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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2010 19:09:46 GMT
Are tatami mats worth the expense? I mean, I went up to the "local" sword shop (Reliks' brick and mortar place, about an hour and a half away, recession hit the Canadian sword business hard), and the holder was about $40 or something, with the mats being $8.99 each! Is all that money really worth it, or do cans and bottlesand whatnot suffice, while being basically free (I mean, you buy them fo the drink inside, then have cans and bottles left over)?
Which do you prefer, and is spending ten bucks a mat really worth it, especially considering the first mat is going to be about $50-$60 with the stand?
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Post by YlliwCir on Sept 1, 2010 19:38:15 GMT
Herobane, I think that's a bit high. I got twenty mats from here and I think I paid between five and six dollars (US) per mat including shipping. As to the stand it's really easy to make your own. I made mine out of wood I found beside the road and scraps from construction sites. Even paying for the wood would be cheaper than you could buy a stand for I would think. As to whether they are worth it is debatable and dependent on what your interests are. Hardcore kat enthusiasts and euro enthusiasts too for that matter would probably say yes. Me, I'm a kick around the backyard kinda guy and bottles and other stuff I find laying around or in the fridge will do me fine for the most part. A part of me balks at spending money I could use on swords for something I'm gonna cut up and throw out. Having said that, I'd say it is worthwhile to cut some tatami occasionally for the experience. It's definitely a different medium and there's a reason the professional types use it.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2010 20:35:25 GMT
$8.99 isn't too high for the cost of tatami if you can purchase it and take it home right away. Yes you can order it from Nihonzashi in larger quantities (20 at a time or more) and get better pricing however you're also looking at a much larger single investment of money. Figure one case of 20 mats $113.80 after shipping. Factors out to $5.69 per mat which is great however there is the fact that you're spending $113+ right away and you have to wait for shipping time.
Now figure you can drive and get the mats the day before you want to cut - and pick up only the amount you want, be it 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. In the long run obviously its a good idea to pick up the mats from Nihonzashi in bulk but in the short run (especially for someone who hasn't got that kind of money to burn in one purchase) $8.99/mat isn't bad. Trust me I've seen worse.
As for the cutting stand you can make your own stand for way less money.
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Post by YlliwCir on Sept 1, 2010 20:40:47 GMT
That's a good point, Sam. I myself bought my first mats from KOA, a set of five. It was a bit more per mat with shipping but a smaller initial investment than buying bulk from Nihonzashi. Probably a wiser move seeing as how cutting mats may turn out to not be one's thing.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2010 20:49:46 GMT
There's also beach mats to consider, which can be found almost anywhere that offeres pool and beach supplies for $1.99-3.99 each. They're not quite like cutting tatami, but they're close enough for the price. Also, Don't cut cans! metal cans can seriously damage your sword, not to mention have dangerous edges after they are cut. Water bottles are MUCH safer for everyone concerned.
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Post by YlliwCir on Sept 1, 2010 21:05:33 GMT
Yeah, I've cut a few cans. Midori, I agree not a good idea. Ain't that much fun either.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2010 1:57:15 GMT
When you consider the shipping charges that might not be that bad of a deal unless you are planning to be buying them in bulk. Also Build your own stand, you buy the wood required for like 5-10 bucks depending on if they'll sell you wood by the foot at your hardware store. Heres the link to make your own stand if you want to: www.tameshigiri.com/make_a_stand.htmlwww.tameshigiri.com/assets/target_stand.pdf
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 2, 2010 4:16:06 GMT
do not spend $9+ per mat they just aren't worth that, but they are worth a lot as a target and are way better than bottles and better than beach mats too. if you are in canada try ordering from wiwingti. shipping is the big cost hike on tatami so buy them from the closest place you can. I don't usually pay more than $5 per mat after shipping. you gotta search around for where the best place is. can be quite a search at times. but do try and get them, they will really teach you a lot.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2010 4:18:47 GMT
Also, Don't cut cans! metal cans can seriously damage your sword, not to mention have dangerous edges after they are cut. Water bottles are MUCH safer for everyone concerned. Oh, the cans are for the axe and the mace, I keep the slicing weapons away from them. Plastic bottles just..... don't really work with the mace. But aluminum cans...... it can tear whole sides off! And if I'm working with swords and knives, why would can edges scare me? (I kid, of course) I'll have to look into the beach mats and wahtnot people are suggesting, although so far my favourite thing to cut is definitely bottles. Ah, the popping sound as the metal whacks into it and seperates it.....
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2010 18:37:13 GMT
I was going to recommend Nihonzashi-as YlliwCir did. And make a stand. You'll just need one two by four-one 3 ft 4X4 and some screws. Oh and a 3/4 Inch Oak Dowel. ten bucks at most and you probably have some or all materials at home.
As far as the mats go, I think they are worth it. I don't order or cut them all the time-but it's impressive to know what your sword will actually do. There are hardly comparable to soft targets such as water filled Bottles. You can also tell if your cuts are straight or not. And if One Mat seems easy-you can try two. Or harvest some 1 1/2 inch bamboo and roll a mat or two around it. You'll get about five cuts per Mat. Maybe more if your aim is good.
I'm not sure what type of sword you are using- but this advice is based on The use of good quality katana adequate for Tameshigiri.
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