How to make a saya for bokken

How to make a saya for bokken

You can make your own saya for bokken, or buy it if you don't have a knack for handicrafts. Be that as it may, it is important to protect this training weapon well.

The saya for bokken

The saya is the cover or sheath in which the bokken is kept. Therefore, if you practice martial arts in which you have to make use of this Japanese training sword, do not hesitate to protect it well.

Tutorial to make the saya for bokken

Now, you can buy the saya for bokken that you like the most, or also make it yourself, if you dare. Here we are going to show you some tips.

Necessary materials

Among the materials that you will have to use, you will need to have epoxy putty, a stove and a PVC pipe that you can buy in hardware stores, although not all have it. If you want to paint it later, it is recommended to use spray paint.

The process

The process is simple. Follow these steps:

           Take the bokken that will be stored in the saya and insert it into the PVC pipe. It will not fit perfectly, but it will give us a starting point to obtain the measurements, especially in the width.
           Bring the PVC material closer to the hot burner so that the material softens and it is possible to shape it.
           Using some type of kneading utensil, although it can be a simple but resistant stick, we will shape the softened PVC so that it aquires the necessary curvature and adapts perfectly to the bokken, which will be easily stored and protected.
           Obviously, you have to wait for it to cool down. Then, we will introduce the bokken again and reheat the PVC until, with the kneading utensil, we will adapt it perfectly until it takes the right shape.

It is not difficult to design a sheath for bokken, so that the weapon will stay well protected at all times. Be that as it may, it is easy to do, as well as and to buy.


Image courtesy of Gray Marchiori-Simpson