tameshigiri sword

Which sword is recommended for tameshigiri beginners and in what budget can I purchase a good sword?

Shay Maya

The usual recommendation is to get this information for your instructor. Our opinions are relatively unimportant since we don't know what style you practice, or anything about the type of tameshigiri you will be performing.

If you do not have an instructor, find one. Tameshigiri is a dangerous activity for the untrained to participate in.

shay23

There really is little else to add--talk to your teacher, find out exactly what they want you to have and why.

Presumably they will have better insights into the specific of your cutting needs for your class and style than a group of strangers on-line.

The one thing that I can't stress enough is just how dangerous "live" blades can be.

There are entire threads on dedicated sword sites that are devoted to the serious injuries that highly experienced practiners with many decades of training have had--mainly due to simple accident.

If you don't have a teacher--then please get one.

If you do have a teacher--get their advice on this issue.

BTW a "good" sword can easily cost $1000 dollars or more.

Thanks for your answers.
I have many years of experience in Iaido and other Martial Arts, but the teacher I've learnt Iaido from, has not enough knowledge in Batto (Tameshgiri). I have 2 excellent Iaito Swords that I've paid lots of money for them and at this moment I'm trying to learn Tameshigiri bymyself, based on the expirience I've in Iaido. I've seen many cutting Swords in the web, starting from $300 onward, all of them are steel made. My question is: For a beginner, is a $300-$400 sword good enough?

Well. It's your life and limbs on the line. Since you've decided to set off on your own and depart from your current training, it's up to you. I can tell you that if it was my body on the line, I wouldn't be spending less than $1200 or so. A cheap sword will not just have lower quality fittings, lesser balance and handling characteristics, etc. It could also be less structurally sound. A sword that breaks during tameshigiri can leave you crippled for life.

I would suggest you be very careful. Practicing tameshigiri unsupervised, in addition to being dangerous, is potentially a good way to lead you astray from the solid kihon your instructor is teaching you. It could actually be a detriment to your overall training.

At the very, very least, never practice tameshigiri alone. Always make sure there is someone nearby that can call an ambulance for you should your sword break and end up impaling your leg or something. Cut an artery and you can bleed out VERY quickly without help.

shay

Since you asked--nope.

In my opinion, if your going to be slinging around a 3 foot chunck of steel with wicked sharp edge you should spend every dime you have to make sure that its the best possible quality.

Most folks I know that regularly practice cutting spent more than a $1000 on their blades.
Cutting puts trememdous stress on the blade--and over time those stresses can seriously weaken the steel.
Sadly without an X-Ray its almost impossible to tell is the blade is suffering from such damage--one cut its fine--the next and a chuck of it just impailed the neibor kid watching you.
Or the cheaper materials holding the blade comes loose all of sudden, or a lower quality edge chips out, etc, etc etc

I once had a guy ask me what the "cheapest" set of rock climbing gear was that would still "work?"

I told him the same thing I'll telling you;

"Whats your life worth?"

If you don't have the cash to buy high quality cutting OR climbing equipment--then you should not be doing it.
Its dangerous enough as it is without having to worry about the durabilty and "trustablity" of your equipment.

If you don't care enough about what you are doing to make an effort to get the coin needed to do it properly then you should not be doing it.

A buddy of mine took a second job to earn the cash for his new cutting sword--it was tough for 6 months or so--but it didn't do him any lasting harm---won't hurt you.

You want to trust your safety to some $300 dollar blade that your going to use without legit training?

Up to you--at some point such foolish actions will make for a good "don't be stupid like this guy" warning story.

What I do object to however is once again someone that supposedly really likes sword studies is taking actions and makeing public statetments that reflect poorly on the rest of us.

As we speak folks over in England are faced with the serious possiblity of loseing the right to buy swords at all.

And some of what is being used against them are scared parents and worried voters that read stuff like this on-line an conclude that anyone interested in swords is a border-line nut case that despite being untrained in cutting--and has no plans to GET any formal training in cutting is wants to "cut stuff" so badly that they are going to buy some cheap slicer and get to wacking.

Your not doing anyone a favor, nor thinking about anyone but yourself either.

You asked for advice, you don't have to agree with it, but you really should LISTEN before you so casually dismiss it.

If so, Which sword you recommended for tameshigiri beginners

I think you're missing what we've been saying. The best sword for a beginner is the one your instructor recommends. If you want to strike out on your own, then you should at least start with a seminar, such as the one held at the West Coast Taikai. There's another one held in Orlando. You haven't told us where you are, so I don't know if these will help or not. I'd suggest making the trip to one of them first to at least learn some basic tameshigiri safety.

West Coast Taikai info:
http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36366

Shay,

First of all, could you explain again why your Iaido teacher can't teach you tameshigiri? Is it forbidden in your school? If so, does your teacher know what you’re doing?

Lastly, where are you located? I'm sure we could help you locate someone near you to teach you at least the basics of tameshigiri, if you’re serious.

<< What I do object to however is once again someone that supposedly really likes sword studies is taking actions and makeing public statetments that reflect poorly on the rest of us. >>

cxt, I had a dandy post all set to send when I came on your observation. It involved how sharp a blade is needed for tamashigiri. But the demonstration, involving a free hanging hemp hawser and an ancient tired forgery, might not reflect well on the rest of us. In short, the cut was successful, the hawser surrendered gracefully and no one was injured.

If he's Iaido, his teacher may not do any cutting whatsoever.

So, I'll pass on what little I know just in the name of keeping medical bills low.

KEEP EVERYONE BACK! Twenty feet should do it, provided you follow rule number two.

Do not keep anyone behind you while doing the cut. You are most likely to lose the sword at the end when you stop, not the beginning when you start. Directly behind the swordsman is the most dangerous location there is.

Stay clear of your leg. You were probably taught this in Iaido, but it is generally a bad idea to perform a cut such that if you don't stop the blade at a certain point, you will cut your leg off.

Anyway, there are a number of reputable places to buy swords. If you insist on persisting with this, the general suggestions are www.Bugei.com and www.Swordstore.com. Also, Angelsword has some pieces which are very good for cutting, but are highly non-traditional. Good luck, and be careful my friend.