Most Shibari Ropes are 7-8mm Long

Running out of Rope

Many people trying to follow tutorials online or in classes get frustrated if their rope runs out at a different point than in the video they are watching, or in the class they are attending.


As we all tie different size people - our rope will run out at different times. 


In Shibari when a rope runs out we join it to another one, or tie off the rope we are using and tie on a new rope. 

Rope length is not about the size of the person you are tying

 

Some people assume that if you are tying someone who is smaller you need a shorter rope, and for someone bigger you need a longer rope - rope length is based on how much rope the person tying can comfortably handle without it getting in a tangle NOT the size of the person you are tying. 

People used to try and use a total rope length that was four times their arm span to try and give the smoothest rope handling, for Japanese riggers this was often around 7 metres  7 meters is also about the same length as the circumference of two tsunami mats and so a standard Japanese measure. *source Osada Steve interview with Miura Takumi

 8 metre has become the ‘standard’ length for shibari. 

Short Ropes 

If you are just tying someone's arms or legs together and tying them to a bedpost a 5 metre length of rope is perfect.

 

Short ropes - sometimes called 'shit bits' are also really helpful when you need just a bit more rope at the end of a tie but don't want to join a full length rope.

For learning knots having a short piece of rope that you can use for practicing can be really helpful.