The Unsafe and the Absurd
This is a follow up to the Martial Art Weapons 1 blog I
posted back a couple of months ago.
Keeping in mind the following rules which I discussed before
- Safety is the primary concern.
- Price shouldn’t be the determining factor, durability and safety should.
- What is it’s primary use going to be?
- As a general rule you get what you pay. So keep in mind rule #1.
Tonfa on left has space between the handle and the base |
In the photo notice how the handle is attached to
the tonfa body, this is from a leading martial arts supply manufacturer. When using your weapons for real contact
against other weapons this could be very dangerous. Compare it to the higher quality but more
expensive tonfa on the right, from Pro Budo.
When practicing against other weapons with contact opt for the higher
quality, because they both last longer and they are safer in the long run.
The handle is actually cut 1/2 way through due to a manufacturing process error, this is the 2nd set I received from the manufacturer after I complained about the same defect on the 1st pair. |
Notice how wooden blades are broken due to contact |
Even with training weapons when contact is being made they
can break. Notice how these wooden
training kama have broken or chipped over time, the sharper metal training kama aren’t used against the good quality Bo because they
would cut into or chip the more expensive Bo.
When the wooden training kama are used,
care is used not to go full force keeping safety in mind.
The author's training kama along side of the toy kama |
The kama is a sickle use to
harvest grain, cut weeds etc. etc. The blade is sharp and meant to cut with; or as
one instructor told me a edged weapon acts as a matter separator (think about it). Traditional kama
katas have the person being cut, decapitated, stabbed etc. etc. and if mistakes
are made when practicing using live steel (i.e. sharp) kamas then someone has
scars (I speak from experience and have the scar to prove it). What
an instructor was doing teaching a 7 year old Yellow belt kama kata and/or
techniques (probably with kama such as these),
I have no idea. In reality the only
separating happening; was the mother from her hard earned money, and the
instructor from his integrity in taking it.