Weapons

[Nightingale]

foam rubber or real thing?

I learned chucks on foam rubber ones, then when I switched to wood ones, I kept hitting myself. Took me a little while to figure out I'd been messing up all along, but because the original ones were foam, I didn't feel it, so I didn't know to fix it. Took me way longer to unlearn the bad habits.

what do you all think? start with the safer weapons or jump into the real thing?

 

[Kirk]

Why not both?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I do sword work. When I'm working on strikes, I use a padded bokken with a "BOB". When I'm not striking anything, I use a katana whose blade I dulled to butterknife level. Nothing beats the feel of steet, but when practicing, especially when theres a chance of harm, its best to start with a safety gear, then progress up.

Did the same with arnis sticks, and the chucks. Haven't found a 'training sai' yet though

:asian:

 

[Robbo]

I've always been partial to the real thing when practising. It was drilled into me that you would not respect what the weapon could do if you didn't train with it the way it was intended.

On the other hand in a demo or grading situation where you want to go full out then by all means use protected weapons.

About the only weapon I would consider protecting during practise would be the edged weapons because the effects of a mistake are that more devastating. During individual practise strive to get to a level where you can practise with live blades, you'd be amazed at how much more cautious and aware people become when they have two 8 inch long sharp objects whipping around.

Thanks,
Rob

P.S. We never did spar with them though, just techniques done back and forth

 

[Kempojujutsu]

We use foam knives (broken Escrima Sticks) and Escrima sticks to practice stick fighting. Dog Brother Style. We also wear helmets, light gloves, and still come away with bruises, bumps and cuts. We try not to trade blow for blow, this defeats the purpose. Head shot ends the fight. Shot to the hands and you lose your weapon.
Bob

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by Kempojujutsu

We use foam knives (broken Escrima Sticks) and Escrima sticks to practice stick fighting. Dog Brother Style. We also wear helmets, light gloves, and still come away with bruises, bumps and cuts. We try not to trade blow for blow, this defeats the purpose. Head shot ends the fight. Shot to the hands and you lose your weapon.
Bob

I think with the dog brothers, a head shot doesn't end the fight.
You gotta tap out pretty much. Still more realistic than most
though.

 

[satans.barber]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz

Haven't found a 'training sai' yet though

.....cork? hehe!

Ian.

 

[satans.barber]

Originally posted by nightingale8472

foam rubber or real thing?

I learned chucks on foam rubber ones, then when I switched to wood ones, I kept hitting myself. Took me a little while to figure out I'd been messing up all along, but because the original ones were foam, I didn't feel it, so I didn't know to fix it. Took me way longer to unlearn the bad habits.

what do you all think? start with the safer weapons or jump into the real thing?

When I bought my nunchucks the other day I went for foam ones (complete begginer!), I watched a documentary about the Kung Fu craze of the 70s a while ago and there was a bit on about how loads of people lost eyes at that time playing with nunchucks when they didn't know what they were doing! I didn't fancy that!

Knives, rubber ones at training, always, at home real ones although I've cut myself up a few times. I was once training balisong and I swear I nearly took the end of my bloody finger off!

Sticks, real ones - can't really do all that much damage. Maybe just the odd bruised knuckle.

Ian.

 

[Nightingale]

balisong...sigh...

illegal to even own in california (not that that little issue has ever stopped me) , so I haven't been able to get a hold of one.


still searching...

 

[satans.barber]

Originally posted by nightingale8472

balisong...sigh...

illegal to even own in california (not that that little issue has ever stopped me) , so I haven't been able to get a hold of one.


still searching...

I bought it in San Marino in Italy, which is a strange place. It's a country, not a city, but it's only the size of a city. For some reason unbeknown to me, literally every other shop in the street is a weapons shop: stars, knives, BIG knives, BIGGER knives, shotguns, balisong, knuckle dusters....you name it. I wasn't a matter of if I was going to buy stuff, it was a matter of what I could get back through customs!

I chanced my luck on a set of brass knuckles and a balisong, both of which got home safely. Completely illegal to carry here of course, but you can own them in your home.

There are ways and means if you know what you're doing, Ebay is your friend....

Ian.

 

[Nightingale]

I've checked ebay... most of the knife/sword sellers are actual businesses, and won't ship illegal stuff to cali...

I'm going to hawaii on saturday...I think I shall look for one there and ship it to myself.

 

[Klondike93]

I don't like the foam ones. When I first started to play with them it was a shovel handle cut down to about 10" sticks with some dog chain linking them together. I finally bought a pair of real ones made from Coca-Bolla (sp) wood and have had them about 15 years now. I've hit just about every part of my body, but not the eyes, and still think if you want to learn them, use the real thing.


:asian:

 

[Rob_Broad]

I have a pair of swivel foam chuck that foam disappeared on about 5 minutes after I got them home. One layer of Duct tape got rid of the slipperiness and took away the worries of breaking them. You know it when you mess up, without the concussion.

 

[WilliamTLear]

I use nunchaku alot... I've even bashed myself a couple of times, but the most memorable time I got hurt using them was a doosie!!!

It was about 6 years ago, while I was still a student at Ed Parker's Karate Studio in Pasadena. We were getting ready for a Kenpo Demo which was held at the L.A.P.D. - Toys For Tots Drive, and I was going to do a nunchaku routine.

Mr. Kongaika provided me a set of chrome nunchaku that belonged to Mr. Parker. They must have weighed about 10 lbs. each, connected by curb-link chain, and were envgraved to Mr. Parker. Boy I liked those sticks!!!

Anyway, while practicing, I hit myself in the right hip with them. The bruise started at my right hip, stretched across my butt cheek, and ended where the good lord split me. It was a really dark and large bruise. Probably the first bruise that I ever had that shifted due to gravity. A week after I got it, it had moved two whole inches into the bottom of my ***. (Boy did it hurt to sit down!)

Watch out... those sticks have a mind of their own... Treat them with respect and they might not bite you! Then again... you might wanna practice with some heavy foam ones before you move on to the real deal, at least you'll get the feel for the weight without the danger of serious injury in the beginning.

Take Care,
Billy Lear
United Kenpo Systems
:asian:

 

[Seig]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz

I do sword work. When I'm working on strikes, I use a padded bokken with a "BOB". When I'm not striking anything, I use a katana whose blade I dulled to butterknife level. Nothing beats the feel of steet, but when practicing, especially when theres a chance of harm, its best to start with a safety gear, then progress up.

Did the same with arnis sticks, and the chucks. Haven't found a 'training sai' yet though

:asian:

I'll have to double check, but I believe Tiger Claw has a rubber sai. If you are interested, let me know and I'll see if I can't help you out.

 

[islandtime]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz

I do sword work. When I'm working on strikes, I use a padded bokken with a "BOB". When I'm not striking anything, I use a katana whose blade I dulled to butterknife level. Nothing beats the feel of steet, but when practicing, especially when theres a chance of harm, its best to start with a safety gear, then progress up.

Did the same with arnis sticks, and the chucks. Haven't found a 'training sai' yet though

:asian:

.....................................................................................
Kaith,
I also do sword work with an Iaito..Nothing wrong with that

I never used anything soft for Arnis just fire hardened ratttan and my soft skin.. No wonder my knuckles are mostly flat....

Those aluminum sai are pretty good and don't hurt as much as the full on metal ones.

For practice have you heard of Chanbara?? cool stuff..


Gene Gabel:asian:

 

[Stick Dummy]

Nightingale,


I started with cord stringed Octogonal Oak Nunchakus back in the mid 1970's and received NUMEROUS little bumps behind the ears, and split fingernails from catching the sharp edges.

Them foam thingies did not exist, and after my last experience with a pair while duelling a classmate armed with rattan sticks, (and suddenly finding the foam cover flaying across the studio)

I'd have to pass, use the real deal to SERIOUSLY train.


I just reached a level where I've learned to manipulate Rattan sticks similar to Nunchaku twirling drills and this past training has REALLY helped my spastic abilites.

 

[tonbo]

My first experience with weapons training was with nunchaku.

I started out with octagonal wood chucks, and bashed myself a lot for about a week. Then, I went out and bought foam ones to use until I could get the moves down reasonably well. Now, when I play with them, I work with both.

I don't usually train with padded sticks, only with the rattan. However, we don't do a lot of WEKAF or other sparring with the sticks just yet, so there are no worries there.

When training with sword weapons, I almost always use the bokken for just messing around, or if I want to just "try something out" -- mainly hitting a bag (haven't hooked up a tire yet!!). However, when I want to get serious, I will bring out the real thing.

There are merits to training with both real and practice weapons. It just depends on what you are working on, and how "realistic" you want to be.

Peace--