When you practice hard enough, you’ll notice sweat stains on your bogu.

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a GoPro video.

Previously I used the GoPro vented helmet strap to mount the camera to the tsuki flap. However, the strap has these dangly bits and isn’t very secure.

This last weekend I was browsing Amazon for GoPro mounts and I came across this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HR77DZ7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It’s a velcro strap for backpacks.

The inner surface is textured and supposed to be “anti-slip”.

Here it is wrapped around the tsuki flap with the velcro parts between the flap and the protector beneath the tsuki flap.

Using the included J adaptor, the GoPro can be adjusted to be level.

We’ll see how it goes at practice tomorrow.

So I have this nice roller bag from http://www.planeteclipse.com to fit my oversize bogu (hey what can I say? I’m a big guy).

I put the bogu in the bottom half and gi in the top.

Anyways, this is supposed to be a how-to on fixing a zipper, specifically repairing a retainer/retaining box.

About two years after purchasing this bag, the retainer box and slider fell off. The retainer box is at the end of the zipper and keeps the slider from falling off. The box fell off because there was weakness in the tape.

Basically the part of the tape attached to the box became separated from the rest of the tape and the box fell off.

Amazon sells replacement zipper parts. It is important the parts are sized properly. I purchased this kit.

Rather than replacing the whole zipper tape around the bag which would involve sending the bag to a seamstress, I decided to tape the zipper tape back together with this:

These are vinyl tape patches for repair of synthetic fabrics such as on down jackets, inflatables, rain gear, tents. They are self adhesive and can be cut down to size.

The patch was used to repair the zipper tape. The slider was inserted onto the zipper and then the box was attached to the repaired tape.

The replacement box was slid onto the tape and crimped down with a needle nose plier. It took a great deal of effort to do this since the patch would bunch up in the middle. I had to widen the groove in the box and then pinch it down after. The opposite side of the tape was inserted into the slider and the box.

Update (31DEC2018):

Well, it seems the fix is only temporary since the adhesive is not strong enough to keep the frayed parts of the zipper intact for long. I’ve already replaced the tape once.

So I keep forgetting how to tie the kote knot, so I’m leaving myself a post so I can look it up easily.

This diagram is from mushinkankendo.com.

So having finished watching Hiroyuki Danno’s Let’s make shoto video

https://youtu.be/SEM9K7acE1c

I decided I would get busy and make my own daito. Continue reading →

Some bogu basics from Meijin.fi.

On recording scores: http://www.kendo-usa.org/reference/scoretable_inst.htm

On refereeing and recording scores: http://www.halifaxkendo.org/articles/Shinpan1.pdf

So you’ve replaced himo but it’s too long and you don’t want to deal with frayed ends.

Tying ends and scotch tape are for noobs.

Heat shrink tubing is for pros.

Continue reading →

I’ve been wanting to replace my kote himo ever since the lace attached to the inside of the kote started fraying. The laces finally came undone, so the immediacy of lace replacement was evident. Continue reading →

last practice i noticed the leather on the tip of my shinai was wearing out…most likely due to hitting the mengane.

so i had to learn how to replace the sakigawa and tsuru.

i studied this diagram:

from kenshi247.

and this video:

starts about 2:49.