My maturity of my Katana

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[Boontom]

I have 4 display katana, 3 are all black and are of different lengths and the other is in a bright tan wood sheath. Before I started Aikido my friends and I would take them out of the sheaths and fight with them and hack up plants. Now I dont even touch them unless im moving them to another part of my room or showing someone the sword, but I dont take the sword further out than 3-4 inches so they can see the blade. I dont let others touch them or pull them out of their sheath. My sensei, Hector, taught me alot about treating a real katana with respect and maturity. A police officer doesnt remove the pistol from his holster and show it to people, so a Samurai wouldnt take his blade out and show it off to people. He told me to keep a Bokken with me, everywhere, he said he doesnt mean take it into stores, etc where I wil l get in trouble, but if I go somewhere atleast have it with me whether I leave it in the car, or if im at my house keep it with me always. This builds more maturity and respect and helps me to become one with my sword so when I have a real katana in my hands I will have more respect for the sword.
So, even when he isnt at my house or wherever I am all the time, I keep my bokken with me and I dont even touch my katana unless I have to.
Every time I do, if im moving it or watever, I get a different feeling and more serious respect for it, but I know I need to grow more mature and gain more respect for it before handling it.

[dps]

. My sensei, Hector, taught me alot about treating a real katana with respect and maturity. A police officer doesnt remove the pistol from his holster and show it to people, so a Samurai wouldnt take his blade out and show it off to people. He told me to keep a Bokken with me, everywhere, he said he doesnt mean take it into stores, etc where I wil l get in trouble, but if I go somewhere atleast have it with me whether I leave it in the car, or if im at my house keep it with me always. This builds more maturity and respect and helps me to become one with my sword so when I have a real katana in my hands I will have more respect for the sword.
So, even when he isnt at my house or wherever I am all the time, I keep my bokken with me and I dont even touch my katana unless I have to.
Every time I do, if im moving it or watever, I get a different feeling and more serious respect for it, but I know I need to grow more mature and gain more respect for it before handling it.

The way you treat your katana is also the way of treating your Aikido and all the other things and people in your life.

[MikeLogan]

Bokken in the car, sure, just leave a spare dogi in there as well. I've heard that police officers take less than kindly to anything rod shaped that isn't strictly related to the use of the vehicle, let alone something that is intentionally shaped like a weapon. Having other equipment that would explain the presence of a bokken will keep everybody cool. Perhaps the best way to keep it close by is just to get to the dojo as much as possible.

Odds are that one is more likely to kill or be killed by a car rather than by a sword, so I suppose you drive with the maturity and respect for the implement that would not have need for interaction nor intervention from the authorities.

michael.

[John Boswell]

As far as the police are concerned, there is no need to fear them. If you get pulled over and they ask the question: "Do you have any guns, knives or other weapons in your viehical?" Tell them the truth!

"All I have is a wooden practice sword that I use for my aikido class."

Chances are, you'll get them interested in talking about martial arts, then you can tell them it is a non-competative, passive self defense, or however you want to word it to sound non-threatening. Hell! Invite the cop to your dojo to come "check it out!" More police officers need aikido training anyways.

Talking about something they have an interest in might even get them on your good side. That, and being upfront and truthful with them.

"Hands at 10 and 2" when they approach the car... and total honesty. These two things will go a long way with the cops.

Now then... David? As for taking a bokken with you in the car, don't make it your "best" bokken, because the temperature changes and humidity can warp it severly. I can understand why you do it, but I wouldn't do it with my best bokken... at least not leave it in the car for prolonged periods of time.

[dps]

"Hands at 10 and 2" when they approach the car... and total honesty. These two things will go a long way with the cops.



If it is dark outside, turn the car's inside light on so they can see you.

David

[Boontom]

Weeks back, I was so used to having the bokken with me and it being like a body part to me, I just walked into a corner store with it. An off duty police officer was looking at it then he jumped on me about it. All I was doing was marveling how I was holding the bokken and it wasnt knocking any stuff over. The guy asked to hold it and I was handing it to him as if it were a real katana, and he just snatched it out of my hands and I wanted to challenge him when I got it back from him. My friend and my brother were mad at the guy, I was really mad, cuz I never let people hold my katanas and bokken, and this guy takes it right out of my hands, i only handed it to him cuz he was a cop, I was also trying to avoid a fight, but if it had been a real blade, I would never have even let him touch it, if he did i would hit his hand with the handle or sheath side. I knew tho, as soon as I got in the store, I shouldnt have had the Bokken in the store to begin with.

[Ron Tisdale]

but if it had been a real blade, I would never have even let him touch it, if he did i would hit his hand with the handle or sheath side.

And he would have shot you.

I wasn't going to say anything, because I know you are very young, and have some growing to do yet...but this sounds a bit dangerous to me. I think you would be better focusing on your own maturity before the maturity of an inanimate object of any kind. I think one of many goals in aikido is to translate that respect of a bokken or a sword into respect for yourself and others. You are the real weapon...not the sword. The time of the sword has passed.

Best,
Ron

[Boontom]

That guy probably wasnt even a cop, he didnt look like he was at all, he was like 400 lbs. He didnt even tell us he was a cop, the cashier said he was, after he left. I know your right, this happened several weeks ago, I have matured more since then.

[dps]

Mr. Tisdale is right.The respect you are trying to have for your katana is only an example of how should treat yourself and other people. You did not show respect to the store owner when you brought your bokken into the store. You did not show respect to the the customers in the store. You did not show respect to the "cop" in doing his job. You did not show respect to your bokken by not treating it like a real katana.

David

[Boontom]

I know, and I have matured more since then, I know it, cuz I am very respectful towards others and treat my bokken as a real katana. I dont let people even touch the bokken, I also know that my katana even though they are display swords, they are still dangerous and with an 8 year old in the house, but even if there wasnt an 8 year old in the house, I keep them on my highest shelf and out of the way, so when people come in my room, they wont go straight for them as everyone finds swords cool and loves to hold them. I am sorry for what happened that night, I beat myself over every aspect of what happened that night. I was respectful to the police officer, he said to let him see the bokken, I gave it to him without question, He said put it up, I put it up. The guy was rude from the beginning though, he was right in our business before the bokken entered the store or was even visible. I was mad at him, but I turned to being mad at myself for being stupid. The cop was never in the wrong, I was in the wrong from the moment I stepped out of the car. I have however, learned from my mistakes and moved on, I dont plan to make the same mistake again.

[Jorge Garcia]

Remember that the cheap display swords are not mean to be used at all. If you cut with them, they can break or even dislodge completely from the handle and could really injure someone. On the sword forums, they say that the greatest danger you are in if you are working with a real katana is the danger of killing yourself. It sounds funny but it's true. I also know that there's a danger in having a sword of any kind where it can be seen. I had a friend many years ago that loved samurai swords. He had two hanging over his mantle. One day he came home and two burglars were robbing his house. He surprised them and they took the two swords from the mantle and hacked him to death with them. That is why I make my son lock up all his swords because they can be used against you as well.
Best wishes,

[Boontom]

I have had my katana before I got into Aikido, in fact when I purchased my first display katana, it made me wanna learn to use katana and Hector is a member of my church, that is how I got into Aikido. After I got into Aikido, I stopped hacking up plants which was fun, because you just swing and you never see the sword, just the plants flying apart, but now that I am in Aikido and have more maturity, I dont even look at my katanas anymore. They just sit up on a shelf and soon to be locked up so I dont get into a bad situation with a robber like your friend did. The only two weapons that I keep with me and practice with are my sensei's Jo and my Bokken. I am trying to be as mature as I can with my katanas and my aikido training, I dont run around attacking people, I think more of how and where and when I would be needing to use my Aikido training and will I really be ready, I know that I can do a Tenkan well, I get my best friend to run at me and try to push my chest and make me fall down, I Tenkan him alot, theres 2 other ones I do, i cant remember the names, one you hold your ground and deflect your opponent off to your right/left. I forgot the movements of the other, but I practice what I remember as far as deflections go. I have done some take downs, but I need more practice with my sensei to make sure I am doing them right.

[Hardware]

Wow...that's all I have to say about that... :disgust: :confused:

[shadowedge]

One day he came home and two burglars were robbing his house. He surprised them and they took the two swords from the mantle and hacked him to death with them.

:( ouch... im so sorry to hear that....

I'm sort of a collecctor of blade type weapons in general... In my country, they make plenty of display immitations of all sorts of weapons.. I have a display Katana in my living room right now , and a collection of folding knives, throwing daggers and a couple of shurikens...

I don't let anyone touch my collection, nor do I take them out of the house. I spend a 2 days in a week, cleaning them as I would any other precious item in the house...

Its good that the age of the sword is over, and that confrontations are no longer as lethal as they were 2 - 300 years ago. And its good that Aikido is around as a martial art that teaches us to be in harmony with the times. :ai: