Keying your black belt

[ninjanurse]

And the SHARPNESS of the uniform and belt... should be MATCHED by the SHARPNESS of the black belt who takes pride in their study.

My sentiments exactly. I also agree with Sparkey though--it is not a holy object but it should be respected. And....I have used my belt as a training tool in the past.

[Koji-Kabuto]

I agree all the way. At some of our tournaments, we see soem younger kids with BBs that are frayed adn messed up looking...kinda like they were acid washed or something.

I wanted to take a white belt and scrub it with a wire brush and tell them that I've been a white belt for 13 years

Rumors go that there was a guy like that in my dojo once, who had the rank but never cared to pay for the belts, so in the end, he was like 1st kyu but with a white belt, and he'd pick up on newcomers pretending to be once himself.

[Koji-Kabuto]

If I see someone, running around with a belt that A tattered belt and uniform is only an indicator that the person doesn't have any pride in themselves, their art, or the work that goes into EARNING the right to wear the uniform and rank.

If my belt starts to fray even SLIGHTLY... I buy a new one... PERIOD.

...

There's only one right color for a black belt... BLACK... and it should look SHARP, just as the uniform should...

http://snr.mfhosting.com/oyama.jpg

[ranger1100ky]

CowwwwaBUNGA!!!!

Dudes!!! Looks like Splinter just sliced and diced Shredder!!!

Whoa!!! Major blender-bummer dude!!

[Koji-Kabuto]

That's from a movie(Karate Bullfighter) which was based on the life of Mas Oyama.

[Jay]

in england it is common to see a blackbelt that is under 18 i know someone that was 12

[Sam]

12 and such is scary - no problem with younger black belts [im generally considered one myself] down to about 15, but before that i worry.... i know of a black belt who is 16 and will be grading for her 3rd dan next year...... started in 1997 i think.

Anyway back on topic - i dont think there is anything wrong with a frayed belt if you do it on purpose.

I will keep the belt i have forever as my instructor bought it for me and had it embroidered as a present. I may get a new one for demonstrations, gradings if it becomes too frayed, but id never key it; and ill wear it as long as i train iwth him

[italian_guy]

In italy,in my organization, there is a minimum age of 16 for a Shodan (you can be shodan ho earlier but not shodan).

Then there is a minimum stay in each dan which is n+2 years(where n is the present Dan) so once you are shodan it takes 3 years before having the chance to take your nidan and then 4 years before taking sandan (so minimum age for sandan is 23 but I don't know anybody that is sandan at that age).

[Koji-Kabuto]

At my dojo, they're trying to make a 13 year old shodan, but he still has a long way to go, would be cool if he made it though.

[Eiichi]

If I see someone, running around with a belt that looks like it's been through a losing fight with a lawn mower...

Then I look that person dead in the eye, so I can get a GOOD look at a disrespectful sot that shouldn't be PERMITTED the HONOR of wearing ANY martial arts apparel whatsoever.

Who are you to judge!? What makes you think a well worn obi is disrespectful? Some people get their obi to look like that by years of training, not by a key or a lawn mower. The obi contains the years of hard training that an individual has put in. Frankly, I don't care if it's new or if it's well worn. Worry about your own obi around your own waist. Martial arts isn't the military.