Ash Wood and how fragile is it

So I recently bought a Thorkild May Pro Mod and it's the first Ash kendama i've ever bought since I heard they're kinda fragile and I am the type of player who drops a kendama on the ground a lot. But I still couldn't resist the temptation to but a slaydawg and from all the Krom Pro Mods, the Thorkild is my fav. I was wondering how fragile is the Ash wood and what tricks I should avoid until the kendama is honed enough.

 

Yeah I have never had problems with ash at all, I have jammed numerous ash kens and never got even a single chip. I would say since its a slaydawg your best bet would be to play over grass anyways but I wouldnt be to ultra anal about it. Like the saying goes, destroy all damas.

 

I have a full ash kenCo shenzu natty with no sign of chipping and the clickity clack is awesome! I also and using a HG ash Ken with a maple silk tama and the Ken is fantastic! Both kens are light! ~65g. The ash tamas are ~72-74g. My HG ash tama nattty on a HG fruit punch. LOTS of wear and denting, but not a single chip. Ash is fun. I recommend it.

 

Thanks man! I was saying that Ash Wood is quite fragile cuz i got some friends with ash damas who managed to get a chip in the first days of owning it.

 

#destroyalldamas

 

I agree that Ash is not a fragile wood. Most "fragile" woods generally aren't used for kendamas (think Pine, Spruce, etc.)

I'd disagree that it's superior to maple however. I've played both a lot and have chipped both, but in my experience, and conversations with other players Ash is just more susceptible to chipping.

That being said, it does not stop many people from playing Ash. Raw grainy ash can be super grippy for stall tricks for sure. I honestly have a tough choice choosing between the two because they're both so good. Destroy all damas, yo!

 

I love ash, bit have chipped them numerous times. The spike stayed sharp forever though, so I am not sure what was going on with that.

 

while they seem to chip based on the grain pattern, ash wood is pretty durable, they are the longest lasting spikes imo

 

I have noticed with the wider grain patterns, that glue takes and settles really well. My ash spikes are sharp and straight. This seems to hold true for my hickory ken too.

 

i have an ash kaizen 2.0 that i almost only do space walk tricks with and it has not chipped at all and the dents from missed spikes are super small, the wood feels amazingly smooth especially the feeling of the grain, and ash wood smells pretty great too lol