Thread: shinken?
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Old 04-05-2013, 05:40 AM   #37
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Re: injuries from shinken?

Quote:
Keith Larman wrote: View Post
If one is planning on swinging it around, sure. If one is planning on training with it, sure. If one is planning on buying one to appreciate the craft of the sword and do *not* intend to swing it around or otherwise use it, why exactly do they need extensive training? Or do you only tear apart your food since those kitchen knives are so very dangerous...

I am one of those folks who tries to convince martial artists to get proper training in the sword prior to using them. Yup. But absolute comments are also quite silly IMHO.
Keith: You are entitled to your opinion about absolute comments being silly (which by the way is also kind of an absolute statement)

None of my kitchen knifes are 70+ cm long. If they were I would probably not allow anybody to touch them either without making sure they know how to handle it. Consider power tools. They are way more dangerous than most people think even though they have some safety features. A Japanese sword does not. It is VERY dangerous and I don't intend to train with one myself for many years - maybe never.

If somebody just want to appreciate the craftmanship - fine - buy it and leave it in a locked display case out of reach. I was under the impression though that some people in this thread intended to buy a sword and 'try it out'. In that case I hope to be at least a few dozen meters away - wielding a first aid kit and a cell phone with 911 on speed dial.

Apart from that - I think we are on the same page. Except I don'¨t see any point in buying a live blade of the types mentioned unless you intend to use it. They are intended for training - not for displaying. Antique swords have different qualities that can be admired when put on display, but if it's just for hanging on your wall then a modern day sword may just as well be a nice iaito with a dull blade in stead of a live razor sharp blade. In my (not so humble) opinion..

Anyway - I just wanted to cut through the debate and state my viewpoint - now I got sucked into a debate again.. will close browser now and get back to work.

Great day to you all

JJ

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