Preparing Your Shinai Before Use

New shinais have sharp edges that can splinter easily, so before you use your new shinai you need to prepare its slats. They are usually quite dry and should be oiled.

First, lets tackle the sanding. Disassemble your shinai, and remove the Leather handle (Tsuka-Gawa). Look at the edges of the bamboo slat. You'll notice that they come to a sharp edge. These must be sanded down so that they form a rounded edge on both sides of all four slats.

When new, shinai slats have sharp edges.
After sanding them, they should be rounded.

Next, you must oil your shinai; any light oil will do. There are two methods I will show. One is for a new, dry shinai and the the other can be considerd a "maintenance" oiling.
Untreated Shinai. Lay the slats out on a towel, with the inside of the slat facing up. Pour oil into each of the grooves on each of the slats and let it sit for a few hours. Add more oil as it is absorbed by the bamboo and continue this for about three days.
Maintenance Oiling. Pour some oil onto a cloth (be generous) and rub it onto the slats of the shinai. You do not need to disassemble the shinai for this. Wipe off the excess when done. This should be done at least once or twice a month, depending on how dry the shinai is.

S. Quinlan, 2003

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