Beginner Weapons

Greetings!

I was wondering if anyone knew of a good website that offers Aikido weapon sets for a good price. Peferably just a cheap newbie startup set. I need a 4 piece one with a Jo, tanto, Bokken, and uhh forgot the last one.


Thanks for you help in advance!

I just posted this in another forum.

Try this pageAcademy of Karate, Martial Arts Supply.

You can get a red oak bokken (they call it a daito) for $6.45, a "black hardwood" bokken for $8, or a white oak bokken for $16. Bear in mind however that if you get a 7 or 8 dollar bokken then that is exactly what you get....a 7 or 8 dollar bokken. It's fine for form/kata work but I wouldn't make a lot of contact with other weapons.

Actually if you want or need to stay on the cheap side you can get yourself completely outfitted with a red oak bokken, jo (they call it a "50 bo), tanto and case for around $33 before shipping.

The site really isn't laid out very well so you may have to do some digging but the stuff is all there. In the past when I've contacted them with questions they have always been helpful.

Bronson

I thought I'd follow up on Bronson's thoughts to not use cheap red oak weapons in paired practice and say I agree. Using such weapons in paired practice where there may be contact is needlessly dangerous as cheap weapons do break, sometimes sending its shard(s) across the room...

For the sake of the rest of us in the class, please do not use cheap weapons during paired practice work!

-- Jun

When I was doing medieval armored combat we made our weapons out of rattan for the exact reason that it didn't splinter when it failed. It kind of got mushy and then got "hairy". I've been toying with the idea of making some bokken and jo from rattan for paired work because of this. I know rattan can be light but if I get what we used to call "godda**" rattan (named for what you said when you got hit with it) which is anywhere from 1 3/4" to 2 1/4" in diameter it should be ok. Plus it's cheap. The going rate for rattan around here is about $2/foot. One 8 foot piece should yield one jo and one bokken.

Bronson

I would say save up and buy a decent set. Japanese white oak is a great wood. Tons better than the white oak we have here in North American.

Anyway, try to get good wood in the weapons you are going to use for contact(Japanese white oak(kashi) or hickory(call Brad @ kingfisherwoodworks) and spend 5 bucks on your tanto.

It depends on what you mean by cheap and what you'll use it for. If in paired practice, I too recommend only using good, white oak bokken and jo.

Go to www.tozando.com and get one of their white oak bokken and jo. If you get the 24mm jo, the cost of the two, plus shipping will be around $95 (depending on the exchange rate). We just did a bulk order for our dojo and managed to save $5 or so for each person on the pair.

You may be able to pick up a tanto locally, and here, in my opinion, read oak would be fine.

Regards,

Don't go cheap; here's a deal I found. It's at the top of the page "WSET1 Training Buki Set."

--Chuck

You could always make your own... if you have full control of the process from tree to bokken it is almost guarunteed not to break if you know what you are doing. Hickory is indestructable.

Are there any websites that tell you how to make a jo or bokken? I'd imagine that tools would be expensive.

I've looked for websites on making bokken (my brother was going to make me one) but wasn't able to find anything that went through the process step by step, though people do mention making their own bokken. I'd love to know if anybody else had better luck.

I can tell you that unless you are going to carve it by hand, power tools for cutting wood (such as band saws) get very expensive very fast. I watched my brother save his every penny for months to get his tools. Then he discovered that he needed a filter for the air, and something to collect wood chips, more equipment... Unless you are looking for a new hobby, or already have the tools (or know somebody with them) just buy one.