Its possible it will warp. I will give this prototype to a friend of mine who is a kendoka for serious testing. I fixing the tsuba with a leatherstrap in the way shown makes a very tight and strong fitting. Actually its not nessary to knot it to the tsurugawa. this way is much better than traditionel tsubadome ( i make a few of them for friends).
Actually Colin is right, its a gimmick, not a real improvement, but people like to have beautyfull equipment. My own taste is very simple and rustic! Here a pic of my KSR-Bokken. I fitted a very fat round tsuba to it so it could be also used in jodo-practice.
Kind Regards

[CEB]

If the Kendo mindset was accepting of new design they would use replace himo with velcro and snaps.

That would be nice

[ulvulv]

If the Kendo mindset was accepting of new design they would use replace himo with velcro and snaps.

That would be nice

It exists.

[Chidokan]

roll on the kevlar do... Saying that I could do with some improvements to the kote. Some of the newbies think they need to cut right through to the floor...even my new ones dont absorb that much punishment. I am thinking of investing in those nice katori style ones...

[gendzwil]

Nah, just get yourself a good wristpad. I have one of the Koei ones with all the sorbothane bumps, it works really well. You can rotate it to put the padding where you need it - I used to put it on my left wrist with the padding more towards the strings when playing jodan. Not sure if they're still available, can't find them in the recent catalogs.

[Jakob]

roll on the kevlar do... Saying that I could do with some improvements to the kote. Some of the newbies think they need to cut right through to the floor...even my new ones dont absorb that much punishment. I am thinking of investing in those nice katori style ones...

I usually just pull my kote out of the way when I practice with people like that.

Jakob

[gendzwil]

I usually just pull my kote out of the way when I practice with people like that.

It's a good chance to practice suriagi-waza - just roll your hands counter-clockwise and push them out a little, and catch the kote on the tsuba.

[Jakob]

It's a good chance to practice suriagi-waza - just roll your hands counter-clockwise and push them out a little, and catch the kote on the tsuba.

Yes, but by moving the kote out of the way, you can easily show them where their shinai (and posture) ends up. I've found that by deflecting/blocking, they will just try to hit even harder, often at angles, much to the regret of my elbow.

Jakob

[sven beulke]

Hi All!
Its seems the method of fixation needs some clarifcation. Just check the pics below. The tsuba fit very tight because the leatherstrap runs through the middelhole of the tsuba several times! I invented the adjustable tsuba ! If its not tight enough just go another round with the leatherstrap. I will try this method with a more down to earth tsuba this weekend! Stay tuned!
Kind Regards