Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2010 7:56:57 GMT
hi everyone, i just wanted to post and explain who i am firstly my name is jarrod, i live down under in australia, im a junior high school student going into senior in 2011, my fasination with swords came from history and litriture and the occasional movie or anime, i only have one sword which i thought had to be a katana, its really good in my opinion but then again what would i know im new  i have a few questions though, firstly what should I or shouldn't use to cut with my katana (its an entry level thing, hi carb) and secondly what tips are there to keep safe with this thing, i dont plan on using it alot but a few cuts at something is what i had in mind (not being my own limb's), untill i can get to a school sincerely, jarrod |
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ghost
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Post by ghost on Dec 26, 2010 8:50:02 GMT
Welcome dark!
Some suitable materials to cut:
bottles are best for beginners starting with gallon jugs and 1 liter bottles. //fruits but clean your blade thoroughly afterward.
soaked tatami mats,
wet newspapers are harder to cut (Lancelot Chan is pretty pro at it)
have an adult watch you -> preferably 12 feet or further behind your back.
may I ask what katana you have?
ps. flip down to the backyard cutting section and enjoy some videos! - great for learning safety and technique
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2010 10:32:40 GMT
thanks ghost,
my katana was made in australia, at sa ronin it was a custom made one (cant remember all the specs) its got high carbon steel blade not sure what carbon rating, its cotton wrap both the saego and grip, black laqured saya and all black with a black tsuba that has a crane with its wings flare. theres probly a hundred diffrent things but im not sure what's what,
i can remember when i went to go pic it up with my dad, (the guy who runs the store also made it i think) he said that when you cut plastic it leaves some tiney slivers of hot plastic on the blade thanks to the friction, is that true or is he pulling my leg
thanks for your help
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Sébastien
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Retired Moderator
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Post by Sébastien on Dec 26, 2010 17:51:37 GMT
Hello Dark Inferno ! Welcome to SBG, I hope you will like beeing here For backayrd cutting, I suggest water-filled plastic bottles. They are easy and convenient to obtain and aren't very hard to cut (depending on how you use your blade, and the blade geometry of your sword). Here's a page with tons of good informations about cutting ; www.sword-buyers-guide.com/sword-fighting.htmlI suggest that you check out RicWilly's safety clip before cutting. It's very straightforward and fun to watch and has plenty of vital, helpful hints about cutting without hurting yourself. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 1:39:15 GMT
thanks sebastien
i think i will do that, might try out some cutting today
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 5:59:21 GMT
Welcome to the SBG Dark Inferno, you're sure in the right place to get your questions answered. I also think checking out RicWilly's safety video is a good move, seeing that and realizing this forum was populated with people who shared their knowledge like that and were so helpful was what convinced me to join in the first place. Good to meet you, I hope you enjoy it here, have fun cutting!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 6:30:40 GMT
well the cutting went okay, those little plastic bottles bounced off leaving only a small impact cut and not going through the whole bottle, it was think plastic and it was small so that contributated to it, i also tried on card boared farmers union iced coffee containers those worked well with water but ill have to take a look around and try new targets of that type
thanks for your help everyone its is very nice to know you can get some decent help from here
sincerely, dark inferno
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 19:56:13 GMT
Welcome to the forum, mate. I live in northern Canada and as I'm writing this, a friend from Port McArthur is looking over my shoulder. When he saw what I was doing, he said, "Bloody Aussies! They're EVERYWHERE!" Anyhow, good to have you.
And a suggestion for your backyard cutting: When you first start out, it's a good idea to have some kind of buffer object on your cutting stand - something to sit your bottle on rather than directly on the stand. I often suggest a block of styrofoam or corrugated cardboard. That way if you make a bad cut, you don't run the risk of damaging your sword.
May your sword never break
May your armour never rust
May your life end on a field of honour
by a hundred year-old sword that your enemy forges tomorrow.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 22:08:48 GMT
ha ha aussie's everywere, were going to take over............never mind, I just used a log in a flower pot with dirt to keep it in place,its a little low to the ground so ill probly try and construct something better with that kind of safety in it
thanks dodger for that advice
sincerely, dark inferno
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avery
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Manufacturer/Vendor
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Post by avery on Dec 28, 2010 5:09:49 GMT
Howdy Dark Inferno, glad to have you on the trail with us. I did move your thread to the "welcome wagon" board, hope you don't mind.  One thing I will harp on has already been said; make sure that when you cut to start, have somebody else around. A lot of us cut alone, which really is never a good idea, but many of us have done a thousand cuts. Or in Ricwillys case a billion or so. Anything can happen though, so be safe 'till you get the hang of it. If you have a good blade you're confident with, focus on edge alignment. A sharp sword will bat a bottle across the yard or flub a tatami mat with bad alignment; or worse you can "set" your blade giving it a bad bend. I'd say start with milk jugs, they are very easy to cut. Once you feel good about that, go to drink bottles, but watch out for gatorade bottles those buggers are hard to cut well. Everyone else has given excellent advice so the last thing I'll say is always be careful, try to stop the blade and recover as quickly as possible once your through the target and use that common sense thing we always here about.  Good luck and I look forward to future talks! |
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One thing I will harp on has already been said; make sure that when you cut to start, have somebody else around. A lot of us cut alone, which really is never a good idea, but many of us have done a thousand cuts. Or in Ricwillys case a billion or so. Anything can happen though, so be safe 'till you get the hang of it.
