so ive just had to restring my kendama for the first time. i watched a youtbe video with the man, the myth, the legend Alex Smith and he said, he likes his string to be around 2 fingers and a bit (when the dama is on the spike and you put your fingers in the string) (this video at 4:55 if i dont make sense). i made mine a bit shorter, to see how it would play and am wondering, how long your strings are. also, what benefits do longer or shorter strings have?
I play with 3 figers under the cup. Sometimes even four. Depends. I think the longer the sting the easier jugles are. But with my experience i would say it is maybe harder to spacewalk with longer strings.
I run 16 and 1/4 inch string on average. If I am practicing balance tricks I will bust out my cushion on an active ken and that string runs just barely over 15 inches but if I'm practicing string tricks I go with a longer length, sometimes even as high as 17 inches which is what my DWI clear coat maple Fred is. All my freestyle jammers are about 16 to 16 and 1/4 though
I like to have the string length be at two fingers up the Base cup. Some string will stretch out over time and eventually it can be as long as three fingers.
I used to prefer 2 1/2 fingers but later realized that three is more fitting to my style. I'd say it's definitely personal preference.
I would keep the 2 fingers cause it does make juggles easier but it makes 99.9% of aerial tricks way harder if not impossible. Juggling is not too difficult to do with the correct length if you practice.
Your string is shorter than 2 fingers? Props, that's pretty hard for me to play on. Mine range from a tight 3 fingers to a loose 3 fingers; I like the 3 finger range because my first kendama was in the 3 finger length. Benefits for long strings is that it kind of feels like there is no string. It tangles less because there is more of it. Juggle tricks can be easier with a longer string for this reason. Benefits for short strings are that you don't need to use so much force. For example, 1 turn lighthouse with a long string is fairly difficult (for me at least) but 1 turn lighthouse with a short string is just a little wrist flick. Spacewalks feel easier on a short string as well because it has a smaller circle or rotation to make (if that makes sense). EDIT: I have now switched to the 4 finger length, and I noticed I have more fun with dama now. I don't get fucked over by the string as much, so I get less frustrated at a piece of string and I land more tricks which makes me happier. I still enjoy the benefits that shorter strings have to offer though
I feel like I'm the only one on this thread who actually busts out a tape and measures the exact length of the string from the hole in the Sarado to the top hole in the tama...since this is how I have always done it and no one showed me the finger method I literally have no idea what you guys are even talking about. I guess when most of the things you know about kendama were from reading or self taught you get to see it from a different angle.
After watching that part of the video I now understand the concept. I always just used a measuring tape and tuned it from there
Up until this point I've been playing my kendamas at whatever string length they come. Some come pretty long, like 3-4 fingers, and others are right at 2 fingers. Right now at least, I like playing with different lengths on different damas. I feel like it strengthens my game overall. Maybe its just in my mind though, lol.
I stick to 2 and a bit still, maybe a really tight 3 sometimes. Some of the new-gen juggle kenflip shredders play some reeally long strings, Stodd and Rolf had some damas that were like a fist and a half at MKO LOL. That seems crazy to me, pull up and spacewalk tricks would be weird on them. But it fits their style so.. Side note: historically, the JKA mandated a minimum length, but not a maximum. I think the minimum was about 38cm.
I'm a lefty and I don't like making someone's job harder, even in the slightest so I never ask them to change it for me. I just got into the habit of tuning my own string lenght for whatever I plan to hone with that kendama specifically. From there I assume I will find my exact length over time.
Lefty here. I am really good at restringing set ups. but nobody uses inches as a measurement, everyone uses finger lengths haha
I rock either 3 or 3 and a bit, any longer or shorter then multiple turn pull up tricks or even a swing spike becomes weird because you pull up exact the same and it come around really fast or slow
I started with the standard 3 fingers under the base cup. But over time, the string stretches to 4 fingers under base cup. I slowly get used to it. So normally i play strings 4 fingers under basecup. Used to tat for spacewalks and stuff liddat
I am a lefty and I play a tight 2 finger I feel like it makes juggles easier but I don't know it is also a bit easier for string stuff but I think just slightly longer would be better but I don't know tell me if this is really bad.