Suburi Naginata

Suburi Naginata?

dear Budo friends, I'm slowly getting back to making wooden equipment for martial arts. Here is another project of mine, I can't say if something like this already exists in the world of Budo, but this is one of my contributions to those who take their martial art seriously. Since Naginata is a separate weapon and skill in some schools, I believe that serious practitioners need to raise their training to a slightly higher level, especially those practitioners who practice cutting with a real Naginata.

So it is a Naginata, which is slightly thicker, heavier, and a little longer. With this in mind, you probably know the benefits a training tool like this brings to your training.

The movement and simulation of combat with this type of Naginata is something that is definitely worth trying.

Apparently there are records in a densho scrolls of some old schools (Koryu Ruha) that they used this kind of heavier naginata for training to increase precision and power, which make sense to me.

Wooden Tsukushi Naginata

 Hello  Budo friends,

for a long time (again) it was not new posts, not that I didn't work, but sens I change my regular job.

There is one weapon (Tsukushi Naginata) about which I think long time and finally it is made first one. As far i know this is first wooden and practice Tsukushi naginata on net and maybe in the world.

From my first steps in Budo world, my thinking was that every decent and serious Dojo should have the possibility to show the student and provide a serious insight into the weapons they teach as well as a deeper insight into the origin and variations of some weapons.

This type of Naginata was created on that trail. There is a small chance that someone could afford an original and real blade, so I tried to incorporate all the essential elements into this weapon so that the practitioner has as faithful a feeling of the weapon as possible.

More about this weapon you could fine on net but I will also will write more about technical aspects and characteristics of this particular weapon.

The Tsukushi Naginata from the picture is made of hornbeam wood from two pieces, similar to the original, the blade is one piece, the handle is another piece, but they are joined with a special joint and glued, with the addition of a special screw so that the weapon be strong when get in contact with opponent's weapon.

For start some pics.

Yawara (or koppo stick)

friends of Martal arts, 

it's strange, I make this tool for a long time, (first Yawara I was meke year 2000 for Ninpo Kai Pakrac.) and somehow I simply forgot to write about it on this blog. I'm not going to debate much about the name of this tool, in book about stick's  Hatsumi sensei names him Yawara, but people also call it a Koppo stick, I'll use Soke's name for it.

For start some basic training versions, normaly this could be use in selfdefence, but main purpose was for trainig. Since they do not have sharp edges, and they look simple, the possibility of unintentional injury is reduced to a minimum. 

People make this tool from various materials and different types of wood. If we talk about training models it's good, however, if we know how to use Yawara and what is purpose of this kind tool, that is not good!

Why?

Yawara is a small weapon we use for self-defense, to be effective, for Yawara it is essential to be invisible!
So if you have black or shine metal yawara's, black plastic or  yawaras from exotic wood which is darker than your hands skin, it is like you say "here is my weapon". In that case, you have taken the element of surprise to your weapon, and therefore the chance to defend yourself from the attacker is minimal.

This is reason why I make my Yawara's from beech wood, and leave them in natural color of beech wood, which is similar to the skin of the hands.

Below is picture where Dean Sensei use beech wood(SPECWOG) yawara, you could see how hard is notice Yawara in his hand.

Now few Yawar's that I make special for Dean Rostohar's SPECWOG combat sistem, is "SPECWOG" yawara. This version is special design for combat, it is create to causes maximum pain, as you see there is a lot sharp ends. 
Nine years of research was spent on this design, so I took care of the smallest detail, such as the thickness of the human skin (by the way, the dimensions of the grooves on the yawara were made according to information on human skin).
I also make them into four different sizes, so each person can choose yawara according to his size of palm. If you remember before I say that Yawara need to be hidden by the color but also by size, after all Yawara is  sneaky "toy". 

soon more info

Odachi bokken

Dear Budo friends, here is new version of Odachi bokken 170 cm long.
Bokken was made from heavy beeach wood with nice authentic curvature

Soon more info

detachable Bo stick from two pieces

This is first Bo stick from two piece, for all budoka's who travel with Budo equipment

soon more info ;)

Shinden Fudo Ryu bokken, Koryu style

Here it is another Koryu bokutou, this time Shinden Fudo Ryu,

made in original dimension in exchange informations with some people who know a lot about this ryuha. This bokken is from mautin Ash tree, very strong and heavy, comon Ash is not good for bokkens but this one is strong and have nice texture.
In my research of old koryu bokuto's this is this is third Ryuha and first attempt of old Shinden Fudo bokutou, so with new info I may change some details.

original Kukishinden Ryu bokuto, Koryu style

Dear Budo friends,

this year comes to end, so here is one of my last projects on which I work for long time. 
I was try to colect informations about this Kukishinden practice sword and make replica for all who may be interested to have original Kukishinden Ryu bokuto as some kind of conection with old days and this specific Ryuha.

Bokken was made from heavy euroean oak and is traditionaly oiled.