FUKURO SHINAI – For Sale – hand made padded training swords

Fukuro Shinai 袋竹刀 hand-crafted & custom-made.

These fukuro shinai are leather covered bamboo practice swords based around the common kendō shinai. Designed for use in Japanese martial arts where you are striking a person or another weapon and require something a little more forgiving than an oak bokutō or bokken.  They incorporate a tsuba (handguard) and tsuka (handle) cotton wrapped in the manner of a typical Japanese sword, to increase the training possibilities and to add a more realistic feeling grip.

Please contact me at markekbrown@gmail.com to purchase one or more of these. Prices and postage are detailed below and are current as for 2012.

Details
• Brown leather covered blade with cushioned tip.
• Black hard rubber tsuba built in.
• Tsuka (handle) altered to a sword shape cross-section.
• Tsuka bound in diamond pattern with Japanese cotton tsuka-ito.
• 4 sizes – short, ninja, regular and long.

Sizes
The names of the sizes used here are for convenience in communication – I have listed a few similar or alternative names sometimes used for each size.  Measurements are approximate – imperial, metric and blade length in shaku 尺

Short – 1.5尺
Blade 19″ (48cm). Handle 7″ (18cm).
- the wakizashi, shōtō or kodachi.
Ninja – 1.9尺
Blade 23″ (58cm). Handle 10½” (27cm).
- the shorter bladed ninjatō, shinobigatana or chiisagatana.
Regular – 2.4尺
Blade 29″ (74cm). Handle 10½” (27cm).
- comparable to the ‘standard’ katana, bokken, bokutō. Also referred to as daitō or tachi.
Long – 2.7尺
Blade 32″ (82cm). Handle 11½ (29cm).
- larger and heavier, comparable to the longer Shinden Fudō ryū sword. Can also be called daitō or tachi.

As each sword is handmade there may be a slight variance in the blade or handle length. The blade coverings are brown leather as standard (I can occasionally get hold of black leather of sufficient quality, but it does cost a little more).

The handles are wrapped in Japanese cotton tsuka-ito, handle wrapping cord, and have been expanded to simulate a real sword handle shape and feel – ovoid rather than circular.  Colours available are Black, Brown, Blue and White.

To Order
Email me at markekbrown@gmail.com including:
1 – quantity
2 – size – short, ninja, regular, long
3 – handle binding colour – brown, black, blue, white.
4 – address – for postal estimate or hand delivery in the UK

I can accept payment via paypal or bank transfer.  Once payment is received it usually takes around 10-14 days to complete the fukuro shinai.

Price
All prices are in GBP/£sterling.  For conversions use www.xe.com
Short – £50
Ninja – £62
Regular – £65
Long – £68
Daishō – regular & short £110
Daishō – long & short £113
Full set (one of each) £235

Postage & Packaging
Swords can be sent individually, however bundling several together can keep the cost down. I’ve tried to break this down below into the most efficient and economical methods.  For UK deliveries I use a courier service taking between 2-5 days, outside the UK I am using Parcelforce taking between 3-10 days:

UK – £10
* 1-4 swords sent together

USA & Canada – £32
* 1-2 swords will ship for this rate, each additional item increases the price gradually – please ask

Europe – £20 – Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark
* 1-4 swords will ship for these rates
Europe – £25 – Benelux
Europe – £28 – Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece
Europe – £30 – Rest of Europe
* 1-2 swords for the above rates

Japan – £45
* 1-3 swords will ship for this rate

For any other location or volume email me and I’ll see what it works out as markekbrown@gmail.com