hi i recently got a bokken, and want it to be as pristean as posible (after use) any advice? and my friend who also kas one his has crack in it and for him?
If you're using it... it's going to take wear and tear. No way around that. The need to keep it pristine is no doubt because you've just gotten it. Just give it a wipe with a damp cloth and check for any serious dings or cracks or perhaps splintery areas. Be wary of seriously cracked bokkens or heavily splintered ones... they can be cut down to make smaller weapons. But you don't want to have the thing coming apart on you or a training partner... could be a serious injury. Some people recommend maintaining them with something like linseed oil at some point in their lifetime - some don't. Much of it will depend on your bokken and the area where you live. Relative humidity and all. If you do decide to oil a bokken... be very careful a bit of linseed oil goes a very, very long way.
Hi Since bokken are for kata hit the target area and not the other guys bokken. I have seen countless bokken broken by clashing together rather than developing the proper angle and timing, Get a sword bag and as slip has said a little oil every now and then. If it starts to "creak" and develops splinters replace it. regards koyo
You might also try Lemon Oil. Not as heavy as Lindseed oil but the same rule applies: a little goes a long way.
Not knowing anything about wooden weapons would it help to knock-it-in like a cricket bat? Compressing the fibres should make it stronger. Personally I think they are to cheap to bother, use it, break it - get another one.
What koyo said. gorinnosho - where/what MA are you practicing and what exactly are you doing with your bokken?! Shinai are built to withstand this sort of punishment. Despite this I've seen splinters of wood flying through mengane (grill on face mask in kendo) and nearly taking people's eyes out. You should not own even a practice weapon if you don't have an instructor who can show you how to use it and care for it.
umm... yeh.... i don't really do a bokken requiring art, my karate sensei doesn't hold weapons in the silibus, but many others in the club have them for " technique" perposes. i just got mine to stuff around with a mate of mine.
Oh my god. Lets try to salvage something out of the fact that you're interested in weapons. I really don't recommend you continue 'stuffing around' with your mate. Does your karate sensei have any kobudo training or know someone who does? You should speak to him and see what he says/recommends. However, I'm already a little wary that he would be fine with his students buying bokken for 'technique' purposes (what does that mean anyway?! You just stated that you don't have weapon techniques in your syllabus).
Train and handle the bokken like it was 50,000 dollar shinken....don't smack it against stuff, and none of that crazy swashbuckling madness you see in anime. The idea is to cut the other guy down without blades even needing to cross, at least that's the aim anyway. Carry it like a live blade, treat it like one...it developes good habits later for handling a real sword, should you choose to own one at some point. Likewise what the people said about oiling it...and sometimes the wood can develope a bit of finish just from constant handling. Train to keep the wood somewhere away from moisture, and if you don't have a rack to place it on, make sure it is lying flat, that way you avoid having it warp if moisture affects it.
well you know for the teaching of defence against weapons so on... i've long been under the impretion that bokkens are used in shobu, by high ranking kendoka as well as with iaido and kobujitsu
Our Bokken get a right beating in Kenjutsu, they are consumables to be honest Keep it splinter free and oil it and it should do you well. Oh and get a proper teacher (weapons) if you don't have one already.
If the bokken splinters or becomes damaged discard it and buy a new one. Training weapons are consumables. And find someone to actually teach you how to use it.
Do not look at the bokken as a replica sword. The bokken is a weapon in it's own right and should be treated as such. From your avatar I do not need to tell you that musashi used a bokken quite often to deadly effect. Best to get a teacher as self instruction can be careless and lead to learning mistakes that shall remain with you for years.Training with the bokken invoves co-ordination of spirit body altgnment proper technique integrated into one decisive movement and the training must be approached as seriously as with an edged weapon. regards koyo
Yeah and that deep breathing and constantly saying "Now I am the master" will put people off abit. The Bear.
Here young David shows correct attitude body alignment technique integrated into one movement.Many thousands of suburi (practice cuts) should be performed to develop this ability and to atain accuracy before training with a partner. regards koyo
I think his comment is applicable for any form of swordmanship. I certainly apply koyo's principles to my western sword even though there are many stylistic differences. The Bear.
I train mainly in aiki ken but have had experience in kendo and iai and personally feel that some students are a bit impatient to "get on to the good stuff" and omit the many thousands of suburi needed to gain some expertice in the bokken before venturing on to the partner training. The bokken to me is the instrument that allows us to study body alignment timing decisiveness and distancing. ALL principles that cannot be hurried. and also apply to our empty hand techniques. Reading the boys post with respect ,I think that he is a beginner and therefore should concentrate on the basics before engaging in some form of partner training. regards koyo