hello again got myself a katana now looking for targets what do you use? somebody mentioned filled up waterbottles, paper, anything else? tnx for the sugestions regards fester
I've heard about katanafolk using wet bamboo-mats, but I guess that's pretty expensive... The main thing is to be consistant, use the same target a lot. That gives you a standard to meassure against. (You should of course attack other targets on occation just to feel the difference, but then I'd recommend real flesh (a big chunk from the butcheries, etc) and avoid any hard objects like wood or bone. The one you bought the sword from and Hollywood might tell you that it's suppose to cut MG-pipes, but that doesn't help you much when you stand there with a beant/broken katana. (I have a friend that's a blacksmith and who used to be a Katakacollector, and he's on several occations been approached by people with broken/beant Katanas :cry: ) The reasons for using waterbottles (of cardboard/plastic) is that it's cheap, it provides you with 3 levels of accurasy (total beep-up = it isn't cut at all and now lies bent 5 meters from the base, beep-up = it was cut, but the bottom piece fell of the base and success = it was cut and the bottom piece is stil on the base with water in it waiting for a reverse-cut (oh, I forgot; the katana ONLY have ONE edge ) Profanity removed. Please do not swear, even if it is censored - Gaskell
you fill the the whole bottle? then my matras in my dojang is ruined how about a roled up newspaper on a pole could that do the trick?
bamboo is hard and will stratch a blades finish. I dunno nothing really aside from the fact that for some people cant get it easily and plactic and carboard jugs are easier to get. I think several sheets of newpaper rolled up would probably be good targets. they might eve be better if they were wetted down like really cheap tatami. And speaking of which you can find cheap grass, i think, mats and roll them and soak them for targets. I never thought of using tomatoes but I like the idea. Red stuff everywhere
My mother allways had a pair of scissors that were banned for us kids to use on paper. It's because celluloce-fibers blunts edges. That's why I personally don't use rolled up newspapers allthough rolled up newspapers probably is closer to "the real thing" than plasticbottles. This advise don't count for those of uou that use magical and supernatural KATANAS that can cut anything without ever becomming blunt, beant of broken no matter what they cut
that's so true. you have to care for the weapon too. use lots of good cleaning paper and a honing pebble.
Hmm....I suggest you use your awesome cutting power to assault any and all watermelons that may cross your path
buy? we used to make ours. what's the use of buying something that you'll be destroying in a few short minutes?
Ah, wood and cutting... Be careful! I cut ash, and I ended up with a bent sword! (It's fun to be able to cut ash, but not when you ruin a $400 sword every 20 cut... And this goes for katanas as well. Despite what others might post or what you beieve; I know for a fact (I've seen plenty) that either bend or break when exposed to severe stress like cutting ash/oak, etc) Soft wood: In northern europe, wood tend to be rather hard, as the climate makes things grow slowly, and thus have much more compact structure than in areas closer to equator. i acrually don't know about any kind of wood that I'd expose my sword to (Unless we're talking sticklings less than 1cm thick). -But then, I'd much rather go for the ever present plastic bottles filled with water on a pole, as it's easier to reproduce the exact situation svereal times so it's easier to compare and monitor progress.
Fester, before you start hacking away, your Katana is good quality isnt it? Carbon steel, full tang etc...
well again I have to go to the store, so paper is for me the best solution i think where do you live then where is that place where bamboo shoots out of the ground for nothing
no man my katana is one of the cheapest kind but that is why I bought it If I kill this one there is no problem, If I kill one of 2500 euro's I will cry but thanx for the consern. And indeed no hard targets for me and at this point paper is good becouse I can see clearly the cut and where the flaws are
Just so you know it; if it is what I call a "wallhanger", it's definately somthing I'd chop ANYGHING BUT CARDBOARD\PLASTIC BOTTLES WITH! You've seen the infamous TV-shop, film, where the programhost bangs a wallhanger katana into the table, so it snaps and injures him.... My girlfriends brother managed to dent a wallhanger katana on a pencil, so if your sword is the cheapes one around, I'd settle with cutting high grass -tops. And allways make sure that you are alone\have placed friends away from where the sword might land if you slip the grip, the grip loosen, or the sword break. In most cases (if you strike from right shoulder to left leg) the best place to have spectators is at least 9 feet away to the rear and right for you.
