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How many licks to get to the center of your natty dama?

Discussion in 'Beginners' started by D Epik Snow, Apr 14, 2017.

  1. D Epik Snow

    D Epik Snow n00b

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2017
    Location:
    De Soto, MO
    So I've been playing about a month and I'm pretty impressed with how durable this natty bamboo kaizen 2.0 is but I was wondering with just regular play when you guys decide it's time for a new one? I mean there's the obvious answer, which is whenever something breaks or the cups flatten out. I guess my real question is, when do you decide to retire your dama's and move on? And how long do you think they will hold up to regular daily play?
     
    Apr 14, 2017
    Congarranza and 7Cabbages like this.
  2. 7Cabbages

    7Cabbages Slayer

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2016
    Location:
    California City
    I still haven't retired my first damage ever so I don't think there is a point for me. Like you mentioned, unless something breaks or it turns into a horrific mold of wood chunks and glue, somewhat similar to the shape of a kendama, then I'll still jam the heck out of it.

    As for daily play, maybe after a week of some good shredding you see some difference. That only means it's getting honed in
     
    Apr 14, 2017
  3. Congarranza

    Congarranza DS Legend

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Location:
    Camarillo, CA
    Kaizen 2.0 was my second setup and I probably play it the most of all my setups. I've gotten more since then because I wanted to try different paints and woods. My first dama is my glove box setup.
     
    Apr 14, 2017
    magicdamadude and D Epik Snow like this.
  4. Nick Lectura

    Nick Lectura Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2016
    Location:
    Santa Cruz, CA
    I've been wanting to get a bamboo kaizen ever since this weekend, they look so sick.

    I usually retire damas when the spike starts to get too flat or my basecup gets way too uneven from doing too many flips. I would guess that a dama would last me a couple months or so if I play it regularly/daily. I remember that I had a KenCo raw stripe a while back that I jammed pretty throughly for a couple months and it held up like a champ.
     
    Apr 14, 2017
    magicdamadude and D Epik Snow like this.
  5. D Epik Snow

    D Epik Snow n00b

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2017
    Location:
    De Soto, MO
    Good to know. I've noticed with the bamboo that the spike holds up surprisingly well. Mine is glued but still in much better condition compared to a Beechwood dama with a glued spike my cousin let me mess with that seemed to flatten out immediately after several days of heavy use.
     
    Apr 14, 2017
    ShovelLovell likes this.
  6. azleonhart

    azleonhart Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2016
    Location:
    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    I'd probably retire my kendama once it gets too beat up to play.

    When none of the cups can hold the tama, or the ken or sarado has snapped or broken in half, or if the tama breaks in half, or no longer seems like a spherical object (eggy tamas are still playable), that's where i lay it nicely back in its packaging and let it slumber.
     
    Apr 14, 2017
    D Epik Snow likes this.
  7. Almostgets

    Almostgets Slayer

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2016
    Location:
    The 'Go
    is there ever a time where a ken can become too troublesome to use? Finding lightys harder and harder on one of my kens. Guessing it's from all the lighty flips I've been trying, and abusing the bottom cup. Any thoughts on how to repair, restore or even mitigate some of the damage (aside from a slayband)?
     
    Apr 15, 2017
  8. azleonhart

    azleonhart Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2016
    Location:
    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    [Mod mode, engage!]

    IMG_2544.GIF


    @Almostgets a similar thread exists in the Beginners forum.
    So, i'll merge the two together, bruv!

    This message will expire after 24 hours.
     
    Apr 15, 2017
  9. Almostgets

    Almostgets Slayer

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2016
    Location:
    The 'Go
    Thank so @azleonhart
     
    Apr 15, 2017
  10. Brandon Jensen

    Brandon Jensen Slayer

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Location:
    San Diego, California
    This is beautiful thankyou
     
    Apr 15, 2017
  11. Brandon Jensen

    Brandon Jensen Slayer

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Location:
    San Diego, California
    I haven't retired it neccisarily, but I have a ken where the bottom cup is jacked from lighthouse flips. And I simply use it for moshikame now, or stringless tricks and practicing juggling. I'm going to give it off to a little sibling or someone who is interested in kendama. Because it still works for everything, it just isn't the best.
     
    Apr 15, 2017
  12. Congarranza

    Congarranza DS Legend

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Location:
    Camarillo, CA
    This was soooooo good!!!!
     
    Apr 15, 2017
  13. Congarranza

    Congarranza DS Legend

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Location:
    Camarillo, CA
    Post a pic of your troubled bottom cup. I occasionally sand the cup rims to have an even landing. For the bottom cup I stand the ken on the base cup and just rub it lightly on 220 grit paper.
     
    Apr 15, 2017
    Almostgets likes this.
  14. Blake W.

    Blake W. Honed Member

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2016
    Whenever I get a new dama, or accidently pick up another. I never stop jamming damas, but rotate constantly
     
    Apr 16, 2017
  15. Nick Lectura

    Nick Lectura Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2016
    Location:
    Santa Cruz, CA
    bamboo is actually pretty durable. I had one with a spike that I didn't glue and it held up well even though I was spiking hard and thrashing.

    same, I usually never jam one single dama all the way through to retirement. I always gotta switch to another one
     
    Apr 17, 2017
    goenKendama and D Epik Snow like this.
  16. Brandon Jensen

    Brandon Jensen Slayer

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Location:
    San Diego, California
    hahaha accidentally picking up another kendama is slowing becoming a way of life it seems
     
    Apr 17, 2017
    Congarranza and D Epik Snow like this.
  17. Orangeisrad

    Orangeisrad Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2016
    I've only retired my first, and Orange tribute. Flat spike, I got my TK16 shortly after, still jamming that.

    I suppose I'll retire the next one when the spike is flat too. Haha.
     
    Apr 20, 2017
  18. goenKendama

    goenKendama Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2016
    Location:
    Metro Manila, Philippines
    Why don't you just put a new point on the flattened spike? A rotary tool like a Dremel works really well or even coarse sandpaper will work. I've even heard of some people trying the pencil sharpeners for those really fat pencils.
     
    Apr 21, 2017
    Congarranza likes this.
  19. Congarranza

    Congarranza DS Legend

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Location:
    Camarillo, CA
    I use 60 grit to get the shape back and follow it with 220 to finesse the final shape and finish. This takes 5-10 minutes.
     
    Apr 21, 2017
    goenKendama likes this.
  20. Brandon Jensen

    Brandon Jensen Slayer

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Location:
    San Diego, California
    my oldest ken has some nasty curvature of the base cup because of how many lighthouse flips i basically goofed on. Would sanding it flat help? Rr just ruin the ken.
     
    Apr 21, 2017