The different types of Staffs

Posted by: imcrazy

The different types of Staffs - 05/04/05 07:07 PM

Well I love staff fighting (6 ft staffs and larger)and was wondering the different types of staffs and woods that are used to make them. I currently am the proud owner of a 6 ft long hardwood (red oak) staff (which the guy at the martial arts store told me was a "dragon staff", not sure what that means). I am also going to go and buy a staff made out of chinese wax wood soon (very flexible stuff). Just curious about other types that exist as well. Thanks.
Posted by: Battleguard

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/04/05 08:58 PM

Well.. I use the jo staff, its about 4.5 feet.. I prefer shorter jo staffs over bo staffs..

Mine is also made of red oak..

A staff made from Chinese Wax? You mean covered with Chinese Was, or actually MADE with Chinese wax?

BG
Posted by: JoelM

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/04/05 09:22 PM

Chinese wax wood, it's a type of wood. I believe it's written as "waxwood," one word.

I would like to learn escrima/kali as my first weapon art, but I have learned none yet.

Battle, have you been taught the jo, or is this another self-taught thing? Not trying to talk down to you on this, just curious.
Posted by: Reiki

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/04/05 10:05 PM

Quote:

Well I love staff fighting (6 ft staffs and larger)and was wondering the different types of staffs and woods that are used to make them. I currently am the proud owner of a 6 ft long hardwood (red oak) staff (which the guy at the martial arts store told me was a "dragon staff", not sure what that means). I am also going to go and buy a staff made out of chinese wax wood soon (very flexible stuff). Just curious about other types that exist as well. Thanks.




I own several bo, white oak, red oak and a number of rattan ones in varying thicknesses for sparring.

My jo is Japanese white oak and its very hard [I know this really well from being hit on the head with it by accident during a training session vs bokken].

I've heard the waxwood is quite flexible.
Posted by: imcrazy

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/05/05 12:09 AM

Yeah my red oak staff is incredibly strong and thick (my freind found out the hard way when he was fooling around with it he hit himself on the head quite hard, still had a headache the next morning ). This makes it quite good for training with b/c it is heavier then your typical staff. Hence the reason I want a chinese wax wood staff, b/c they are very light and flexible (great for fast movements), besides the wood is amazing and neat to have around (you can apply alot of force on this stuff, like stepping on it, and it just bends). And yes it is not made of wax , it is called wax wood b/c over time/use the sap or wax in the wood comes through and the wood gets darker and glossier.

I also like jo staffs or short staffs, however my specialty is the bo or long staff (depends which martial art you are in).

PS - JoelM I'm pretty sure "wax wood" is 2 words, did a google on it and everywhere its spelled as the 2 seperate words.
Posted by: Armed_Man_Piker

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/05/05 10:46 PM

The English quarterstaff, AKA the "short staff"--this weapon was typically in the 8-to-9-foot range, and was made of ash (which is lighter and more flexible than oak). George Silver, the famous 16th century swordsman, considered it superior to all other hand weapons (aside from the "Welsh hook", which was a type of bladed polearm).
Posted by: Lord_Skye

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/06/05 10:48 PM

"Staffs"...?
My respect for you just decreased greatly.
Posted by: JoelM

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/06/05 11:09 PM

Quote:

PS - JoelM I'm pretty sure "wax wood" is 2 words, did a google on it and everywhere its spelled as the 2 seperate words.




Well ffffftttt!!

The first website I went to spelled it with one word, so there!!
Posted by: imcrazy

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/06/05 11:13 PM

Are you implying this just b/c i didn't use the word "Bo"? Well I'd just like to let you know that "Bo" is a Japanese term. Believe it or not other martial arts out side of Japan use them, including European ones. I didn't want this to be a Japanese "bo" discussion only, therefore I didn't use the term.
Posted by: SANCHIN31

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/07/05 06:31 AM

I use a 6ft Bo,30in escrimas,and 50in jo that is 2in thick!
Swing away!

p.s. I also know a kata with a paper plate.
Posted by: imcrazy

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/07/05 12:29 PM

Quote:

p.s. I also know a kata with a paper plate.




Man! Now I'm gonna have to burn my staff! Paper plates are SOOOO much cooler!
Posted by: Reiki

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/08/05 06:07 PM

Quote:

I use a 6ft Bo,30in escrimas,and 50in jo that is 2in thick!
Swing away!

p.s. I also know a kata with a paper plate.




I've done one of our bo kata using a cat.

Just goes to show that anything can be used as a weapon.
Posted by: BuDoc

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/09/05 09:08 PM

Sanchin31, I sure would like to learn that paper plate kata!

Page
Posted by: SANCHIN31

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/10/05 03:07 AM

HAHA. I got that as a joke from my instructor. He was talking to a "kung fu master" who told him he know over 6000 techniques and 150 kata. My instructor said wow I bet you even do a kata with a paper plate!!! HAHAHA!!!

Next time you're doing your kata put a paper plate in your waistband. WA LA! A kata "with" a paper plate. Now go tell everyone what you know.
Posted by: Rob Moller

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/14/05 09:38 PM

There are many other woods for staffs. Ipe (ironwood), Cocobolo, Bubinga, Jatoba, brazilian cherry -which are very good for heavy use. Ash, maple, white oak are lighter but durable enough.
Posted by: imcrazy

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/15/05 01:08 AM

Wow I've never even heard of some of them. Sounds quite interesting, maybe when I get some time I will look into those as well.
Posted by: Rob Moller

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/15/05 10:35 PM

I've got 3 lumber mills here in town, and we get lots of exotic woods. Bubinga is a good choice and used a lot in Okinawan weaponry. Lots of the others are S. American and extremely hard. Wenge is an African hardwood, but tends to split a lot in use. So does purple heart. Padauk is another exotic, but good for show weapons, not combat.
Posted by: Ironfoot

Re: The different types of Staffs - 05/31/05 05:10 PM

A friend makes weapons, and has made bo's he calls "purple hearts" which are a beautiful purplish color. I wonder if that's Brazilian cherry. The one he made for me is ash, but its best feature is that it's octaganal. The primary reason for that would be for increased penetration, but the reason I prefer it is that it can't bind up in your hand like a traditional round one might.
Posted by: MAGr

Re: The different types of Staffs - 06/01/05 10:14 AM

I think the store dude meant to say dragon pole?
I thought that that was the wing chun pole (8 foot and tapered on one end?).
I have a 6.2 foot staff and just started learning it.
In fact i would be very interested if anyone can recommend a good instructor of the staff, in any style (i am not picky about style just quality of instruction) in london?
What is agood material to practice with, i have a rosewood staff which is bloody heavy, great exercise! also i will start sparring against swords after i become proficient enough, does anyone know what i could do so that my staff doesnt end up with dents all over? or can that not be avoided?
Posted by: imcrazy

Re: The different types of Staffs - 06/01/05 11:43 AM

Quote:

does anyone know what i could do so that my staff doesnt end up with dents all over? or can that not be avoided?




Well the only way to avoid this, is to not use it. So basically put it on display. I however highly doubt that this was your intention for buying, so if you want to use then its going to get banged up. I wouldn't worry though, if it gets severly damgaed just buy a new one (they aren't like swords which cost a fortune). Thats the great thing about staffs... they are cheap!
Posted by: harlan

staff story - 06/02/05 04:46 PM

Are they cheap? Doesn't seem so when I go online looking for a really strong one for bunkai. I have one that seems to be just right...guess I got lucky.

The first day I started weapons, my teacher told me I would need to acquire a staff by the next class. I asked around, and hear that a place called "Sneakerworld" used to sell MA supplies. I check out the place, and after being examined dubiously by the owner (I am, after all, a rather dumpy, old lady), I am shown a small selection of dusty staffs in the back of the store. All I know is that it needs to be 6 ft long, and tapered. There is only one in the batch that looks sturdy enough. I pick it up, and it 'feels' right.

$19.95 plus tax, and I have my bo. The next class, my teacher examines it, tries it out. Examines it again. "How much did you say you paid for this?"

"About $20."

"You just drove to a sneaker store...and bought the first staff you found?" He hands it back to me, and gives me an odd look.

"This staff could go for $100 easy. Nice bo."
Posted by: Rob Moller

Re: The different types of Staffs - 06/07/05 01:05 AM

Purple heart is one kind of wood, and is not brazilian cherry or another wood known as Jatoba. P. Heart looks great, but splinters easily. Great for show, but fragile.
Posted by: Pess

Re: The different types of Staffs - 06/09/05 12:25 AM

I mostly use bamboo personally, have a nice 9 foot piece that I use, personally cut down and refined ^_^

I also have a couple 5 foot hand made staffs made from a Crate Myrdle (I honestly don't know the name, that's just the phonetical spelling >.<) It's surprisingly hard, considering I found it when my parents were just pruning trees ^_^

I use pretty much whaterver length I can find, though I prefer mine on the longish to very long side. I use some of them to practice spear distance work, last segment dummied up in rope to simulate a blade ^_^
Posted by: Gorgor

Re: The different types of Staffs - 06/09/05 09:13 AM

Hi all,
I'm about to buy a long staff and I wanna to ask which wood I should choose. In my shop they have red oak and rattan. Red oak seems to me too hard and unflexible - all tremble will go into my hands and not be absorbed by the staff, isn't it? So that's why I'd say rattan would be better for training. What do you think, guys?