Kendama

[David Pearson]

Anyone ever make one of these? (or heard of them...)

http://kendamausa.com/

[David Warkentin]

Never heard or seen them til I clicked on that link. Not as far as I know anyway. David

[Jeff Nicol]

I had one when I was a kid, not sure where I got it but we lived in Colorado when I was young and I think one of the other kids I new in 1st grade left it at our house and we moved to Wisconsin not long after that.

You never know what bored minds will come up with!

Jeff

[John Altberg]

My son and his friends have been playing with these at the high school He and I have discussed trying to make one, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Jon Lanier]

Is this today's version of the yo-you or the clickety-clak?

[John Hart]

Is this today's version of the yo-you or the clickety-clak?

When I was a kid, we called them "Klackers", and that's what this thing reminded me of. It got so bad that half the kids in school had them....klacking down the hallways....until the teachers outlawed them because they were "too dangerous".

personally...I think they just got tired of the noise. :rolleyes:

[Tim Rinehart]

We called them super-knockers...but I guess that wouldn't be PC now. Mine are still fully intact...from 70s
152701

I think making the Kendama looks like a nice project.

From what I can tell in the pics, the 3 different cups are different sizes, for more challenge. The one at the 'base' being the smallest cup to set the ball on.

If anyone has one with some rough dimensions, or know of 'official' sizes, pass it along.

[John Hart]

Yup...those are the ones Tim. That's pretty cool that you still have them...Politically Correct or not. :)

[Thom Sturgill]

I'm in my sixties and played with a variant as a child. I think mine only had one cup on the base and the spike. That toy, along with propeller toys that spun the prop when you rubbed the stick (it had notches on one side) and dancing men that moved when you squeezed two pieces of wood were common, often hand carved, though I also remember some factory made versions.

[Dave Ogren]

Thom,

The name of the propeller toy is 'Whimmy Dittle'. Has variations of that name also. Still very popular in the mountains.

Dave

[Bert Solis]

David:
These toys seem universal, as a kid I remember playing with a "balero" wooden/stick toy that comes from Mexico, looks like the Japanese toy is more refined. Here is a link for the toy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_jlJ2Gm7DA

[David Warkentin]

Thom,

The name of the propeller toy is 'Whimmy Dittle'. Has variations of that name also. Still very popular in the mountains.

Dave
I think mine was called a Mahoney stick. Different sized notches on each side and when you turned it over propeller would rotate other direction. David

[Kevin Stanbary]

David:
These toys seem universal, as a kid I remember playing with a "balero" wooden/stick toy that comes from Mexico, looks like the Japanese toy is more refined. Here is a link for the toy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_jlJ2Gm7DA

Wow.... I think I have one of those in my junk drawer somewhere from when I was a kid. I'll have to see if it's there.

[Jon Lanier]

Tim,

That's what I was thinking. I didn't know what to call it... almost said, "That two ball knocker." But minds would wonder on that one.


We called them super-knockers...but I guess that wouldn't be PC now. Mine are still fully intact...from 70s
152701

I think making the Kendama looks like a nice project.

From what I can tell in the pics, the 3 different cups are different sizes, for more challenge. The one at the 'base' being the smallest cup to set the ball on.

If anyone has one with some rough dimensions, or know of 'official' sizes, pass it along.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Amazon has a measured drawing of one. It is about the third picture that you can zoom in on. Looks like fun to make.