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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2009 23:11:57 GMT
I had my first bottle cutting session today. It turned out worse than I expected. Bottles were batted more than they were cut, and most of the "cut"bottles were torn in half more than they were actually sliced by the sharp edge of the blade. I was using my 304S, so I thought that I would do a lot better. Was it this hard for you during your first time cutting?
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Post by YlliwCir on Sept 20, 2009 23:25:07 GMT
In a word, yes. I played quite a bit of baseball at first and still do from time to time for old times sake, don't ya know. We know the 304S will cut from you're report about the first bottle you swung on. Is often the way with me, a sword will cut really nice right out of the box and then another time not as well, maybe I get complacient. The best sword in the world won't cut if I don't no my part correctly. I'd say study some cutting vids, ShooterMike has some nice instructional ones, and go from there. Also would be a help if we saw a vid of you in action to see what you may or may not be doing in the way of aiding your cut. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 0:40:01 GMT
I posted a link to the carnage of my cutting session. I will try to get a few videos of me flubbing cuts.
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Post by shadowhowler on Sept 21, 2009 4:18:06 GMT
Hey... you built a couple of Tom Style stands... right on. Some of those bottles looked pretty crunched up... sometimes I have a good cutting session, sometimes bad. Sometimes its the sword, sometimes its me. There are so many varriables.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 6:17:23 GMT
Trust me, it's probably you. Haha, no offense meant whatsoever, you actually did better than me the first time I tried cutting with a straight sword. It was definitely this hard for me or harder. I've cut with my 304S, first time out was the first time I had cut with a straight sword and yea, I was not good. I was freaked out enough that I thought there might be something off with the edge, and I went and posted a huge old anxiety-laden thread on here asking for help. Turns out the edge is better than fine, tom helped me fine some ways to test its sharpness, (paper isn't the best tester). It was all on me--I have real problems with edge alignment since I play so much tennis. After learning more, practicing more, changing my sword angle on impact, and consciously working to change my natural tendency to want to "put spin on the ball" I've been able to get some cuts that go through water bottles like a lazer. But things still get batted here and there. Like any activity, there's a learning curve. We can't all cut like Shootermike, and certainly not on our first try! Good luck, you already know you are capable of making a silent cut on a water bottle, no? Just get back to it. Oh! and where are you striking on the sword? My cuts got a lot better w/ the 304S when I started cutting nearer to the tip, not right on the vibrational node you see when you strike the pommel.
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 21, 2009 6:17:23 GMT
well gosh I wish I could watch this video but it's going to be almost a week before I get the chance.
without even seeing you cut I'm going to venture two guesses on what went wrong and I think they'll be good guesses because not only are they things almost everyone new to cutting does but also they are things us experienced cutters do a lot when we are not on top of things.
1. Your edge alignment was off. this is the #1 cause of batted bottles or targets of any kind. it really is the most important thing. not that there aren't plenty of other things that are super important and that can flub you up but if you get your edge alignment spot on you can slop your way through a lot of those other things and still get a cut. maybe not a good cut but a cut all the same. hold your hand like you will deliver a karate-chop. not a real one if you are a martial artist and know to cup you hand a bit and support the bridge with your thumb etc. no, I want a hollywood-captain-kirk vs the kilngons straight and flat handed chop. now take your thumb off the side of your hand and use it to make a C-clamp shape with the rest of your hand. now with you hand empty practice the cutting motions you use with your sword. if you had a pencil sticking out of the tip of each finger and you made your cuts so the tips would draw on a piece of paper each cut should produce only one solid line. now your flat hand is acting like a blade with the pinky as the forward edge and your index finger as the back edge. this is how your sword needs to be aligned AND the same body motions that make your chop draw a single line will deliver a good edge-aligned sword cut. now take your sword and put it in the space between your thumb and palm/index finger. next gently curl your pinkly then ring then middle, then index fingers around the hilt. keep them relaxed no need to choke your sword. now do the exact same motions and you should be doing very basic but well aligned cuts.
2. foot work. I'm just going to copy and paste something for you. it's from an english translation of a fechtbuch by master Ringeck. I think he knows what he's talking about."Note: This is the first tenet of the long sword: learn to strike blows equally well from both sides if you want to learn to fence well. Note: If you want to strike from the (your) right side, make sure, your left foot is forward (at the beginning); if you want to strike from the left side, the right foot must be forward. If you strike an Oberhau from the right side then, follow the blow with your right foot. If you do not the blow is wrong and ineffective, because your right side stays behind. Because of this the blow will fall short and cannot travel in its proper arc towards the left side. If you strike from the left side and you do not follow the blow, it too is wrong,. That is why no matter from which side you are striking follow the blow with the same foot. So you will succeed in all techniques. This is how you shall strike all blows." I would add only that you be sure to keep you knees bent and springy, I see a lot of new guys cutting stiff-legged.
hopefull I hit at least one nail on the head, please forgive my assumptions. even if these are not your problems I bet you could use to work on them, and I say that because I can still use work on them.
can't wait to see you cutting Jonathan, in the mean time here's a karma for your first posted cutting video.
+1
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Post by shadowhowler on Sept 21, 2009 7:32:26 GMT
Don't get excited Tom... its NOT a cutting video... its just a video of Jon walking around picking up bottles off the ground from AFTER he cut.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 10:53:28 GMT
It sounds to me like my edge alignment is off, because I bent my legs and stepped into the cut like Tom said to do. Today I will try to put some videos of me messing up on youtube.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 13:11:17 GMT
My God I can still hear the bottles screaming (wow the utter carnage) Sorry Jonathan It's great your finally out there cutting,it's a lot more fun than just talking about it.I havent cut in like 6 or 7 years and started again finally.I have always owned two handed or bastard swords so my cuts were pretty good using two hands.However lately i started cutting with single handed swords and your bottles look good compared to mine.I think we both need the same thing,Practice,Practice,Practice,but at least it's fun and theres a lot of help around here for cutting beginners like us.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 15:20:46 GMT
As said, Jon, work on your edge alignment and make sure to add some draw to the cut! I found that last to be an issue with straight blades.
Don't let it discourage you. A few weeks ago I couldn't cut. I batted nearly everything. No matter what I did I could not slice anything. It was really quite fustrating. I rested a few days and tried again. Same results. I took a 2 week break tried again and I was back in form cutting through everything nice and clean. Nothing really change that I could tell. I guess I had a slump?
I'm glad you're finally cutting. You'll be doing great in no time.
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Post by sparky on Sept 21, 2009 21:16:09 GMT
I'm glad you're finally cutting. You'll be doing great in no time. YES. It is very exiting to be a part of you having and using a sword. Just don't get discouraged and listen to advice. These guys have really helped me. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 23:04:36 GMT
In a few minutes I am going to begin round 2, so wish me luck.
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Post by mrkrinkle on Sept 21, 2009 23:12:34 GMT
Yes, you must post a video of you actually cutting so we can see what is exactly happening......and so bloodwraith can comment on how sempriniesque your form is!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 23:24:41 GMT
In a few minutes I am going to begin round 2, so wish me luck. Wishing away! Have fun, and tell us about it!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 23:31:45 GMT
In a few minutes I am going to begin round 2, so wish me luck. Forget luck. I'm going to wish you FUN! That's why we do it.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 0:46:47 GMT
I have to say that I did a lot better this time. I actually cut the bottles more than I batted them away, lol. My younger brother shows a lot of potential. I had one bottle left and I let him cut it. He made a silent cut on the bottle, with the bottom half undisturbed on the stand. I haven't done that so far, and I regret not making a video of his cut. I will make a compilation of my mistakes tomorrow as long as I have time.
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