Types of kendamas vs Types of tricks

[Dadooh]

Hi everyone.
I want to start saying that i love the variety i found in kendama. I mean I really like to try many tricks of all types of tricks . But i noticed that i prefer some kinds of kendama to perform some kinds of tricks.
Example: I feel that my Rokurosen is awesome for birds, bats, slip grip variations, stilts and for gunslingers. Oozora is my favorite kendama for lunars and lighthouse and I mostly use my TK16 (my first kendama^^) for "cups tricks" like kenspins. So i was wondering about what kendamas you've got and what do you feel they're good at?
Thanks and i apologize for my english

[The Void]

For me it's not about which kendama, just how well worn-in it is. I'm usually happy to try any trick with any of my 4 or 5 well-used regulars.

If you decide you have a favourite kd for a trick, isn't there a danger of playing mind-games with yourself? - "Oh no, I'm trying trick X with kendama Y, but I prefer kendama Z!" ---> instant miss!

[VASBVA]

I've found that Oozoras are best for lunars/lighthouses as you said.  From my experience, shin fujis are the best for birds, stilts, and stalls in my opinion, but are pretty awful for lunars.  Only a few out of the many shin fujis I've used could balance a lunar well.

[Dadooh]

If you decide you have a favourite kd for a trick, isn't there a danger of playing mind-games with yourself? - "Oh no, I'm trying trick X with kendama Y, but I prefer kendama Z!" ---> instant miss!

I understand what you explain. Nethertheless we can't deny that Oozoras are better than TK16s for lighthouse tricks. So this tread is just about what kendamas forum members are playing and what tricks they prefer to do with them. It would be great if some players share their experience playing common or uncommon kendamas.

[AlexSmith]

As I expanded my collection I learned that even damas from the same brand can play pretty differently. OG oozoras are awesome overall, but I've also seen OG oozoras that don't balance well at all. Just depends. My new yellow oozora is probably more useful as a hood ornament for my car than a kendama...

That being said, if you think Shin Fujis are good for birds/grip stalls/ stilts/ etc, you need to experience the awesomeness that is a KCN battle. Once they're worked in they're amazing for those tricks. Usually not the greatest for lunar/lighthouse stuff but a dama that isn't death grip sticky just makes it more of a challenge, which can be fun. Chippy paint though.

TKs are solid overall, just again not super grippy. Woodgrain TKs are worth investing some time into.

At the end of the day, every dama is different, and every dama will perform differently at different points in it's life. Enjoy your damas that are in good playable condition while you can.

[Greg the Strangler]

I like KC Winner II's for stilts. the hole on the ball is a little wider than standard, it helps catch them.

[VASBVA]

From what I've experienced the newer oozoras are either hit or miss.  My yellow is amazing for birds, stalls, and ligthouses, but terribly off balance for lunars.  The paint is extremely good on mine and very sticky.  But, I've also played with a couple sub-par yellow oozoras too.  My newer woodgrain oozora is pretty terrible though.

[shalafi]

My personal experience with the SunRise, TK16 and Oozora is that:

Oozora is better for lighhouses and balancing in general (probably because of the painting)
TK16 is better for birds and bats (and similar tricks), probably because the ball is slightly heavier
Sunrise is good overall, I did not find a trick where it does it worst than others, actually, since it has a stripped ball, swing in (reverse and normal), stabbing heaven, etc are a bit easier.

But there is not a big difference, I prefer to try the tricks (once I am reasonably consistent) whit the less favorable kendama, to get it better and not play mind tricks to myself.

[Tetsuya Takahashi]

I also heard somewhere that tks get pretty grippy if you invest some time in them. Is this true?

[emagdnim]

I think it is diffrent with each dama.
I 'only' have 3 kenadama's all Sunrise.

I love my Woodgrain. But my blue one i do hate.
The woodgain is good for all tricks. (Lunars and stills suck because I can't do them that good.
My Black (got it from a friend, and has been played a lot before) is also overall good.

Same brand Diffrent feel on tricks.

Don't have other brands. Might buy a Ozora  next week.

[Misterwhang]

I also agree with people saying the new ozora's being a hit or miss...My yellow ozora is pretty worn in but it is so dang slippery its not even funny, its difficult to land and hold lighthouses with it

[Tetsuya Takahashi]

My new pink ozzo, which I bought yesterday works pretty well it's sticky and slippy more slippy though. but still good for lighthouses

[Misterwhang]

Well actually I made a mistake, I forgot to mention that I put my yellow ozora tama on my 2013 promodel ken...that may be the reason why I was having a hard time with lighthouse...that tama with that ken = super slippery

[Tetsuya Takahashi]

Oo a practically flat base cup on an ozora tama