My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

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[Mikemac]

Just picked this Ebony Bokken up yesterday and I can tell you how solid it feels. It's a very dense wood, yet it feels just a little heavier than what I use in the dojo.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/4268/ebonyo.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7240/tipqd.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9800/handlen.jpg

Funny story goes with this purchase. I saw this online and saw the store was not too far away from my work, so after I got off, I took a hop over. When I got there I went in and I thought I was mistaken because it was a motorcycle parts and accessories shop. I checked the address outside.....yep.....this was the place. I approached the counter and the guy asked if I needed help. I said "Uh....gungfu?...." and he says"Oh sure.......what do you need?" I said I wanted to see the bokkens and jos, so he goes in back and comes out with some. They weren't what I was looking at online and asked if he had the dense one. He goes "Oooooooh.......Yeah....We keep those wrapped...Be right back." The moment he unwrapped it and let me hold it, I bought two!.

The wood belongs to the ebony family (genus Diospyros). The wood is very strong and solid and claims to be unbreakable. Can't wait to try this lovely out with my practice partner, who is also the recipient of the other one I bought.

[Robert Calton]

Very cool! This story has a Matrix-y feel to it. A gas station whose attendant sells martial arts supplies....think of the narrative possibilities!

[JRY]

thats actually very very nice.
if you dont mind me asking, how much did you pay for it and the website?

pls report back on how it holds under contact :)

[Aikilove]

"Post Removed by user"

/J

[Mikemac]

thats actually very very nice.
if you dont mind me asking, how much did you pay for it and the website?

pls report back on how it holds under contact :)

It set me back about $40 and the website is http://www.gungfu.com. I just tested it out with my buddy I practice with. He loves his new ebony tiger as well and we spared no restraint in sparring today. Overall, the wood feels solid and has a noticeable absorption on impact. After we were done, the eges of the bokken had some slight dents, but this is to be expected, as the cellular material of the wood is getting compacted and more dense. A little sanding and some wax left it perfect.

[ChrisMoses]

Not sure how much you paid for these, but you might read some of Kim Taylor's bits on woods for weapons work. Generally, Ebony is considered a very bad choice for partner work, since it is often very expensive and some varieties are hard but brittle, when they go, they go big and they WILL go. Ebony bokken are usually saved for solo practice (although why anyone does solo practice with a bokken, I don't really know...).

There is a wood out there referred to as "tetsuboku" and while very nice feeling and quite dense, it's certainly not unbreakable, I've personally gone through two.

Woodworking for weapons (http://www.uoguelph.ca/~kataylor/bokuto.htm)

Bokken Bashing (http://ejmas.com/pt/ptart_taylorcol_0603.html)

Stay safe.

[raul rodrigo]

I used to have an ebony bokken. I gave it away, partly because of the Kim Taylor article and because of other sources that advised against using the extremely hard, brittle woods. I now use only white oak bokken and jo, though I wouldn't mind trying a hickory version some day.