I should have clarified If doing forms or defenses etc. it is more appropriete to use a bokken or a dull sword, now cutting is different, however it is not nessasary to use a sharp sword unless you are cutting apologies
I disagree completely. There is only one thing that handles like sharp steel, and that's sharp steel. Because blunt swords have thicker edges, the balance is distorted, thus distorting techniques one performs with them. In sword training, one needs many tools at one's disposal, from wasters/bokken to blunt steel, aluminium, padded weapons/shinai, to a properly sharpened replica, and if one can manage it financially, a real antique original in good condition. There is no substitute for a good sharp, except an excellent sharp. Best regards, -Mark
I guess friendly opinions are not welcome in this thread to answer your question not much and i am glad that you have more experience than. might i ask your experienced opinion or the right one??
A shinken is essential in the development of iai. That is my opinion. Feel free to argue/discuss. There is no hostility intended. Just state what you base your friendly opinion on.
Nothing wrong with friendly advice at all but i would take 'experienced' advice over it everytime. Sometimes its good to talk other times its good to listen. When it comes to swordwork(for lack of a better term) I'd advise listening in this case, espeically when Scott is one of the posters.
here i go quoting myself again i didnt mean to sound sarcastic or be rude to anyone and if i offended anyone i am sorry i took offense to the first comment
I base my experience on watching my best friend nearly slice her thumb off while sheathing her sharpened sword, i personaly have been sliced(not at a dojo on the street in DC) And i base my opinion on being affected by this i am still interested in the sword and weapon arts and may someday use a sharp sword, kamas, daggers etc but until i am comfortable and confident with them i wont in my experience with anything if you are weary or not confident in your own abilitys is when one gets hurt.
thats what i thought but then i found a bokken with a wooden scabbard that i believe could be a good first step in learning how do draw a sword, do you think thats a bad idea to practive with a wooden scabbard as aposed to a real shinken?
Not at all. A bokuto is an ideal way to get into sword arts. Its just that once you reach a certain level, a blunt sword defeats the point of the art, and a live blade should be used. Many people overestimate their level and use a shinken prematurely (your friend perhaps?) and hurt themselves. This thread contains a few good examples of this. Good luck in your training, Scott
Wooden swords are an important training tool in many sword arts. I used a waster almost exclusively for over a year before using blunt and sharp steel. -Mark
just so i'm correct http://www.thearma.org/essays/wasters.htm 'One of the most common historical training tools for the practice of swordsmanship throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance was a wooden sword or waster. These were not light round sticks but heavy sword shaped training weapons. ' never heard that before
Iai is drawing cutting and returning the SWORD. Drawing incorrectly cuts up the saiya returning incorrectly cuts up the hand. Using a real sword causes the beginner to concentrate on the basics rather than rushing through one kata after another. It also makes one train methodically and SLOWLY.Without the sense of danger one can lose the "respect for the sword". Iai training is not dangerous if you train properly studying the form and application slowly until you begin to master the form. Most accidents happen when the sword is returned to the scabbard quickly. This denies the principle of zanshin where you must be alert to other possibilitis of attack. Bottom line iai is the art of the SWORD not the bokken (or even the iaito). regards koyo
except until i am happy I can do kata and cuts without hurting myself, I'm using a bokken thankyou. it may detract from the art, but at least I'm safe.
Hi rhea In fact my post was very sensitive. You do not want to hear what my high grade kandoka friends have to say. Iai is an art in it's own and they say you should not even contemplate it until you have performed many thousands of suburi and have a real knowledge of cutting and handling the sword.Even though I have a teaching licence in Iwama sword and stick I do not train in iai any more simply because it should be treated as an art in it's own not an extention of my art which is not kendo. regards koyo
Most classical Japanese sword schools that have iai/batto in their syllabus have a constant principle in drawing and resheathing the weapon that relates with combative awareness: "Draw fast, resheathe slow" If you are a beginner and want to train in iai/batto, train with a bokuto and get yourself a plastic saya. They are readily available now than they were ten years ago, it makes life a lot easier. That being said, when I had my first lesson in Araki-ryu, I was expecting to be using a bokuto be doing suburi until the cows came home. I was given an iaito and told to do batto & suburi until the cows came home instead!