As the title says, when do you resign one of your kendamas to the storage box? Obviously, there are the extreme moments, like when your kendama splits into two or when your dog chews up your setup, but most kendamas never get destroyed to that point. Personally, I retire my setups either when I crack open a freshie and it catches my attention, or when something happens to the kendama such that the play doesn't feel right anymore (paint gets too slick/sticky, base cup chip, etc.).
In the 6 months I've played, my Bolf mod has gotten the most use. I'm talking constant for a solid 6 weeks... Even my partner claims I play legit 5+ hours every day LMAO I only stopped jamming cuz I have too many new options. That and I'm honing in my 8 year Bday for BATB. I feel like nothing short of a full blown break would make me hang one up for good. I may play it LESS, but I doubt I'd retire one that isn't completely destroyed. ~edit~ I jam alone 99% of the time... So sometimes switching my set up just helps keep me interested when it starts to slip.
I usually stop playing when my spike gets so flat it’s basically a nub. I’ve only gotten to that point with my first KUSA Kaizen Choral/Turquoise Half-Split.
I concur! Though going back to my old setups after playing with freshies is a mixed bag for me. Either my old damas feel super honed, or it's just a super sloppy experience and I go back to my jammer.
Have you tried supergluing your spike? It helps! 3-5 coats of superglue on one of my kendamas has made the spike almost invincible (around 3 months into playing and only then has it gotten its first blunting). Also, bullet tip spike kendamas (ShinFuji, TK16, RWB OG) have more durable spikes. They don't look as clean, but they last much longer.
Really I retire my kendama when it gets a chip. Thats usually when it ends for me. I rarely play chipped kendamas, and when I glue the chip back, I still end up playing it so little until I switch kendamas or get a new one. Flat spikes also do it for me, but it seems to happen a lot less since I have a pretty huge collection, so I rotate out a lot. Also sometimes I will take a break from a dama if the ken or tama gets too sweaty and needs to air out lol
I usually give a ken away before it reaches the retirement point. I will just refurbish a ken and make it almost like new and then give it away. I have been able to do some miraculous things with some sandpaper, wood filler and wood conditioner.
Fair enough, but I have some exceptions lol. Sometimes, a kendama is too good to retire even when the base cup chips.
I’ve broken my spike right off and grilla Glued it and it’s fine. U just have to be gentle with it. It did break and I had to re glue it 2 more times but I was pretty rough on it and it still slays. But I would usually retire on when I demolished, I have not to many so I switch it up and keep some fresh for when I need one. And deferent size Kendamas are fun also like minis and jumbos...
A Dremel tool and 2 part epoxy will fix you right back up again. I've only officially retired one, the very first "real" kendama I ever had a TK16. It was long term lent to our ramen shop as a demo unit and after getting really abused for years I decided it needed a place of honor so it's up on my shelf now.
Usually retirement comes if a dama sustains chips that cause the tama to not sit properly in the cup. Flat spikes aren't preferred, but still playable in many cases.
This is pretty much how I feel about everything in life...if it doesn't give you the feels, you better sing the Waltz Away
yup, sometimes the dama just doesn't feel the same as it used to, thats usually when i move on to a new one