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whats your favorite wood for a kendama and why?

Discussion in 'The Lumber Yard' started by inQntrol, Dec 9, 2016.

?

What Is The best Kendama Wood For You and Everyone?

  1. Maple

  2. Birch

  3. White Ash

  4. Hickory

  5. Cherry

  6. Beech

  7. Padauk

  8. Purpleheart

  9. Bamboo

  10. Keyaki

Multiple votes are allowed.
Results are only viewable after voting.
  1. htimSxelA

    htimSxelA Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2016
    Location:
    Vancouver
    MOD MODE: @KenWave I merged your thread with a similar old one. Check out some of the older replies if you're interested, as well as the poll :D
     
    Sep 12, 2018
    KenWave likes this.
  2. Jordan_MTB

    Jordan_MTB Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2018
    Location:
    Nevada
    Are the slims still good for Lunars? I really want to get a Craft but don’t know if I should wait for shift to be back in stock or get the slim before it’s gone. I really like stall tricks, balance, and slingers.
     
    Sep 17, 2018
  3. Jasper B.

    Jasper B. Slayer

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2016
    Location:
    San Diego
    I 100% like the slim more than the shift. The slim can completely SLAP lunars, and DESTROY slings. Shift is just as amazing for lunars but really is not great at slings.
     
    Sep 18, 2018
    Jordan_MTB likes this.
  4. goenKendama

    goenKendama Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2016
    Location:
    Metro Manila, Philippines


    Hey guys. Updated the poll (since the OP hasn't been on for 2 years). Wenge wasn't getting any love, 0 votes, so it's been replaced with Bamboo so let's get some votes up there for Bamboo.
     
    Mar 17, 2019
  5. Emil Apostol

    Emil Apostol DS Legend

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2017
    Location:
    Philippines
    It's a maple-y, maple-y world. I remember a time when beech was still the standard, and maple was considered a premium wood; now, it seems companies are offering maple kens as a standard to mid-level option. A caveat, though; it might just be me, but maple completes, at least from my experience, tend to be ken heavy. This is why i like maple kens with beech tamas for more consistent weight.
     
    Mar 17, 2019
    Qonnor likes this.
  6. Emil Apostol

    Emil Apostol DS Legend

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2017
    Location:
    Philippines
    I'm of the opinion that maple is the best wood for your money by far. I used to think beech was the best wood because maple takes too long to break in, but maple will last much longer than any beech ken, assuming one treats both with the same degree of care.

    In other words, the beech ken will likely break before the maple ken is "broken in."
     
    Mar 25, 2019
  7. goenKendama

    goenKendama Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2016
    Location:
    Metro Manila, Philippines
    Actually Maple is one of my least favorite woods. Keyaki, Bamboo, Birch are my favorites.
     
    Mar 25, 2019
    slothymane and Emil Apostol like this.
  8. slothymane

    slothymane Slayer

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2017
    Location:
    Austria
    Finally a likeminded person lol
    I dislike maple over any other wood (stallability, weights, sound)

    1) Birch & Oak
    2) Ash & Hick
    3) Keyaki & Beech
     
    Apr 15, 2019
    goenKendama likes this.
  9. goenKendama

    goenKendama Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2016
    Location:
    Metro Manila, Philippines
    I was lucky enough to get an Ash/Hickory from RWB a while back and I like it but the Red Elm (Keyaki related) from them ended up being played more. I think part was that I like stalls and it broke in the ken as well as the tama faster. Hickory is a pretty tough wood.
     
    Apr 15, 2019
  10. slothymane

    slothymane Slayer

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2017
    Location:
    Austria
    That's why i love Hickory. Its like Maple durability X Ash stalls cause of the grain.
    I'd love to try out red elm one day
     
    Apr 15, 2019
    goenKendama likes this.
  11. goenKendama

    goenKendama Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2016
    Location:
    Metro Manila, Philippines
    This little chat has convinced me to grab the two RWBs and head outside for a bit. I've not played them for a while as I've been concentrating on braking in a stubborn chunk of Maple. :D
     
    Apr 16, 2019
    JHard502710 and slothymane like this.
  12. JHard502710

    JHard502710 Slayer

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2018
    Location:
    Louisville, Ky
    I love ash wood for its grain and grip. I have my first Red Elm on the way. Bamboo has a nice clack.. maple is def durable.
     
    May 4, 2019
    goenKendama likes this.
  13. Dre_11

    Dre_11 Honed Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    Location:
    West Covina, CA
    Most of my kens are maple due to everyone saying it’s the best wood, and i love it too. But, I recently got a hickory squab tama on a mystery kendama i ordered from Kendama OC, and it was amazing. After that I received a hickory shift from kusa mystery box ... and it blew my mind. By far my favorite dama because the sound and feel is just perfect. I prefer heavier damas & the durability is just as good as maple. Hickory is definitely a little underrated and try one if you haven’t before!
     
    May 6, 2019
    goenKendama likes this.
  14. JayPoir

    JayPoir Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2017
    Location:
    North Eastern Massachusetts
    Gotta say my top is birch. Haven’t played a hickory yet but someday I’ll get one. Not on the list but I have a red elm craft slim on the way so I’m pretty stoked to try that wood. Also just got an old school kaizen padauk today and besides enjoying the throwback to the old shape the wood is absolutely gorgeous and I find the playability is actually quite high as well
     
    May 8, 2019
    Dre_11 likes this.
  15. goenKendama

    goenKendama Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2016
    Location:
    Metro Manila, Philippines
    @JayPoir Yeah the poll has a 10 option limit so not all woods available would fit. As for Red Elm it's a cousin of Keyaki as I understand it and plays similarly. Did you notice on the Padauk a fine white powdery substance on it when you first opened it? I saw that on a number of them back in the day and always wondered what it was.
     
    May 8, 2019
  16. Dre_11

    Dre_11 Honed Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    Location:
    West Covina, CA
    I have 2 paduak and it’s a natural oil the wood gives off. that’s how it ages while playing. in the description it says not to place on clothes or sheets or it will stain.
     
    May 8, 2019
    goenKendama likes this.
  17. Dre_11

    Dre_11 Honed Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    Location:
    West Covina, CA
    what makes birch your favorite? i’ve never had a birch dama and would want some pros/cons & one to get?
     
    May 9, 2019
  18. 96817dama

    96817dama Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2019
    Beech: breaks in fast and well, absorbs sweat good, sounds good, feels good, it's the standard and it's cheap :)
     
    Jun 10, 2019
  19. jimgrude

    jimgrude Member

    Joined:
    May 21, 2019
    Location:
    Tokyo
    Walnut is becoming a favorite of mine lately. It's smooth and glassy like maple, but seems to have more grip out of the box, and it breaks in quicker too. I'm not a fan of maple, so walnut is a great alternative.
    I love the feel of my walnut GT-E1 and recently the Slaydawg 2 headshot models.
     
    Nov 6, 2019
  20. Simindama

    Simindama n00b

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2019
    Ghost ken <3
     
    Nov 18, 2019