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Old 12-08-2009, 03:58 PM   #26
Cynrod
Location: Las Vegas
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Re: Favorite woods

White oak > Hickory, then Ipe lately. Those are my favorite kind of woods .

"For The Secret That The Warrior Seeks: You Must Know That The Basic Principles Lie In The Study Of The Spirit." - Morihei Ueshiba
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Old 12-08-2009, 04:35 PM   #27
Sy Labthavikul
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Re: Favorite woods

I really want to like hickory, but personally I'm not a fan of how light hickory is, or how easily dented it becomes. Yes, the fact that it dents slightly means it isn't brittle and is quite strong overall, but I prefer the heavy, hard solidness of white oak personally.

But in the end, I just consider this to be a different variant of "gadget fetishism" and use whatever weapon that will let me train.


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train as if the tengu will never visit, execute as if they already have
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Old 12-08-2009, 06:45 PM   #28
Gerardo Torres
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Re: Favorite woods

My favorite is White Oak, which I think is a fairly affordable and durable wood for weapons.

I have several bokuto, jo, waki and a heavy naginata all made from white oak (both the Japanese and North American varieties). They all work pretty well for me, and were cheap compared to weapons made from more exotic woods.
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Old 12-08-2009, 09:18 PM   #29
Erick Mead
 
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Ellis Amdur wrote: View Post
Lignum Vitae is now endangered - very hard to ethically acquired. It has a beautiful smell, and olive look - very hard and very heavy.
There is nothing like it. Requires no finish, withstands the worst impacts you can imagine. It was almost wiped out in the nineteenth century both because of the medicinal value of its resin (cough syrup -- guaifenesin -- was originally made from it) and they used it for self-lubricating thrust bearings to keep steam ship drive shafts in line -- and twenty of you together can't equal the torque hammer impact of a ship's drive shaft going to flank speed.

I had a pair of bokken milled from a stick I acquired in 1994 in San Diego. Never looked back.

They are now using a more plentiful subspecies or related species from Argentina and Venezuela, which has many of the same physical qualities of the Carribbean native tree, a largish shrub, really (another reason larger timber is hard to come by). I cannot recommend it more highly.

Cordially,

Erick Mead
一隻狗可久里馬房但他也不是馬的.
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Old 03-31-2010, 02:39 PM   #30
brian donohoe
 
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Re: Favorite woods

I am trying an ash bokken at the moment to see what it is like. Mostly because it has a couple of thousand years as the wood of choice for the sticks used in this game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmzivRetelE

I'm happy so far. Going to try a jo next

Brian
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Old 04-01-2010, 06:09 AM   #31
lbb
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Mark Mueller wrote: View Post
Oops! That sounds a little xenophobic....I meant buy american hickory (shouldn't have had that last tequila )
There is a very great deal to be said for buying local rather than anything imported. American forests have been repeatedly devastated by invasive species that arrived on wood products from Asia or Europe. Do a little websearch to find out why the city of Worcester, MA no longer has any hardwood trees...then ask yourself if you want that happening in your community, or perhaps across your continent. Buy local grown.
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Old 04-01-2010, 07:26 AM   #32
raul rodrigo
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Re: Favorite woods

All my weapons (ken, kodachi, jo, tanto) are white oak from Japan, but even they have endured small cracks and damage over the years. A veteran aikidoist tells me that I should expect that at some point to have to replace them. There are a few woods that are much harder but they are either way too brittle—or if they are strong enough to withstand all kinds of impacts, then the odds are you can't acquire them ethically. Particularly in my country where illegal logging is so rampant and the best hardwood trees (narra, tindalo, etc) are illegal to cut.
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Old 04-01-2010, 09:04 AM   #33
Ellis Amdur
 
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Re: Favorite woods

I have posted a page on my website regarding various woods suitable for weapons.
Ellis Amdur

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Old 04-01-2010, 08:51 PM   #34
Shadowfax
 
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Ellis Amdur wrote: View Post
I have posted a page on my website regarding various woods suitable for weapons.
Ellis Amdur
There is also a very good article in the Aikiweb Aikido Articles section. After reviewing it I chose Purple Heart wood for my jo. So far I'm very happy.
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Old 04-05-2010, 07:50 AM   #35
gregstec
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Re: Favorite woods

I use a grade 7 hickory Jo and Bokken from Kingfisher for paired practice - light, but very strong. And I use a Dymondwood set from Bujin Design for solo work - very heavy, but too strong to use against wood for paired practice.

Greg
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Old 04-09-2010, 09:03 PM   #36
Jose Roel
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Greg Steckel wrote: View Post
I use a grade 7 hickory Jo and Bokken from Kingfisher for paired practice - light, but very strong. And I use a Dymondwood set from Bujin Design for solo work - very heavy, but too strong to use against wood for paired practice.

Greg
Hi Greg,

Care to share a pic of your bokken? I've recently checked the website,seems they're gonna offer resin impregnated bokkens soon.

J.R
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Old 04-10-2010, 06:55 AM   #37
gregstec
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Jose Roel Urrutia wrote: View Post
Hi Greg,

Care to share a pic of your bokken? I've recently checked the website,seems they're gonna offer resin impregnated bokkens soon.

J.R
Sure - which one, the hickory or dymondwood, or both?
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Old 04-11-2010, 11:53 PM   #38
Jose Roel
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Greg Steckel wrote: View Post
Sure - which one, the hickory or dymondwood, or both?
I'd like the hickory but won't mind if you'd post some of the dymondwood as well.

J.R
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Old 04-17-2010, 05:47 AM   #39
gregstec
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Jose Roel Urrutia wrote: View Post
I'd like the hickory but won't mind if you'd post some of the dymondwood as well.

J.R
Here you go - sorry it took awhile...

Click image for larger version

Name:	Bokken-Dymond-hickory_2.jpg
Views:	81
Size:	72.4 KB
ID:	734
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Old 04-17-2010, 09:10 PM   #40
RED
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Tongue Re: Favorite woods





Sorry, couldn't resist!!

MM
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Old 04-23-2010, 10:34 AM   #41
Jose Roel
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Greg Steckel wrote: View Post
Here you go - sorry it took awhile...

Attachment 734
Thanks alot Greg, I greatly appreciate it! The dymondwood looks very heavy.

Last edited by Jose Roel : 04-23-2010 at 10:45 AM.
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Old 04-23-2010, 10:42 AM   #42
gregstec
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Re: Favorite woods

Quote:
Jose Roel Urrutia wrote: View Post
Thanks alot Greg, I greatly appreciate it!
you're welcome -
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Old 06-22-2010, 10:15 AM   #43
TreyPrice
 
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Re: Favorite woods

Funny Maggie!

I have made several weapons and I love working with expensive woods. However, my old fav is Hickory. I have a great jo and bokken made out of Hickory. The jo has the most beautiful grain patterns. It crushes a little. I wax it twice a year with Johnson's past wax to keep it sealed. I plan to replace it with Brazilian Iron wood in the future.

Last edited by TreyPrice : 06-22-2010 at 10:28 AM. Reason: adding
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