anyone makes a custom graphite bo staff?

elronx

White Belt
Joined
Sep 20, 2022
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
for the love of got, there's no one in my country who makes them, please, can anyone direct me to someone who makes custom graphite bo staff?
 

JowGaWolf

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
13,954
Reaction score
5,843
why do you want a graphite bo?
yeah that's my question as well. I usually hear people complain about not finding a nice wooden bo. This is the first time I've heard someone looking for a graphite bo and a custom one at that.
 
Last edited:
OP
E

elronx

White Belt
Joined
Sep 20, 2022
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
yeah that's my question as well. I usually hear people complain about not finding a nice wooden bow. This is the first time I've heard someone looking for a graphite bow and a custom one at that.
just to clarify,
I'm looking for a bo staff
not a bow
 

isshinryuronin

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 28, 2019
Messages
1,870
Reaction score
2,031
Graphite may be flexible and lightweight, much different than a bo made of oak or other hardwood. It may be good for CMA or extreme performance staff techniques, but for Okinawan, Japanese and even old European style of staff fighting will leave something to be desired due to those same qualities. I don't know about its resistance to the heavy impact staffs from those other styles are subjected to. But if it's just speed you're after, plastic or aluminum would likely be much cheaper.

Have you used a graphite bo before, and if so, what kind of style did you employ it?
 

JowGaWolf

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
13,954
Reaction score
5,843
Graphite may be flexible and lightweight, much different than a bo made of oak or other hardwood. It may be good for CMA or extreme performance staff techniques, but for Okinawan, Japanese and even old European style of staff fighting will leave something to be desired due to those same qualities. I don't know about its resistance to the heavy impact staffs from those other styles are subjected to. But if it's just speed you're after, plastic or aluminum would likely be much cheaper.

Have you used a graphite bo before, and if so, what kind of style did you employ it?
That type of staff is no good for impeccable of any kind. Not good for CMA either. My beginner staff form would break it as it requires that the practioner to hit the ground with the staff. It may even break as we often try to whip the end of the staff. I'm assuming there's no flexibility with graphite.
 

Gyakuto

Senior Master
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
2,164
Reaction score
1,767
Location
UK
Incidentally, bo means staff so ‘bo staff’ is…a bit silly...’staff staff’!😀
 

isshinryuronin

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 28, 2019
Messages
1,870
Reaction score
2,031
Incidentally, bo means staff so ‘bo staff’ is…a bit silly...’staff staff’!😀
I have mentioned this several times over the past few years. Whenever I see "bo staff" I know the poster is (hopefully) not trained in karate/kobudo. I also cringe when I hear "nunchucks."

But to be fair, if I was trying to communicate with a professional in a field I was unfamiliar with, no doubt I would have some verbal slips. But to avoid looking foolish I would be sure not to represent myself as someone knowledgeable in that field. I would rather admit to ignorance than look foolish - sometimes a hard lesson to learn.
 

Gyakuto

Senior Master
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
2,164
Reaction score
1,767
Location
UK
I have mentioned this several times over the past few years. Whenever I see "bo staff" I know the poster is (hopefully) not trained in karate/kobudo. I also cringe when I hear "nunchucks."

But to be fair, if I was trying to communicate with a professional in a field I was unfamiliar with, no doubt I would have some verbal slips. But to avoid looking foolish I would be sure not to represent myself as someone knowledgeable in that field. I would rather admit to ignorance than look foolish - sometimes a hard lesson to learn.
Well, we all have to learn.

I’ve also heard nunchaku referred to as numb-chucks. I don’t correct them😈

My brother’s a GP and his non-medical wife refers to his ‘sphyg’ (sphygmomanometer) as his ‘sphinct‘(er). He has never corrected her in 30+ years of marriage and, with a derisory smile, somehow gets her to say it, when I visit. Bas**rd!
 

Bill Mattocks

Sr. Grandmaster
MTS Alumni
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
15,624
Reaction score
4,429
Location
Michigan
I have said 'bo staff' to non-martial artists who give me a blank look when I say 'bo'. I guess I could just say 'staff'.

In any case, I unfortunately do not know of any sources for bo made of anything except wood or bamboo.
 

Oily Dragon

Senior Master
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
3,257
Reaction score
1,650
Incidentally, bo means staff so ‘bo staff’ is…a bit silly...’staff staff’!😀
"bo" (bang etc) can mean a number of different devices/weapons, but they must be made of mostly wood (because of Radical 75).

Walking stick, long staff, club, truncheon, etc. Even a wooden crook qualifies. The modern bo we all know is just a specific cut/length made popular with karate, bojutsu, etc. These, if I'm not mistaken, are the original Chan Buddhist staff lengths (just under 2m, Shaolin staff circa 16th/17th century measured about eyebrow height).

The first time I heard someone say "bo staff is a double double", I had to check out the glyph.

So you can also look at it that way. "Bo staff" as a qualifier equals "wooden pole that is a staff". In the same way "jo staff" means wooden old man walking staff.
 

Gyakuto

Senior Master
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
2,164
Reaction score
1,767
Location
UK
"bo" (bang etc) can mean a number of different devices/weapons, but they must be made of mostly wood (because of Radical 75).

Walking stick, long staff, club, truncheon, etc. Even a wooden crook qualifies. The modern bo we all know is just a specific cut/length.

The first time I heard someone say "bo staff is a double double", I had to check out the glyph.

So you can also look at it that way. "Bo staff" as a qualifier equals "wooden pole that is a staff". In the same way "jo staff" means wooden old man walking staff.
Dude, we all looked at the glyphs 🙄😉

How do Japanese bojutsuka or highly ranked Western practitioners refer to the Bo?
 

Oily Dragon

Senior Master
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
3,257
Reaction score
1,650
Dude, we all looked at the glyphs 🙄😉

How do Japanese bojutsuka or highly ranked Western practitioners refer to the Bo?
I'm talking about the strokes that make up the glyph for "bo".

Well they (bojutsuka etc) know the context for the kanji, so they don't need extra explanation. You and I both know what "bo" looks like in the JMA world.

But if you're talking to a general audience about what "bo staff" means, it doesn't literally mean "staff staff". It could, but doesn't have to (That's a specific interpretation by you (someone who knows what we're talking about).

For instance, if a highly ranked anyone showed me a "bo" made of steel, I'd tell them it's not a bo.

Japanese and Okinawan history are full of weapons that you and I wouldn't associate with "bo" but would have been called that by native speakers), because they were long, wooden pokey things. Older "bo" were big heavy sticks, sometimes loaded with nails etc.
Over time, one specific JMA weapon took over the colloquial usage.
 
Last edited:

Gyakuto

Senior Master
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
2,164
Reaction score
1,767
Location
UK
Ah ok…so perhaps either ‘bo’ or ‘staff’.

(I love the posters in this forum! So much knowledge)
 

Latest Discussions

Top