Sai sizing

[BritNoob]

Thinking of getting these:

 

http://www.blitzsport.com/weapons/images/metalweapons/saichrome.htm

 

They aren't that cheap at over £30......will they do for a beginner? I don't want to pay out for these then have to get some more if they break quickly.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

K I'll get the longest ones.

 

You make them sound worrying badly made though - are they fragile then? Is it better to get black if the chrome ones flake?

 

In the nearly 30 years I've had sai, I've only had one break on me, and that was when I was throwing it as hard as I could at a large dog that gave me every indication it was going to take a chunk out of my hide! I missed the beast, but not because I wasn't trying to skewer him! The sai stuck in the groung right in front of him, snapped off where it met the ground (about halfway along the blade) and the dog stopped and headed back to his master.

 

As for flaking, I've only had one sai flake at all near the tines. I wouldn't worry about that. I've had maybe 6 pair of sai over the years (somebody "liberated" all of them and more one night from my dojo) and I only have one pair now.

[BritNoob]

Very helpful, thank you.

 

Any particular brand/design/colour you personally recommend? What are the ones I linked to like?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Very helpful, thank you.

 

Any particular brand/design/colour you personally recommend? What are the ones I linked to like?

 

Shoreido is the best, but expensive. Design? As far as i know, the only difference in them is some have the tines set further apart...which I personally don't like. Color? Chrome I suppose. I didn't know there were other choices in color besides chrome or black?

 

As for the link...I don't know. I'd have to play with them a bit to see how they felt to me. I've tried different brands and the balance/weight can be a bit different. It all depends on you and what you like and are used to.

[mattys]

Some say that you are suppose to measure from the web of your thumb to about a 1/2" past your elbow. Make sure your arm is bent during the measurement. I use the 18" Sai(s), or Zai(proper term for plural). It dosen't go past my elbow, but that's alright for me, because when I manipulated the one's that extended past my elbows, it would get caught up in my gi sleeves.

 

So for proper sizing, they are suppose to go past the elbow, but I went with what was comfortable to handle. Hope this helps

 

Not to sound rude or to start a flame war or anything, but in what language is zai the plural of sai? The sai are an Okinawan weapon, and though in the past it wasn't, Japanese is the spoken language of the Okinawans. In Nihongo (Japanese), there is no distinction between singular and plural, thus the plural of sai is sai.

[Kicks]

BritNoob:

Thinking of getting these:

 

http://www.blitzsport.com/weapons/images/metalweapons/saichrome.htm

 

My son has a pair just like those in 17", chrome, round. We are pleased with them (except the tape at the top of the handle came off and we had to use electric tape in its place). They handle well dispite not being perfectly balanced.

 

I also have a pair of 18", chrome, octagon Shurido sai. The tsuka (handle) is shorter and is harded to keep hold of when doing multiple quick flips. I guess this might just be a matter of getting use to it after training so much with my son's sai.

[Shorin Ryuu]

Man, I leave for a weapon and people ask all these questions about kobudo...

 

I've actually seen a video where a traditional kobudo instructor (Nishiuchi) claimed that the plural form was zai. Maybe it's just a Hogen thing. Of course, along this same line, there are exactly 593 different ways to say "tonfa", apparently. Okay, I'm exaggerating (there's only like 422 ways).

 

All the same, the answer is: it may be legit, it may not be. Yes, I do know Japanese.

 

At any rate, I have a pair of sai that do not extend past my elbow. The head of my style for North America actually says he prefers his shorter (not too short, but not past the elbow) because he prefers to manipulate them quickly. He told me he looks at it as more offensive then purely defensive, and even on the defensive, you should be blocking in a manner so you won't end up getting your elbow hit anyway. Just food for thought, I suppose. I've already mentioned this in another thread, but then again, so has this question.