As usual , I want some ideas .

K

Kevin the grey

Joined
Aug 26, 2005
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A friend of mine made himself a wooden sword called a boken . (sp)
He made it from ironwood and did a very nice job of it . The handle doesn,t look very much more than debarked slightly rounded burnished wood . The blade proper is another story . Its graceful gentle curving lines are pleasing to the eye .
Me not being the shy type suggested he make me one . I told him I was also going to very occasionaly use it as a walking stick/cane . This throws some people who cannot envision .He said a boken is curved and a cane is straight . He cannot meld the two ideas. Does anyone know any examples of
which I speak ? Are there such comprimises or can anyone suggest a simple shape that encompasses the two ideas ?I guess the tip would have to be fairly blunt or have some kinda metal cap? It has to have simple lines as it has to be described in text in an E-mail.

I guess a picture would also be necessary . On a separate note he is just becoming computer oriented . Is there a way to put the picture in the message itself and not as an attachment ? If he has to right click on anything it will take me days to explain .
 
I'm not quite sure what you're asking for here. Do you want a bokken like the original, but less curved? Or not curved at all?
 
There is no reason to insist on a straight walking stick. Many rustic styles, even shillelaghs, are irregular, not just curved. I always thought a bokken would make a very nice stick for a stroll through the woods. I often carry a straight walking stick for that, instead of my usual crooktop canes. It's fun for slashing weeds out of the way. :) The bokken would excel at that! :D

I was thinking of picking up one of Cold Steel's new plastic bokkens and seeing how it worked in the woods.

For the tip, you could have a fairly blunt but appropriate sword tip and cover it with a rubber crutch tip for walking. Take it off before you swing or you'll never see it again. :eek:
 
Dave , a gentle curve is what I would like. The boken I saw didn,t have that much of a curve at all .If you placed pommel and tip on the ground I doubt if the middle would be 2 and 1/2 inches off the ground . The idea is to make it look a little less sword or weapon like . While it would be mostly for walking in the woods it would also be used on an asphalt and dirt mountain trail where I would be likely to run into city dwellers who look askance at a normal walking stick/staff let alone something resembling even a wooden sword . . I think it was Howard who suggested a rubber crutch tip . I think I could adapt that idea with a leather cover of some kind . It would proabably wear out fairly quickly . I have so much leather ,making up a couple of spares would be no trouble at all . If I don,t come up with an idea to modify the design I will go with the original . I would like to come up with something while still adhereing to the nice lines of the sword blade will be a little less conspicuous . Thanks
 
there were many different kinds of wooden swords used in Japan. (bokken, bokuto, suburito) whatever you want to call it...
Some were skinny and curvy, some were thick and straight.
I'd just go though a catalog and pick one that looks like a good compromise.
There are zillions of different syles...
 
DannyinJapan said:
there were many different kinds of wooden swords used in Japan. (bokken, bokuto, suburito) whatever you want to call it...
Some were skinny and curvy, some were thick and straight.
I'd just go though a catalog and pick one that looks like a good compromise.
There are zillions of different syles...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea I,ll try and find an online catologue . I actually saw an Ipe boken on E_bay that was very nice and slim . The delineation between handle and blade is not as pronounced which proabably adds to the slim look . Ipe wood is very dense . I gave some to a buddy of mine to make bows from .
 
When I look at my bokken and wasters, the thing that immediately identifies them to my eye as weapons (or replica weapons, or training aids for weapons) are the guards and pommels.

Remove these, and they look like sticks. Pretty sticks, to be sure, and sticks with faces cut on them, but still, just sticks. Put a rubber or metal ferrule on the end, maybe a decorative pomme^H^H^H^H^H palm rest on the butt end, and it would look like a walking aid to a swordsman, let alone the average passer by. I bet it would handle like a waster though.

Just my take on things. I apologize that I can't really help you on bokken selection, as JSA really aren't my thing. My one bokken is for walking through things before I attempt them live. Now, if you're looking for a western style waster, I can give you a few links to check out. ;)

Interesting idea about a combined bokken/walking stick, if that's what you're indeed shooting for. Musashi had a few things to say about the efficiency of the humble bokken.

If I'm misinterpreting your goals here, feel free to disregard everything that I've said. :o
 
one word of warning: In japan the bokken is not meant to be struck against anything. they use shinai (bamboo practice swords) for that.

thats why the nice ones cost over 200$

Check out this page: the nice ones cost 600$ !!
http://www2.saganet.ne.jp/itou-s/

To do a random internet search, copy and paste this into your search engine: 木刀
 
Kevin the grey said:
While it would be mostly for walking in the woods it would also be used on an asphalt and dirt mountain trail where I would be likely to run into city dwellers who look askance at a normal walking stick/staff let alone something resembling even a wooden sword . . I think it was Howard who suggested a rubber crutch tip.
Click to expand...

Any kind of cane, walking stick, or whatever used as an aid for walking *Absolutely* needs to have a rubber tip if used on asphalt,
concrete, or other flat hard surfaces !!!!

It's possible that sole leather might be suitable but it would be nigh impossible to fit on the end of a stick. Besides rubber has much more grip than leather and holds up better when wet.:thumbup:

Cane tips can be found at most any drugstore and they come in a small variety of sizes, shapes, and colors - usually black or white but I have seen some brown ones. They are relatively inexpensive.

The rubber tips prevents the slipping and sliding of the cane or stick on hard surfaces of all kinds.
I'll never forget the first and only time I tried to walk with my stick without a rubber tip on a hard surface!!!! :eek:
I damned near busted my arse, it's not a question of *if* it will slide but when, and the answer to that is when it first hits a hard and flat surface and especially one that's slick like terrazo.:o :(
 
You know Dave I think you and Howard have narrowed it down considerably . I think with some kind of partial sheath/tip protector along with no guard and perhaps some kind of leather grip that seems more canelike or more like a walking stick . I thought of hanging a type of travellers purse or possibles bag from it as people tend to look at what is shown to them instead of whats there . I think it would add too much weight to the stick unless it was small and light . I will continue to look for a while and follow up Danny,s leads . I am also going to look a little more at rubber tip protectors . Honestly though I have so much leather that even if it only lasts me a few days on harder surfaces I can always run off a couple more . i have never sewn leather by machine . As the idea I have would be more or less a tight tube over the end it would be easy to sew leather into a long tube cut off the length I need and awl stich the end closed . If rawhide wouldn,t be too hard I could always sew them wet put it on pretty damp and let it dry/shrink into place . The Ipe wood Boken I saw on E-bay is pretty neat and elegant in its simplicity . A slight curve with no guard and the diameter of the handle is the same as the blade .

On a separate note I like the term " Waster " that was used ! No frills about that name . Form follows function I suppose .
 
I remember an old japanese film about a blind swordsman/massage person....his walking stick had his sword in it. But it was straight.
 
Miyamoto Musashi made good use of his bokkens... :p

Got one in white oak, one in red. Good walking stick as is, but a rubber foot on it might help.

Dogwhacker/snakebeater, use as needed.


Ad Astra

BTW. Mushashi fought duels and actually killed opponents with his bokkens. Be careful or skillful.
 
Ad Astra said:
Miyamoto Musashi made good use of his bokkens... :p

Got one in white oak, one in red. Good walking stick as is, but a rubber foot on it might help.

Dogwhacker/snakebeater, use as needed.


Ad Astra
Click to expand...

I,m pretty good with dogs and I hope not to meet any snakes . I think you have the general idea down great . Have you got any ideas for a rubber tip that doesn,t look too industrial ? I,ve been looking at everything from purpleheart to hickory . I think this is going to be fun ! (What ? you mean I actually have to learn to use this thing !)
 
Kevin the grey said:
I,m pretty good with dogs and I hope not to meet any snakes . I think you have the general idea down great . Have you got any ideas for a rubber tip that doesn,t look too industrial ? I,ve been looking at everything from purpleheart to hickory . I think this is going to be fun ! (What ? you mean I actually have to learn to use this thing !)
Click to expand...
My cane (which I actually needed for near six months) was cobbled up from the hickory handle of the sledge hammer I used for search warrants in Detroit. Sitting in front of the fire, and using a rasp, I worked the sledge handle down to a rather sharp oval 1 1/2 by 1" in cross section leaving about 3" near the top full diameter. Using a gouge and my jack knife, I made the top end concave to fit the diameter of a Cue ball I liberated from the pool table of an outlaw M/C gang in Detroit (the bar was seized and sold at auction later by U.S.Marshals). using a peice of 3/8" all thread 5" long, I found the worst nick in the cue ball, drilling it 1 1/2" deep, using epoxy screwed that down snug on the all thread, epoxyed 3 1/2" into the full diameter section of the cane. I'm sure I could tee off on a concrete block (or a blockhead) without those ever seperating. Using the full diameter section as a handle, it is very boken-like. Reversing the grip, I gave the cue ball end a full arm swing against a dead snag without fazing the cue ball. The materials used have special significance only to me, but the cane was needed for a while, giving me satisfaction every time I picked it up.
 
Oh, and the bottom tip was covered by the natstiest old rubber pad for three legged stool legs I could find, and no airport secuity genius has ever questioned whether or not its a cane....its too uuugly :D
 
jurassicnarc44 said:
My cane (which I actually needed for near six months) was cobbled up from the hickory handle of the sledge hammer I used for search warrants in Detroit. Sitting in front of the fire, and using a rasp, I worked the sledge handle down to a rather sharp oval 1 1/2 by 1" in cross section leaving about 3" near the top full diameter. Using a gouge and my jack knife, I made the top end concave to fit the diameter of a Cue ball I liberated from the pool table of an outlaw M/C gang in Detroit (the bar was seized and sold at auction later by U.S.Marshals). using a peice of 3/8" all thread 5" long, I found the worst nick in the cue ball, drilling it 1 1/2" deep, using epoxy screwed that down snug on the all thread, epoxyed 3 1/2" into the full diameter section of the cane. I'm sure I could tee off on a concrete block (or a blockhead) without those ever seperating. Using the full diameter section as a handle, it is very boken-like. Reversing the grip, I gave the cue ball end a full arm swing against a dead snag without fazing the cue ball. The materials used have special significance only to me, but the cane was needed for a while, giving me satisfaction every time I picked it up.
Click to expand...

I used to be pretty good with a sledge . It used to be an education watching some peace officers struggle with a sledge while "Avon calling" on a local badguy . It does take some muscle . I think a little finesse is necessary as well .Its hard for some guys to swing through the door and so bounce off .
That must be some walking stick you have there . Something that,ll last a couple of lifetmes .
I quite like hickory for a bow . Its got a lot of snap to it . My first boken will be ironwood with maybe a shorter version in hickory . I,m experimenting with a hickory seax right now . Too bad it can,t be on local badguys ! L:O:L
 
O.K., now the guilty admission. As the boss of a Fed, state, and local Task Force, I always believed that one should lead from the front, not "Push from behind" or from behind the desk. If one sends brave young men into where death lurks, I should be the first one through the door, not you. Problem. If you're the guy with the sledge, you ain't the first guy through the door, is you? Answer: the boss has the sledge in his trunk, but assigns it on a rotating basis to his men, so he can, Ahem, still be the first thru the door. That sledge rode around wih me, for eleven years, but I rarely used it myself, since (in those days) I was 6'5" and about 285, and usually just kicked in anything that needed done. Because some of my smaller guys, overswung (is that a good word?) the 16 pound sledge, a few rough places developed behind the head....those are now the tip of the boken/cane (all roughness filed away) and the grip end now has the cue ball attached.
 
Holy frijoles !!!!!!! 16 pounds ? ?????????? I used an 8 and if I had cement work to be done went up to10 POUNDER "little BerthA" (i USED TO CALL HER BIG BERTHA TILL I FOUND OUT WHAT YOU GUYS WERE SWINGING !!! ) L:O:L
No wonder some of those boys looked awkward swinging 16 sideways !
I know I,m no slouch with a sledge cause I could keep up with a pro football player .
 
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