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.
With daito, you can purchase size 37 shinai for kids or purchase special 37 shinai for nito. I decided to convert one of my dobari 39 shinai to size 37.
A disassembled size 39 shinai:
Preparing the shinai to be cut:
Sanding the ends:
Checking the length of the shinai:
Finished (store bought daito on left/converted daito on right):
Some things I learned:
You have to cut the length shorter since the regulation length includes the sakigawa.
When shortening the tsuka, it’s easier to push the end inside out first BEFORE cutting it. See Paul Shin’s video on how to shorten tsuka.
Well [let’s] see how it works tonight.
It was heavy.
Perhaps good for training and then switch to the lighter shinai for jigeiko.
Cut the shinai by 6cm to get size 37 from 39.