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Old 07-25-2008, 03:43 PM   #1
JamesC
Location: Fayetteville, AR, USA
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Anyone recommend a jo?

I'm looking to buy a white oak jo(and possibly bokken). Just wondering if there are any companies that you guys recommend.
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Old 07-25-2008, 04:26 PM   #2
Sy Labthavikul
Dojo: Aikido Academy USA of Alhambra
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

SDK Supplies, which is run by Kim Taylor, a respected iaidoka and jodoka.

http://sdksupplies.netfirms.com/

I have several of his white oak weapons (jo and bokken) and they are top-notch: great wood, great balance, and will take a hell of a beating.

I had one of his white oak jo that was too short for me and I decided to torture test it (after ordering a new one). I practiced full powered tsuki and shomenuchi on concrete cinder blocks till the concrete broke: the jo was pretty scuffed up but did not break. Great craftsmanship.


---------------------------------
train as if the tengu will never visit, execute as if they already have
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Old 07-25-2008, 05:25 PM   #3
Janet Rosen
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Another vote for Kim Taylor as a weapons-crafter and a businessman.

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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Old 07-26-2008, 02:28 PM   #4
Michael Hackett
Dojo: Kenshinkan Dojo (Aikido of North County) Vista, CA
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

I've been really happy with the quality and craftsmanship of my bokken and jo from Tozando. The finest jo I've ever handled though was from Kingfisher.

Michael
"Leave the gun. Bring the cannoli."
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Old 07-26-2008, 07:19 PM   #5
salim
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Great site for Aiki weapons:

http://aikiwood.com/
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Old 07-26-2008, 07:32 PM   #6
lifeafter2am
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Michael Hackett wrote: View Post
I've been really happy with the quality and craftsmanship of my bokken and jo from Tozando. The finest jo I've ever handled though was from Kingfisher.
I was wondering about Kingfisher my self. They always looked to have very high quality products to me.

"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Siddhattha Gotama Buddha
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Old 07-26-2008, 08:14 PM   #7
mwpowell
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Michael Hackett wrote: View Post
I've been really happy with the quality and craftsmanship of my bokken and jo from Tozando. The finest jo I've ever handled though was from Kingfisher.
Since we live in Qatar & cannot get bokken / jo locally, my entire dojo ordered ours online from Tozando at http://www.bokkenshop.com.

Fast delivery & great quality...

Be willing to give up all that you now are, to be all that you can become.
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Old 07-26-2008, 08:40 PM   #8
Michael Hackett
Dojo: Kenshinkan Dojo (Aikido of North County) Vista, CA
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Really expensive by comparison for the top of the line stuff, but the bokken and jo I've used have been of the finest quality. When I finally wear down what I have, I'm gonna order Kingfisher replacements.

Michael
"Leave the gun. Bring the cannoli."
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Old 07-27-2008, 10:26 AM   #9
jennifer paige smith
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Andrew Hanson wrote: View Post
I was wondering about Kingfisher my self. They always looked to have very high quality products to me.
They are beautiful, hardwood tools of the trade. I might suggest having them as demonstration weapons on top of a white oak variety of weapon for everyday use. They are so much harder than most dojo-mates tools that they often dent them.If y'all don't mind that.......they are beautiful and well balanced. Practically breath in your hands.

Jennifer Paige Smith
Confluence Aikido Systems
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Old 07-28-2008, 06:26 AM   #10
Beard of Chuck Norris
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Thumbs up Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Anyone recommend a jo?
Jo Duncan, only Jo i've ever needed

On a more practical note:

http://www.gascoals.net/Portals/1/08...treetBroom.jpg

Just take the bottom bit off and away you go!

[Kind of serious about that btw, for those on a budget, a broom handle is great! ]

Last edited by akiy : 07-29-2008 at 02:06 PM. Reason: Fixed URL
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Old 07-28-2008, 10:53 AM   #11
lifeafter2am
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Jo Duncan wrote: View Post
Jo Duncan, only Jo i've ever needed

On a more practical note:

http://http://www.gascoals.net/Porta...treetBroom.jpg

Just take the bottom bit off and away you go!

[Kind of serious about that btw, for those on a budget, a broom handle is great! ]
You have a double "http://" in that link which causes it to fail. You might want to edit it.


"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Siddhattha Gotama Buddha
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Old 07-28-2008, 10:54 AM   #12
Sy Labthavikul
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Careful with broom handles though: most are made of a type of wood called ramin. Ramin has extremely long, straight grain, which is normally a good wood quality in weapons, and is quite hard, but its extremely brittle: those long wonderful grain fibers don't seem to be interconnected at all! If you do any hard contact with your jo, a ramin broomstick might shatter and cause injury. But for little to no contact for kata, a broomstick is pretty good.


---------------------------------
train as if the tengu will never visit, execute as if they already have
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Old 07-28-2008, 11:35 AM   #13
jennifer paige smith
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Sy Labthavikul wrote: View Post
Careful with broom handles though: most are made of a type of wood called ramin. Ramin has extremely long, straight grain, which is normally a good wood quality in weapons, and is quite hard, but its extremely brittle: those long wonderful grain fibers don't seem to be interconnected at all! If you do any hard contact with your jo, a ramin broomstick might shatter and cause injury. But for little to no contact for kata, a broomstick is pretty good.
A thick dowel from the hardware store is made of stronger wood. It does require a little bit of sanding and you should buy two if you buy one. That way you and your training mate are equally equipped and broken sticks and the ensuing storm of splinters are less likely. That's my experience, at least.

Jennifer Paige Smith
Confluence Aikido Systems
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Old 07-28-2008, 02:21 PM   #14
Michael Hackett
Dojo: Kenshinkan Dojo (Aikido of North County) Vista, CA
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Gee, I don't know about the dowel or broomstick ideas for any striking. I've seen two jo break under contact and one of them sent long shards of sharply pointed wood flying across the dojo. No other damage and no injury, but it could have been nasty. These were both good quality jo and relatively new. Selecting weapons isn't a good place to go on the cheap. Buy the best you can afford and take care of them.

Michael
"Leave the gun. Bring the cannoli."
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Old 07-28-2008, 02:41 PM   #15
jennifer paige smith
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Michael Hackett wrote: View Post
Gee, I don't know about the dowel or broomstick ideas for any striking. I've seen two jo break under contact and one of them sent long shards of sharply pointed wood flying across the dojo. No other damage and no injury, but it could have been nasty. These were both good quality jo and relatively new. Selecting weapons isn't a good place to go on the cheap. Buy the best you can afford and take care of them.
Yeah, I wouldn't particularly recommend them for striking, either. But they are good for Jo-Kata with light contact.

My laminated Bujin Jo did me fine for about 15 years until someone else apparently liked it more than I did and found a home for it with them. I still miss it. I remember as a Noob Nerd (which I still can proudly claim ) repeatedly heating up the tip of a coat hanger on my gas stove and burnishing the butt of the Jo with the kanji for Masgatsu.

I'm thinkin' ' I would like to burnish the butt of the person who walked off with it the same'. What a jerk.....hahahahah.

Last edited by jennifer paige smith : 07-28-2008 at 02:43 PM.

Jennifer Paige Smith
Confluence Aikido Systems
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Old 07-28-2008, 02:54 PM   #16
Ron Tisdale
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

So THAT is what that character means...

Just kidding..

Ron

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 07-28-2008, 02:57 PM   #17
jennifer paige smith
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Ron Tisdale wrote: View Post
So THAT is what that character means...

Just kidding..

Ron
Depending on how you write the character, or write on the character, as the case may be.....Good One.

Jennifer Paige Smith
Confluence Aikido Systems
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Old 07-28-2008, 03:01 PM   #18
lifeafter2am
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Jennifer Smith wrote: View Post
My laminated Bujin Jo did me fine for about 15 years until someone else apparently liked it more than I did and found a home for it with them. I still miss it. I remember as a Noob Nerd (which I still can proudly claim ) repeatedly heating up the tip of a coat hanger on my gas stove and burnishing the butt of the Jo with the kanji for Masgatsu.
h.
Ahem, kids, don't try this at home!

Speaking of which, that is a good idea though!

"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Siddhattha Gotama Buddha
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Old 07-28-2008, 05:10 PM   #19
Michael Hackett
Dojo: Kenshinkan Dojo (Aikido of North County) Vista, CA
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Jennifer,

Remember you'll have to burnish both cheeks in order to achieve a state of harmony. This brings a whole new meaning to WWJD! What Would Jennifer Do?

Don't blame you a bit.

Michael
"Leave the gun. Bring the cannoli."
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Old 07-28-2008, 10:45 PM   #20
Bronson
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

The Kingfisher stuff is really very good. But heed the warning about damaging your dojo mate's stuff. I've broken nearly half a dozen red oak bokken with my hickory Kingfisher

If you just want an entry level set of white oak weapons I've always had good luck with e-bogu.

Bronson

"A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable to make a choice between violence and non-violence. A true pacifist is able to kill or maim in the blink of an eye, but at the moment of impending destruction of the enemy he chooses non-violence."
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Old 07-29-2008, 01:52 AM   #21
Beard of Chuck Norris
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Andrew Hanson wrote: View Post
You have a double "http://" in that link which causes it to fail. You might want to edit it.

Ahhh, I saw the image didn't come up but my blood-caffeine levels must have been too low to spot why!

can't edit it anymore.

And as for the responses, we don't do a lot of striking with the jo round these parts.. primarily for kata and aikido stuffs, not so much kumijo. And so, a broom handle is fine! Even when we do striking (jo to jo or jo to bokken) it is never at full pelt

Breakages can and will happen, regardless of price paid! You can minimise the chances by being gentle (I have had 2 shinai last for nearly 3 years in kendo) but if the wood wants to break...
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Old 07-30-2008, 11:12 AM   #22
Mark Uttech
Dojo: Yoshin-ji Aikido of Marshall
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Any hardware store should carry a supply of barn broom handles. I found them at Farm/Fleet. They are generally hickory and the price is $6-$10.

In gassho,

Mark

- Right combination works wonders -
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Old 08-02-2008, 01:20 AM   #23
xuzen
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Just ordered a Jo of the highest quality money can buy from Kingfisher. USD 154.00 for a little stick.

Can't wait to cause mayhem and destruction... Bad guys beware.

Boon.

SHOMEN-ATE (TM), the solution to 90% of aikido and life's problems.
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Old 08-02-2008, 06:23 AM   #24
lifeafter2am
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Xu Wenfung wrote: View Post
Just ordered a Jo of the highest quality money can buy from Kingfisher. USD 154.00 for a little stick.

Can't wait to cause mayhem and destruction... Bad guys beware.

Boon.
Nice!

Be sure to let us know what you think!


"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Siddhattha Gotama Buddha
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Old 08-04-2008, 12:10 AM   #25
xuzen
 
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Re: Anyone recommend a jo?

Quote:
Andrew Hanson wrote: View Post
Nice!

Be sure to let us know what you think!

I have tried using a broom stick as a jo substitute before. I tried striking it on a coconut three and the broom stick split in two.

Next I used cane/rattan as a jo substitute. It is a good surrogate and very durable. My rattan Jo has taken much punishment and still it is in good condition. However I find that it has a major flaw.

It is too light. To get the power in the strike, I tend to use too much upper body strength and I know that it is not the proper way to use Jo.

I would continue to use this rattan simply at that moment I could not find an even better alternative until I come across this thread and kingfisher brand.

I hope Kingfisher will not disappoint me... or else my quest for the perfect Jo will have to continue.

Boon

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