Trouble with the Obi

Hi,

I've had my obi for about a year now, and I still have trouble with the knot. Even though I tie the knot as it is supposed to (I think?) it still slips loose and never looks neat.
The only way I can get the knot to stay tight is by having two other people pull the ends as hard as they can. As a result my obi is often tighter then a corset.

I've borrowed the obi of someone else once, when I forgot mine at home, and was surprised by how much easier it was to tie. His obi was much older and much more supple.
I've already been washing my belt almost every other week, but it shows no sign of softening.
Does anyone have any tips? It's a fuji gi, size 200.

Hi

Mariska Poiesz wrote: I've already been washing my belt almost every other week, but it shows no sign of softening.

Stop washing it. It will soften soon so you can easy tie it.

There is a long, long debate about washing or not the obi as a pracitioner of budo.
Maybe it's no true that you accumulate your ki and your skills in your obi. But it's simply easier to tie if you don't wash it.

puuhhh am I again the only one who doesn't wash his obi? ...

Carsten

Some obi are just stubborn. Once upon a time, I built a small box in my shop with three rollers spaced close together and off-center from each other (so the obi would be bent front-and-back as it passed through). Then I'd feed one end of the obi through and stitch it to its other end to make a continuous loop. I hooked up an electric drill to it and I'd fire it up for an hour or so, after which even the stiffest obi would be "tenderized". If I can find it (been many years since I had to break in a new obi), I'll post a picture of it here.

Carsten Möllering wrote: Hi Stop washing it. It will soften soon so you can easy tie it. There is a long, long debate about washing or not the obi as a pracitioner of budo. Maybe it's no true that you accumulate your ki and your skills in your obi. But it's simply easier to tie if you don't wash it. puuhhh am I again the only one who doesn't wash his obi? ... Carsten

Oh dear, and I always thought that washing it would wear down the fabric
Ok, I'll let it rest then

@crbateman: That is so totally awesome! I don't think I could make that though, my appartment is very small, and I only own the most basic of tools.

Onegaishimasu, do not wash the obi, do not tie it to the back of your bicycle and drag it either. Those are two extreme obstacles to your obi becoming naturally soft and easy to tie. There are no shortcuts.

In gassho,

Mark

Some obi are just like that and there is nothing you can do about it. Ironically it is usually the more expensive ones I have found to be the biggest culprits of stiffness. Fuji white belts are typically thinner and cheaper than most...it may take a few months.

I had that problem with a few belts in my old style since we had colored ranks. It always seemed like every other belt was a thick stiff one and the ones in between required very little break in time. I would just say tough it out. It will break in nicely if you give it time. I think the thick ones look nicer and they tend to stay put once they are broken in. Until then, just make a point of tugging on it every so often. While your instructor is demonstrating is a good time.

Question, you've had the obi for about a year but have you used it consistanly? I would gather that it has not gotten enough blood, sweat, and tears on it yet. So my advice to you, more practice! Your obi is just like aikido, you can't force, you must wait and let it come to you on its own pace. It will soften up in its own time. Bet you didn't know that your obi was teaching you aikido.

Mariska Poiesz wrote: Hi, I've had my obi for about a year now, and I still have trouble with the knot. Even though I tie the knot as it is supposed to (I think?) it still slips loose and never looks neat. The only way I can get the knot to stay tight is by having two other people pull the ends as hard as they can. As a result my obi is often tighter then a corset. I've borrowed the obi of someone else once, when I forgot mine at home, and was surprised by how much easier it was to tie. His obi was much older and much more supple. I've already been washing my belt almost every other week, but it shows no sign of softening. Does anyone have any tips? It's a fuji gi, size 200.

My best "technique" is to sweat a lot.
Contrary to another post though (not sure why the difference), I found washing it a lot caused the material to soften a bit...perhaps don't use starch?

Mike Braxton wrote: Question, you've had the obi for about a year but have you used it consistanly? I would gather that it has not gotten enough blood, sweat, and tears on it yet. So my advice to you, more practice! Your obi is just like aikido, you can't force, you must wait and let it come to you on its own pace. It will soften up in its own time. Bet you didn't know that your obi was teaching you aikido.

2 hours training almost every week, sometimes 4, exept when the dojo closes for the hollidays.
Haven't actually gotten my own blood on it, but I did have a scrubbing spree when the Bujinkan group that trains before us didn't clean up their blood, and our sensei made us crawl all around the dojo.

So basically, I need get rid of the 'Omg dirt gotta wash!' mentality then.
This is going to be hard, I like smelling like detergent.

Some people swear by washing them, but I prefer to break mine in by myself.