"Practice" Katana Video

OK, we have all seen those various cheap "Decorative Katana" sets and dork that I am, I even own a set that decorates my apartment. Here is a video a friend sent me that shows how "NOT" to treat cheap decorative katanas (or real ones for that matter).

This video linked here is from one of those television shopping channels. All I can really say is that live television, cheap swords, and a complete idiot can make for "interesting" and even funny situations. I mean funny in a slapstick yet dark poetic irony sort of way. :-)

http://www.933flz.com/audio/Knives.mpeg

Hope you enjoy!

Grrrrr...
"Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /audio/Knives.mpeg on this server.
Apache/1.3.31 Server at www.933flz.com Port 80"

I went directly to http://www.933flz.com/main.html but could not find the link. Sorry.

-PS I also own one of those cheap sets: I loaned it to a good friend for over a year while he begun Iaido. When he got his $800 (CDN) Iaido-to from Tozando (http://iaido.tozando.com/), it was kind of funny how his new sword's weight and balance so closely resembled mine. Either my cheap set was not as cheap as I believed, or he got screwed. We both prefer to think the former.

Forbidden

Hmmm weird... I just double-checked the link. What browsers were you using? I can open it directly from the link fine when using Mozilla, but I get the same error using Internet Explorer.

If you copy and paste the original link or type it directly into whatever browser you are using, you might have better luck. This method worked for me with both of my browsers. The file is about 5.5 megabytes, so depending on your connection, it may take a minute or two to load.

I just don't understand computers sometimes, but let me know if you have better luck with directly copying out the link.

Nick Pittson wrote: -PS I also own one of those cheap sets: I loaned it to a good friend for over a year while he begun Iaido. When he got his $800 (CDN) Iaido-to from Tozando (http://iaido.tozando.com/), it was kind of funny how his new sword's weight and balance so closely resembled mine. Either my cheap set was not as cheap as I believed, or he got screwed. We both prefer to think the former.

I must admit, I have tried holding my decorative katana to see how it fealt, and it fealt "nice" though I am too inexperienced to say anything about balance or weight. I will also admit that the bokken i use feels more "natural" but once again, I wouldn't know what I am talking about.

I have also taken my decorative swords apart and put them back together due to their "very cheap" construction. There is a nut that screws on at the bottom of the tang underneath the pommel (I forget the Japanese word, fuchi?). I don't think I would ever trust my set with any practice at all, especially after seeing this video. But for the $40 or $50 I paid for the set way back when, they do make a nice decoration in my bedroom

This link should work.

Now, one should not laugh at other's misfortune.......

<snicker>

Nick Pittson wrote: Now, one should not laugh at other's misfortune....... <snicker>

except those trying to sell swords made of 440 Stainless Steel

I kept thinking "What a wank; slapping a sword on a table.....OH MY GOD! It just snapped! Bwhahahha! And he's hurt! BWAHAHAHA!"

Bad Nick: Bad!
<snicker!>

Now THAT, was hilarious.

Oh gosh.. LOL! too funny !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear I could feel the poor blokes pain.. LOL! ^^

I just caught this. Sword weight and balance are not the issue. This sort of decorative junk is not allowed in my Iaido classes period! It is not designed for the wear and tear of regular iaido practice. It's a safety hazard to everyone in the class. Handle falure is a real possibility.

Thomas Ambrose wrote: Nick Pittson wrote: -PS I also own one of those cheap sets: I loaned it to a good friend for over a year while he begun Iaido. When he got his $800 (CDN) Iaido-to from Tozando (http://iaido.tozando.com/), it was kind of funny how his new sword's weight and balance so closely resembled mine. Either my cheap set was not as cheap as I believed, or he got screwed. We both prefer to think the former. I must admit, I have tried holding my decorative katana to see how it fealt, and it fealt "nice" though I am too inexperienced to say anything about balance or weight. I will also admit that the bokken i use feels more "natural" but once again, I wouldn't know what I am talking about. I have also taken my decorative swords apart and put them back together due to their "very cheap" construction. There is a nut that screws on at the bottom of the tang underneath the pommel (I forget the Japanese word, fuchi?). I don't think I would ever trust my set with any practice at all, especially after seeing this video. But for the $40 or $50 I paid for the set way back when, they do make a nice decoration in my bedroom

There's karma for you.

Honestly how do people get away with selling cheap trash like this. you look through any issue of black belt magazine and you'll a hundred and fifty ads for crap such as the one in the video. You think someone would publish and article in the magazine concerning the safety of these blades.

Cheap stuff like this is not permitted in our dojo. If people want swords they should realize that they are going to have to pay good amounts of money for them.

Sorry, didn't mean to strike a nerve with people... just thought that the video was funny in an ironic sort of way. Not my intention to start a serious discussion in the humor section!

I would never attempt to use any such sword in practice. If I were to start to learn iaido or kenjitsu, I would do it right, and either use my bokken or invest in an actual iaito from a reputable source, and with the recommendations of the instructor.

I am amazed that many magazines and dealers do sell these false katanas, and other decorative swords as well for "practice" purposes. Maybe eventually one of the shadier dealers will be sued for false advertising or liability. I know that when I bought mine, there was MUCH warning in the ads that they were "display or collecting purposes only" and there was even a specific warning against use in any martial arts.

But, they do make a nice decoration in my apartment.

Thomas Ambrose wrote: But, they do make a nice decoration in my apartment.

I think you answered your own question.
by the way, maybe not everyone gets just how silly the knife guys are ... ---- >>>> stainless steel is brittle

I once caught some of the karate students out in the parking lot after class wacking some of the shopping channel wonders around. The handles had cracked open, blades were bent up like tin foil. They were just lucky they didn't choose to do it with the ones made of stainless steel. It was a true Jackass moment.

When people find out I teach sword arts, it can happen that someone will mention that they have swords and always wanted to take classes. It happened just last night. When someone says they have "swords", it's very unlikely that they mean shinken or iaito. They mean the blue ninja and Highlander specials off of HSN (shudder).

When you have spent hours in the national sword museum in Tokyo and had the chance at a serious collectors home to examine closely and handle and swing real 13-15 century shinken, well, it's hard not to be snob
about this decorative trash. It's like comparing a living black panther to a 100% nylon black-dyed fake pelt.

Craig Hocker wrote: ... It's like comparing a living black panther to a 100% nylon black-dyed fake pelt.

Good one Craig.... Made my day

Craig Hocker wrote: by the way, maybe not everyone gets just how silly the knife guys are ... ---- >>>> stainless steel is brittle

So I don't suppose you'll be ordering one of these anytime soon:

http://www.dawson.knivesauction.com/...ombat_wak.html

Hmm...he was doing some in katana sizes a while ago.

Anyway, a lot of it seems to be how well a piece of steel, stainless or otherwise, is heat treated. C'mon Craig, admit it...you secretly want a "combat style katana" in 440C. That way you don't have to go through that anal-retentive uchiko ball routine every time you whip your sword out.

John Kuo wrote: That way you don't have to go through that anal-retentive uchiko ball routine every time you whip your sword out.

I love my uchiko ball routine.

I love the smell of clove oil in the morning.

If you watch the extended version of this clip the guy continues to try and sell the product...It makes you feel happy that you don't work with him...

Bryce

where can I find the extended version of the clip? I wanna see this guy: "As demonstrated, the blade can easily cut through human flesh... arteries too... I think I'm.... loosing... pretty colors.... goodnight" -plop-

My brother had it downloaded a while back...You could probably find it on a P2P program but I don't know of a website. Oh yeah, it's the guy that comes on later that is trying to sell the sword while his co-worker is lying on the floor in pain. Sorry for the mix up.

Bryce

I once saw one of those aikido demonstrations&shows on eurosport.I think it was Christian Tissier. He was doing his thing, doing techniques against aikidoka armed with both Jo and bokken left and right without pause. One of them used a real katana, or Iaito at least, and when Tissier used his Jo to hit it aside, the blade broke from the hilt and shot of to the side.

I dont think Tissier noticed it first, he went of to disable a couple of other aikidoka before he returned to the katana-wielding aikidoka, prolly to do another Jo technique on what he assumed was a whole katana, but when he saw that the blade was broken he simply ignored the aikidoka and went on to another one and continued the demonstration.

I know stainless steel doesn't exactly make an ideal blade, but what is the best material for a sword? I have no idea.

-Drew

Drew Herron wrote: I know stainless steel doesn't exactly make an ideal blade, but what is the best material for a sword? I have no idea. -Drew

Depends on what kind of sword you want...
But assuming you mean a katana, ideally is is made out of a thin layer of high carbon steel sandwiched between layers of soft iron (or mild steel in mordern settings). There's lots of metallurical "tricks" that go into making it; making it flexible, yet able to hold a very sharp edge.

You gotta' love the line at the end of the clip

[Forest Gump-ish Southern accent]"Umm...we may need emergency surgery in the studio."[/Forest Gump-ish Southern accent]