Whats up With Grip?

[br4d24]

EDIT: I AM WRONG ABOUT THESE DAMAS, READ ON AND UNCOVER THEIR MAGIC WAYS

They literally just get regular ozoras and paint a few lines on the ken... Does this justify paying $50 on top of the retail price of $20 for the kendama? If these dudes sell even a few they will be making mad money, hell they probably get their kens at wholesale price as well.

Sweet looks, idea, concept - but damn really shaking people down for a few lines. It wouldnt be hard to do DIY as well... if you know how to tape in straight lines.

[JamesFM]

I have never heard of Grip Kendama before. I just looked them up and I must say, those few lines make them look amazing. I don't understand the steep price though.

[br4d24]

Yeah they are nice but seriously its easy to do:
Gripute


My guess is that they might add some kind of foam grip thing to it or something? Maybe those lines are made out of some sort of material?

If not then its a huge ripoff.

[The Void]

At first I thought it was quite odd, but then I [wild speculation alert!] decided that they must lathe thin grooves into the ken, and fill them flush with grip tape. That would explain the price, as it would be quite a tricky procedure to execute with a perfect finish. I am completely guessing though. Although I think they look really nice, it's not something that I think I'd personally like the feel of, so I haven't bothered investigating. If anyone knows for sure, let us know!

[br4d24]

Aaaaannndd its a ripoff. As you can see in this pic, they arent beveled and it seems to be just paint for the stripes... unless its some super duper special paint, its a ripoff

[primechicken]

I'm pretty sure they are material and not just paint...
And actually I've heard nothing but positive reviews about grip kendamas.

I believe Alex Smith has one, I'm sure he could give a bit more info on them.

[br4d24]

Yeah that would be great!

I have yet to hear good or bad about them... Still choked on the price though. If i was gonna spend that kind of money i would grab a terra!

[BrandonYoder]

I assumed it was a rubber paint over top of the ken.(not beveled or flush to the surface)
But if that isnt the case then i could MAYBE understand the steep price...still seems a bit high...
but they marketed it just right.

[RodDama]

There is actually no paint involved with the grip kendamas.. he puts the ken on a lathe, and cuts into the ken and puts rubber into the grooves. They are actually super sick!... makes the ken a bit lighter... but the grip is really comfortable,  plus the guy is an artist! look at the bottom right picture in this...

http://swagonomics.boombotix.com/photos/if-you-own-a-kendama-you-need-to-get-on-this-if-you-don-t-know-now-you-know-gripkendama-reposted-from-teejkolesnik-and-turner_thorne-kendama

[br4d24]

There is actually no paint involved with the grip kendamas.. he puts the ken on a lathe, and cuts into the ken and puts rubber into the grooves. They are actually super sick!... makes the ken a bit lighter... but the grip is really comfortable,  plus the guy is an artist! look at the bottom right picture in this...

http://swagonomics.boombotix.com/photos/if-you-own-a-kendama-you-need-to-get-on-this-if-you-don-t-know-now-you-know-gripkendama-reposted-from-teejkolesnik-and-turner_thorne-kendama

Ah thanks for clearing that up! I was waiting for you to reply to this I loved your entry to their competition!

I guess i kind of put my foot in my mouth a little here, that pic i posted really does look like it was painted - pictures can be deceiving. Atleast we now know why the price is so high, it seems alot more reasonable now.

Not so sure i would like the feel of that though, but that look is so sexy! How does the added material weigh up to the removed wood? Does it still have the same feel as a regular ozora?

[BrandonYoder]

that actually explains a lot...i was thinking about doing something similar with inlay on my kendamas...

[RodDama]

haha! yea you never can be too sure... i havent gotten my custom one from him yet from that contest... but when i do ill post a picture of it! theyre just like an regular oozora.. doesnt affect the play much.. except the rubber is a bit lighter than the wood.. kind of makes lunars easier... but i have yet to own one! just played a few

[br4d24]

I wanna try one now to see if i would like it or not!

[The Void]

Cheers for the info. Rod, I'm glad that's cleared up. So, I was pretty close with my assumption!
Nice one for editing your first post, Brad.

[KendAlex]

3 months ago i received my grip kendama GRIP KENDAMA of the owner Luke Evans,

it starts when Ube Icecream Shop Ube contact me with his offer to make me a new Icercream custom, on that post (FB) Luke said ''what if that custom gets a Grip ken''
so there is when the project of my kendama starts,
Luke made the GRIP on a wooden ozora and send it over to Ube Icecream shop.
after it was finished Ube send it over to me,
see picture.



what i think about the Grip kendama is this, all the work that he do on the lathe is awesome, because it needs some practice, and it is not easy to keep the spike and the center cup 100% and then make the graves,
after that he do fill it up with a kind of Sillicon rubber, and he can mix it up in all colors, when he filled it all up then it goes back in the lathe to make it smooth again

my experience with my grip kendama is that the ken weight a little more than normal, because the grip is heavier than the wood that comes out,
and the balance on the lunar is a little more difficult if you have more rings done close to the slip grip ring, make sense.

this ken with grip weight 69 gram and the custom tama weight 70 gram, i think a better balanced kendama you can't find this easy.

but overall i like the grip and it feels good and soft,

i will bring this one or my newest performer grip with me to the BKO in april
cheers