Searching for a new Bokken

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[RKG]

I've decided its time to move on from my Red Oak Daito I got from Nine Circles. My dojo studies weapons twice a month and I am looing for a good bokken that can stand up to punishment but is not too heavy to be cumbersome.

I thought about a Keishi Ryu Daito or an Iwama Ryu Daito. Can anyone recommend me a good bokken?

[Janet Rosen]

Hickory is a wonderful balance of lightweight while standing up to pounding abuse. I got mine from Kim Taylor http://sdksupplies.netfirms.com/

[Michael Hackett]

I have a great set from Kingfisher Woodworks. Absolutely top quality in every respect. A little pricey, but their stuff should last many, many years. At least take a look at their website before you buy from anyone.

[ninjaqutie]

My dojo tends to buy from California S&P and they hold up really well. :)

[ravenest]

I have a great set from Kingfisher Woodworks. Absolutely top quality in every respect. A little pricey, but their stuff should last many, many years. At least take a look at their website before you buy from anyone.

I am v.happy with my Kingfisher :) I used the reccomended tempering technique (hammering all over with a piece of round wood, softly then prograssivly harder). Trouble was the wood I was using kept compacting in little dents and not the sword :D . I swiched to a harder wood, still the same, so I stopped doing it. Guess I'll have to do some 'clacking with another Kingfisher?

[Cliff Judge]

The appalachian hickory we have here in the states is a really nice wood for bokken. It's got a more energetic feel to it than the oaks. It warps easily but its easy to bend back into shape. If you've got the money for shipping I'd try an aikido bokken from Kingfisher - just the plain-jane sanded model. Or one of Kim Taylor's (sei do kai).

[Michael Hackett]

Michael, I ran into the same problem with the tempering process. My solution was to use a heavy screwdriver with plastic handle. The thing is about 18 inches long and I held it by the blade and used the smooth surface of the plastic handle to strike the bokken. My wife was out of town that week so I sat in the living room, tapping away for several evenings, striking progressively harder. Now I have a beautifully tempered bokken and poor hearing.

[Janet Rosen]

WHAT?
(g,d,r)

[Randy Sexton]

I bought a Kingfisher Bokken 3 years ago and it still looks brand new and we do weapons at the beginning of every class. I bought the hand shaped model with the best hickory since I wanted it to last for several years and it is well on the way. I also did some tempering with mine with a round oak dowel over several evenings and the Bokken turned out well. Unfortunately, the oak dowel was permanently disfigured! LOL
Kingfisher does make a less expensive version which has machine shaping and sanding but I bet it is still an excellent choice.
Doc Sexton

[B'Dragon]

Usually, I get my weapons from Kiyota in Maryland, and have been for many years. He doesn't have a web site, but he has very good prices and lots of different types of wood weapons. One of my favorites is the Chiba-san bokken designed by Chiba Sensei. It has a great weight and balance. More like a sword balance than the typical bokken balance.

Mr. Kiyota is very worth investigating and getting his number; absolutely the best products and best prices including gi's hakama's, iaito's etc. And if you ask very politely he will even personally pick out a nice bokken for you. Very knowledgable gentleman.

Peace in your heart all.:ai:

[RKG]

I am impressed by the sound of the Kingfisher Bokken but I at odds about which one to buy.

What you all recommend, the Iwama or the Aiki Bokken?

[grondahl]

What kind of bokken does your instructor and dojo mates use? I think it´s good to use a bokken with similar size and weight as the rest of the dojo.

[RKG]

My Sensei and couple of my colleagues use an Iwama Bokken. I may just buy the Kingfisher Iwama, perhaps with an inscription.

[Michael Hackett]

I have the Iwama bokken. If you are going to spend the money, go ahead and have it enscribed for a few bucks more.

[SeaGrass]

I highly recommend Kingfisher's. I have a few of their Iwama bokkens ranging from grade 5, grade 7 hand cut and two of their enhanced ones. The L7 hand cut and the enhanced are very beautiful with great balance. If you want your bokken to be denser and heavier, go with the enhanced hickory. Natural hickory tends to be lighter than Japanese white oak.
A friend of mine just tested his enhanced hickory against a Lignum vitae, broke the Lignum vitae in half on first strike. His bokken took 3 hits first from the Lignum vitae and got nothing, not even a dent on it. It was pretty amazing to see that.

[shakou]

Both SDK and Kingfisher are a great choice. I have 2 from Kim. He has had a buy 1 get 1 free which is well worth it. He may still have this running. I have one of of his daito hickory and ipe bokuto and gifted my sensei the SDK style bokuto, both of which are really nice. I have a top grade kingfisher kenjutsu bokuto coming soon also from a friend over on Sword Forum so I can make direct comparisons but between Brad at Kingfisher and Unka Kim I don't think you will be disappointed.

[Tyson Walters]

If I might chime in...

I own some bokken made by Kim Taylor out of the Sei Do Kai... and I'm really happy with them thus far.

Its worth a look IMHO.

http://sdksupplies.netfirms.com/

[RKG]

Well, it looks like the situation has been taken out of my hands. My wife has banned me from buying a Bokken, in other words she's getting me one for Christmas :D

I'll have to let you all know which Bokken it is when I get it.

[BokkenReview]

Hope for a Hickory bokken. Having tested so many different types of wood (do a search for my username on Youtube), I can tell you that Hickory is tough to beat... for many reasons. It's tough, inexpensive, looks and feels great. I don't think it matters which maker you get it from. Just make sure you spend some time hammering it lightly before use (Hickory, unlike other types of wood, has a grain that gets more compact and dense over time and use... basically the more you use it, the better it gets).

[OwlMatt]

I just got the E-Bogu white oak bokken. It's an Iwama style and it's very reasonably priced, but it's on the heavy side.

[BokkenReview]

I also wanted to back up what Bien said about his experience with Lignum Vitae. It holds up to normal use and denting VERY well, but under hard impact will snap in half no problem.

[SeaGrass]

Well, it looks like the situation has been taken out of my hands. My wife has banned me from buying a Bokken, in other words she's getting me one for Christmas :D

I'll have to let you all know which Bokken it is when I get it.

Ralph, you can always suggest :D

[BokkenReview]

What did you get?

[Alexander Lee]

Sorry to go a bit off topic here, but seeing its already been raised - can shiro kashi white oak be tempered like hickory?

[Cliff Judge]

Sorry to go a bit off topic here, but seeing its already been raised - can shiro kashi white oak be tempered like hickory?

It's not as soft as hickory and doesn't really dent as easily. If you want to spend a couple hours banging on your disposable practice tool, probably nobody will stop you, but why bother?

[RKG]

What did you get?

She got me the White Oak Iwama from Nine Cricles and the White Oak Tanto. The quality of these weapons are really good. I'm going to inscribe the Iwama Bokken with mizu no kokoro in Kanji.

Really happy with these weapons, all I need now is an Iaito from Tozando and I have a nice set of weapons :)

[BokkenReview]

Nice!

[lbb]

I do love me some white oak weapons.

[RKG]

Well, I used my new Bokken for the first time in-Dojo toda and I must say I am very impressed by the quality and feel of the weapon.

I am going to engrave Mizu No Kokorro in Kanji along the "blade" near the Tsuka, time to get the Dremel tool out :D

[Robert A. Wilkins]

Usually, I get my weapons from Kiyota in Maryland, and have been for many years. He doesn't have a web site, but he has very good prices and lots of different types of wood weapons. One of my favorites is the Chiba-san bokken designed by Chiba Sensei. It has a great weight and balance. More like a sword balance than the typical bokken balance.

Mr. Kiyota is very worth investigating and getting his number; absolutely the best products and best prices including gi's hakama's, iaito's etc. And if you ask very politely he will even personally pick out a nice bokken for you. Very knowledgable gentleman.

Peace in your heart all.:ai:

I'd second this. My experience with the Kiyota bokkens (Kashima Shinryu and Shinto Ryu styles) has been very positive. If I were in the market for a new bokken, I'd purchase one from Kiyota unhesitatingly.