Short Blade cutting competition

Blindside

Grandmaster
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
5,175
Reaction score
849
Location
Kennewick, WA
This is highlights from the first (and only) cutting competition I had the chance to compete in. Very educational and I hope we can do another this year. Cutting is like golf, it is just about you and the target, it puts a pure focus on your skills, not the comparison of your skills to another. The event was the 2018 Short Blade Symposium then in Portland, OR.
 

JowGaWolf

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
13,955
Reaction score
5,843
That mat was screwing everyone up. One of these day I'll be able to move onto training with live a blade. But for now. I'll just keep my limbs to myself lol. Just out of curiosity were the weapons various weapons that some may or may not have used before?
 

drop bear

Sr. Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
23,337
Reaction score
8,070
I think the knife shape is screwing with you a bit. I think the belly and the point work against you.

And so.

Is there a rule against the type of knife you use or could you just go out and get a competitive cutter?

 
OP
Blindside

Blindside

Grandmaster
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
5,175
Reaction score
849
Location
Kennewick, WA
The long blade was BYOB (blade) but it had to be traditional to the culture. The bowie was used by everyone and was assigned by the competition.

I hadn't cut with the bowie before and it showed, to get get clean cuts you really have to be dialed in on your understanding of the distance otherwise you shorten your cut and leave a bit of uncut tatami.
 
OP
Blindside

Blindside

Grandmaster
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
5,175
Reaction score
849
Location
Kennewick, WA
That mat was screwing everyone up. One of these day I'll be able to move onto training with live a blade. But for now. I'll just keep my limbs to myself lol.

I think everyone who wants to train in swords should cut, heck I have my 8 and 14 year old cutting water bottles and pumpkins. This is my 14 year old using his baseball technique (he doesn't train anything except whatever he got by osmosis watching in the dojo since he was a kid) and I am amazed he could keep good blade alignment. Anyway, it isn't that big of a jump, or it shouldn't be.
 

JowGaWolf

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
13,955
Reaction score
5,843
I think the knife shape is screwing with you a bit. I think the belly and the point work against you.

And so.

Is there a rule against the type of knife you use or could you just go out and get a competitive cutter?

I had to check it out

Doesn't look easy.
 

JowGaWolf

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
13,955
Reaction score
5,843
The long blade was BYOB (blade) but it had to be traditional to the culture. The bowie was used by everyone and was assigned by the competition.

I hadn't cut with the bowie before and it showed, to get get clean cuts you really have to be dialed in on your understanding of the distance otherwise you shorten your cut and leave a bit of uncut tatami.
yeah the comfortable look was very visible. It showed in the footwork big time. I'll have to keep that in mind
 

JowGaWolf

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
13,955
Reaction score
5,843
I think everyone who wants to train in swords should cut, heck I have my 8 and 14 year old cutting water bottles and pumpkins. This is my 14 year old using his baseball technique (he doesn't train anything except whatever he got by osmosis watching in the dojo since he was a kid) and I am amazed he could keep good blade alignment. Anyway, it isn't that big of a jump, or it shouldn't be.
ha ha ha.. gotta love kids... Get that count right Dad. ha ha ha. My son was the same way, He's older now, but man, don't let me get the count wrong lol
 
OP
Blindside

Blindside

Grandmaster
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
5,175
Reaction score
849
Location
Kennewick, WA
yeah the comfortable look was very visible. It showed in the footwork big time. I'll have to keep that in mind

There was a requirement on that particular cut that you had to do continuous step and cut without stopping the blade so I tried moving through it too fast and outran my feet. Watching the other guys on that stage they had a far better pace.
 

drop bear

Sr. Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
23,337
Reaction score
8,070
I think everyone who wants to train in swords should cut, heck I have my 8 and 14 year old cutting water bottles and pumpkins. This is my 14 year old using his baseball technique (he doesn't train anything except whatever he got by osmosis watching in the dojo since he was a kid) and I am amazed he could keep good blade alignment. Anyway, it isn't that big of a jump, or it shouldn't be.

The problem is a lot of cutting styles are super twitchy about actually cutting. And I think it is a stance that will work against them.
 

drop bear

Sr. Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
23,337
Reaction score
8,070
This is highlights from the first (and only) cutting competition I had the chance to compete in. Very educational and I hope we can do another this year. Cutting is like golf, it is just about you and the target, it puts a pure focus on your skills, not the comparison of your skills to another. The event was the 2018 Short Blade Symposium then in Portland, OR.

Is that a custom sword? Or some off the shelf thing.

I was thinking if I ever have a go at this just grabbing a condor in approximately the right shape.
 
OP
Blindside

Blindside

Grandmaster
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
5,175
Reaction score
849
Location
Kennewick, WA
Is that a custom sword? Or some off the shelf thing.

I was thinking if I ever have a go at this just grabbing a condor in approximately the right shape.

Mine is an old (20+ years) Kris Cutlery Pinute, something like 90 USD when I bought it. I think they got out of the sword making business in the last couple of years, but when I last saw the price it was going for 120USD or so.

Some of my classmates have some of the Condor offerings and they have an amazing edge right out of the box.
 
D

Deleted member 39746

Guest
Although its not a blade or cutting, i might get a rondel set and break out some manuals for how to use it as soon as i can actually ship them realibly.

I am curious if anyone does stabbing tests now though.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,444
Location
Maui
Really cool thread, a great watch.

Cutting edge, too. :)
 

Latest Discussions

Top