Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2009 13:26:26 GMT
Hey So im pretty sure this must have been asked b4 but im still curious so I figured Id ask Ive been doing some backyard cutting since getting my first sword (Hanwei Ninja-to) and Ive been having some serious problems with horizontal cuts i get maybe one out of 5 cuts when going for horizontals
any advise ? videos could help (I'll post a video of me doing Horizontal swing asap)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2009 15:19:05 GMT
the video will help a lot... frankly i find a horizontal cut to be one of if not the most difficult of the basic cuts. when you do the cut do you draw through the target or just kind of hit it like you're using a bat?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2009 15:39:43 GMT
Now the technique really depends on weather you are attempting to execute a Yoko-Giri or a Suihei-giri. But either way it is a horizontal cut, it just depends on the level and height that you start. Well, the best advise I can give you is to practice using a sword with Bo-Hi. This will allow you to tell audibly if your cutting edge is on the correct angle. You will hear both sides if the Hi sing with a pronounced tachi-kaze (sword wind) if your edge angle is correct. This goes for all cuts for that matter. There are other factors that will improve your success in cutting as well, like grip, body movement or lack thereof, technique employed in your swing, just to name a few. But a sword with a bo-hi would be a good start in training your body for the proper movements.
|
|
|
Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Jun 20, 2009 0:41:27 GMT
I agree with the statement that horizontal cuts are HARD, the hardest of the basic cuts. Edge alignment is important and hard to get right. as natural as the horizontal cut seems like it should be it isn't. you need to do a lot of very slow practice and observe your blade to see if you are getting the angle right. next you want to put some draw in your cut. to do this you extend your arms almost all the way out (do not lock your elbows, ever) and just about the time you sword is about to make contact start pulling your fist in towards your body. another trick is to observe the angle the target move across your blade. what I mean is this: your target will cut easier if it does not travel from edge to back at a 90 degree angle it is better if you make your sword hit in such a way that the target travel at a 45 degree angle across your blade. any angle plus or minus of 90 degrees will improve the ease of the cut but 45 is the best. this can be hard to figure out at first but I think it's easier than drawing with the cut. this angle business is why some people have trouble cutting with a straight sword and not a curved one. you see the curved sword makes it pretty hard to cut through at a 90 degree angle thus improving your cut without you even knowing it. this is also the reason I often say a curved sword does NOT cut better than a straight one but it does help YOU cut better. if that makes sense. that last statement is gonna get the katana guys throwing things at me, but I don't care, I'm still right.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2009 2:49:24 GMT
this is also the reason I often say a curved sword does NOT cut better than a straight one but it does help YOU cut better. if that makes sense. that last statement is gonna get the katana guys throwing things at me, but I don't care, I'm still right. Hey, don't forget us saber guys too!! ;D ;D ;D
|
|
|
Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Jun 20, 2009 6:35:14 GMT
OH I didn't forget you saber guys, I just don't think you guys need to be razzed as much. ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2009 17:27:20 GMT
so a curved sword helps ? which would explain why my new katana I got yesterday performs horizontals better than my Ninjato does even with a very small sori it still makes a difference
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2009 19:24:37 GMT
Oh ya, a sword with sori does help with most cuts.
|
|
|
Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Jun 20, 2009 20:48:45 GMT
if you want to put it that way, sure. but really, not so much. if you lay a katana into your target at a flat 90 degrees to the blade you will get the same performance, or lack there-of. if you know what you are doing and know how to make the sword land at the right angle (or whatever angle you wish for that matter) it will make no difference if you cut with a straight or curved blade. not to say the katana guys don't know what they are doing, I just think they have never looked at it that way because they don't normally deal with straight blades.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2009 18:19:45 GMT
So I finally got a chance to put a video together heres a video of me cutting stuff using my ninjato, my new katsumushi katana and my friends daedo
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2009 21:40:11 GMT
it looks to me like most of the time you're batting at the targets and that you don't keep your sword level through the cut. what i mean by that is to me it looks like when you do your horizontal cut it actually moves on a slanted line rather than a horizontal one which i'm sure isn't helping at all. and with japanese style swords especially you need to slice instead of chop which is where the drawing through the target comes in.
|
|
|
Post by Lancelot Chan on Jun 24, 2009 10:24:33 GMT
My tries on horizontal cut.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2009 11:13:24 GMT
from watching your vid, i would try cutting targets at a slightly higher level ( raise your cutting stand ) . see if that makes any difference
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2009 15:49:57 GMT
The target being higher will help for sure. But it's also about body mechanics, positioning and edge alignment. It's hard to explain without having you go through it slowly and analyzing your swing from start to finish. Then having you do it with a sword that has bo-hi so you can hear what is going on through the full range of your swing. It also looks like you are twisting the sword as you go through your swing and trying to over power the strike instead of relaxing and letting the sword do what it's designed and wants to do. Near the end when you where using your new Katsumushi (congrats again) you looked a little better. You looked more relaxed with that one opposed to the ninja-to.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2009 18:09:37 GMT
Like wizzbang said - you're trying to power your way through the cuts. It does also look like your edge alignment is off. A mistake many people make (expecially untrained but not limited to the untrained) is twisting the blade as they cut. It can be seen in what follows the actual cut itself.
Maintain your edge alignment and that will do wonders for your cutting. Please also keep en eye on your body mechanics. Kinda hard to just say - more of you need someone there to critique you and help you put your body into the correct position every step of the way... like a teacher or sensei.
Oh btw - what on earth is a Katsumushi? Who makes them and who sells them?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2009 18:39:46 GMT
a katsumashi is a limited edition sword by hanwei you can get it at reliks.com green battle wrap with a tonbo theme
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2009 12:40:41 GMT
Thank you for the explanation.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2009 17:29:19 GMT
Its also GLORIOUS !
|
|
|
Post by YlliwCir on Jun 26, 2009 23:40:15 GMT
Good effort, Hairu. Keep at it. +1
I gave it a try using a variety of blades. In order of appearance; Windlass Spartan Lakonian, Kris Cutlery Gladius, Musashi Wind Dragon, Valiant Armoury AT304S and Valiant Armoury AT303S (both VA's are first generation). Please excuse my appearance and the smell, I'd just returned from the Y.
I think the VA AT303S did the best. What say you?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2009 2:14:50 GMT
What say I? I say nice job Rick!
|
|