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Old 06-19-2010, 04:36 PM   #1
Mikemac
 
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Dojo: Aikido World Alliance
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Join Date: May 2010
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Thumbs up My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

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.







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.

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"Hey! You got your kotegaeshi in my peanut butter!"
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Old 06-19-2010, 08:57 PM   #2
Robert Calton
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Re: My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

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!
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Old 06-21-2010, 07:55 AM   #3
JRY
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Re: My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

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
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Old 06-21-2010, 07:57 AM   #4
Aikilove
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Re: My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

"Post Removed by user"

/J

Jakob Blomquist
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Old 06-21-2010, 10:39 PM   #5
Mikemac
 
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Re: My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

Quote:
Jerry Teo wrote: View Post
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.

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Old 06-22-2010, 08:59 AM   #6
ChrisMoses
Dojo: TNBBC (Icho Ryu Aiki Budo), Shinto Ryu IaiBattojutsu
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Re: My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

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

Bokken Bashing

Stay safe.

Chris Moses
TNBBC, "Putting the ME in MEdiocre!"
Budo Tanren at Seattle School of Aikido
Shinto Ryu Iai-Battojutsu
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Old 06-22-2010, 07:38 PM   #7
raul rodrigo
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Re: My New Tetsuboku Bokken - I Think I'm In Love!

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.
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