sword catching

Posted by: Ed_Morris

sword catching - 01/20/08 03:23 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcm-9Jvn46c

busted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tENlPtTZIqA&feature=related

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2007/04/episode_78_ninja_myths_walking.html
Posted by: Ed_Morris

Re: sword catching - 01/20/08 03:27 AM

while we're at it...another sword test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S76aGs5mVec
Posted by: fatguy

Re: sword catching - 01/20/08 08:22 AM

[Quote]while we're at it...another sword test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S76aGs5mVec
[/Quote]

I dont know why, but I cringed every time the woman put her hand on the blade to resheath it.
Posted by: JMWcorwin

Re: sword catching - 01/23/08 04:25 PM

As well you should.
Posted by: cxt

Re: sword catching - 01/23/08 06:24 PM

Insane.

Its not so much that people could NEVER do some of those things--just the percentage is so low its a matter of sheer luck rather than skill.

Of course if it were your ONLY chance--might make the risk worth it---you might have nothing to lose.
Posted by: JMWcorwin

Re: sword catching - 01/23/08 06:41 PM

Hey! Whatever happened to our guy posting about how his instructor could do this with a live blade consistently. That thread gave me laughs for days.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: sword catching - 01/24/08 09:26 AM

Quote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcm-9Jvn46c




Interesting footage, but I still find that hard to believe.

Quote:

busted:
http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2007/04/episode_78_ninja_myths_walking.html




Hmm. They were wrong to bust the catching arrows thing. Jim Mathers was well known for doing that, even did it on the 1970's show "That's Incredible!". Also did an article in Black Belt magazine back in the 1980's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Mather_(Kyoshi)

Also found video of Ronald Duncan catching arrows (approx 5:40 into this link) -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72tbio78jAQ
Posted by: cxt

Re: sword catching - 01/24/08 10:45 AM


With all due and well eraned respect to to masters Mathers and Duncan.

Notice that they don't stand in front of the arrow---"catching" an arrow that is speeding by you is quite impressive---but if its not going to hit you in the first place---why bother?

Not bagging in the guys---just don't think its really showing what the arrow grabbers think its showing.

I'd be a lot more impressed with a grab at an arrow that was going to hit them--or even a deflection.
Posted by: butterfly

Re: sword catching - 01/24/08 12:30 PM

I believe hedkikr on these boards mentioned that he trained in archery with some Olympic level folk at one time. And that there are "arrows," and then there are "arrows."

Basically that the design and fletching on some allowed an easier and slower flight when compared to say, a hunting arrow. Just food for thoughts and flames to the BBQ.
Posted by: Vennificus

Re: sword catching - 01/24/08 04:49 PM

A human barbecue at that.
The big question is do the mythbusters ever consult sites like this? You'd think the MA community would be a good place to start
Posted by: JMWcorwin

Re: sword catching - 01/24/08 04:52 PM

Quote:

Interesting footage, but I still find that hard to believe.




There's nothing there that merits believing. Watch the slow motion part; the sword stops moving forward a split instance before it's caught. A sword swung full power meant to cut through his head is simply not catchable. The momentum alone would make it so that even if you were monumentously lucky and timed it to catch the sides... at that speed you would not be able to stop it. At best you'd get the pads of your hands nicely shaved to the bone befor the blade still ended up planted firmly in your skull somewhere. We're talking about a blade that's roughly an inch in width traveling at really high speeds and being able to time it and bring your hands together somewhere between the cutting edge and the spine.


Its a demonstration and a trick. Always has been.
Posted by: schanne

Re: sword catching - 01/25/08 04:34 PM

Maybe it was an Iaido blade?
Posted by: JMWcorwin

Re: sword catching - 01/25/08 06:53 PM

Most likely. I've been a part of a few demonstrations like this and the key is don't use a sharp blade. Even if you want to give the appearance of it being sharp, you can take a carrot and hit it against it. It will go through but doesn't mean the blade is sharp. Last step if you're going to be close up with a bunch of skeptics... you sharpen all but the part of the blade you'll be catchin. So, just the tip and near the tsuka. Then you cut at your partner and they catch the dull part. Even then, it still required stopping the blade because it moves too fast at full swing to catch.
Posted by: Ed_Morris

Re: sword catching - 01/26/08 03:00 AM

Quote:

Last step if you're going to be close up with a bunch of skeptics... you sharpen all but the part of the blade you'll be catchin. So, just the tip and near the tsuka. Then you cut at your partner and they catch the dull part.



why skeptics are given a hard time: they might find out something thats closer to the truth.