We present our developments in videos of fencing with katanas, machetes and knives. After watching our films, you may discover some new aspects of history, weapons, and culture. This section presents fencing techniques, the technique of their implementation, and the technique of movement during execution. Knife fighting videos on techniques and techniques will delight anyone who is seriously involved in knife fighting. We pay a lot of attention to technique, all our lessons are designed so that you can watch not just the quick execution of techniques, but understand how this technique is performed. For this reason, the show is often performed in a slightly slower format, which of course does not negate its fast execution during production. Separately, there are sparrings - videos of knife fights. Here you can see the real application of the techniques shown earlier in other videos.
Standing apart are small feature films related to weapons, the history of samurai, the making of samurai swords, traditions, old photographs and much more. We sincerely hope you enjoy these films.
Another aspect of our knife fight videos is testing strikes and weapons on real flesh - on pieces of meat - on pork knuckles, pork side. This is necessary to understand HOW a blow is delivered with one or another weapon, what passes and what does not, and often commonly used myths are dispelled during such testing. We don't want to be like Discovery or Cold Steel, not at all, but we like their format and we adopted it for ourselves.
We sincerely hope our videos of knife fighting, techniques with a katana and machete will not disappoint you and you will find something useful for yourself in them.
Do-it-yourself katana sharpening
Sharpening a katana with your own hands is not nearly as difficult as it might seem.
In ancient times in Japan there were special masters, who carried out sharpening on water stones for weeks. There have always been very few such masters and their services were incredibly expensive. Not only was the cutting edge itself processed, but the blade itself was polished - all this was part of the understanding of sharpening a katana. Today, sharpening refers to processing only cutting edge blade and bringing it to a razor-sharp state.
Contrary to popular belief, this is quite easy to do today at home with your own hands. The standard cost of a one-time blade sharpening is from 1,500 rubles. But what can you do yourself at home - how to sharpen a blade so as not to spoil it? Well, first of all, you need to understand why you are sharpening your katana. For chopping makiwar from rice straws is one thing, for chopping not too thick tree trunks is another thing, for chopping all sorts of meat items such as sausages is something else.
Let's do real sharpening of a katana at home with our own hands.
The weapon used was a Chinese katana, hardness up to 52 - 54 units, monosteel, spring, nothing unusual, a fairly cheap sample.
For sharpening we took musat, a fiskars type sharpening device with rotating stones, and a bottle of oil.
First, from a blade - a completely working one, which has just been used to chop a lot of plastic bottles using musat, all small roughness and burrs are removed.
Then, using a Fiskars type sharpening device, the knurling edge of the katana is sharpened.
The result is checked on a piece of paper. Typically one pass for normal paper cutting and razor sharp not enough and therefore the blade is lubricated with oil and rolled back into the sharpening devices.
Taking your time, a katana blade can be sharpened in three to five steps.
As you can see from the video, a sharpened katana cuts paper like a razor.
Japanese swords and other weapons have become a hobby for many people. You can make your own katana using this tutorial.
In the photo you can see all the materials and tools that you will need during work.
First you need to make the blade. To do this, take a metal plate 1 meter long and 7 cm wide. The thickness of the metal should be at least 5 mm. Spray the plate with varnish and let it dry.
Using a grinder with cutting disc give the required form katana blade. Then use an abrasive disc to polish the metal. Also remove the wavy edge from the edges of the blade.
When the shape of the blade is perfect, paint and varnish it again and let it dry. Draw a line down the center of the blade.
Using an abrasive sanding disc, grind down the cutting edges.
Do the same on the other side. The end of the blade should be about 1mm thick as a result. Please note that the blade must be perfectly straight, without snags or undulations.
You can make a guard of any shape from leftover metal.
Then you need to make a guard (tsuba), a sheath (saya) and a handle (tsuka). To determine the shape of the guard, apply the finished blade to the metal. Paint the finished guard with appropriate paint.
Now draw the outline of the handle. When doing this, take into account the thickness of the guard. Don't forget that the sketch will be in a mirror position.
By using milling machine cut the wood into the desired shape.
Label the parts of the handle that will connect the two parts.
Once the two handle parts are ready, place the blade between them and secure the guard.
When making the sheath, consider the length and thickness of the blade.
Sand both parts of the sheath smoothly and glue them together.
You now have three parts of a katana.
Now you should polish the blade with sandpaper.
Then you can coat the blade with wax.
Then you need to do artificial turf blade.
Now grind the tip of the blade.
Rub the entire blade to prevent rust.
Now glue all the parts of the katana together.
Cover wooden surfaces soft matte varnish.
Gloss varnish can also be coated.
Other knives and swords can be made in a similar way.
This knowledge is necessary for the customer when ordering a katana, for the master when making a katana, and for anyone who delves into the topic of the perfect Japanese edged weapon - katanas.
Here we will look at one of the elements of this weapon, namely katana handle device.
Common name of handle: tsuka.
And so let's get started:
Tsuka- katana handle.
Kasira– pommel. Rather, it’s even a lid that has a decorative and practical purpose. Kasira– the handle ends with a metal cover and has a hole for passing the tape, which is used to braid the handle.
Same– stingray leather, a traditional covering material for the wooden handle of a katana. Expensive material.
Ho- wooden katana handles.
– decorative element, used to finish the handle of a katana.
- a hole and pin used to hold the handle of a katana.
- This is the base of the blade on which the handle elements are mounted.
– a fastening and decorative clutch of the handle, together with the cashier, holds the wooden linings of the handle assembled.
- metal washers have both a decorative and practical function. Only two pieces are installed on both sides of the tsuba.
Unlike the European sword, the Japanese sword had the function of protecting the hand when struck with a tsuba, which was the last thing.
– fastening coupling, the main task is to create a tight connection between the blade and the sheath.
Not marked in the image. But it is equally important to indicate an element such as:
Tsuka-ito– tape used to wrap the handle.
Now, we know the terminology. And we understand what the handle of a Japanese katana consists of. Now, using this knowledge, we can figure out what the stylization of the handle of the katana made by the Zbroevy Falvarak workshop consists of.
For example, let's take one of the previously made katanas:
Katana handle from the Zbroevy Falvarak workshop
As you can see we do non-collapsible handle, but at the same time, save significant amount, characteristic elements of the original katana handle .
Menuki, fuchi, sepa are brass casting.
Tsuka-ito – leather tape, which is no less typical for a katana.
Same- normal skin.
Absent: mekugi and habuki.
Here is a photo standard set on the handle of a katana, workshop "Zbroevy falvarak" (menuki is missing, but it is also included in the set)
Standard set for katana hilt, Zbroevy Falvarak workshop
Generally, This high level stylization. However, we strive for more.
But by default our handle looks like this .
The katana is a long, two-handed, slightly curved sword invented in Japan. In this article we will tell you how to make a katana with your own hands. In this case, we will talk about a real katana made of hardened steel, and not just about paper and wooden crafts.
Tools and materials
The first stage of making a katana begins with collecting necessary materials and tools. We will need a hammer, anvil, smelter, forge and various polishing and grinding tools for final processing of the product. The materials you need to stock up on are ferrous sand (it is advisable to find good black sand, if not from Japan itself, then at least of decent quality), and also charcoal, sandstone powder, clay, water and rice straw. If you have everything you need, you can start making a katana.
Steelmaking
First, we light charcoal and immerse black sand in the smelter. The melting point of sand must be at least 1500 degrees. We need to smelt about 4 kilograms of steel. Now we divide the steel into high-carbon steel and low-carbon steel (gray-black). We place large and small pieces of charcoal at the bottom of the forge and set it on fire, and then place high-carbon steel there. Next, grind the charcoal and place it evenly along the bottom of the forge along with rice straw. After that, we put high-carbon steel on top (one layer) and fill it with charcoal on top. We quickly pump the bellows until clean steel remains in the forge.
Forging and hardening of the product
Now we take out the steel and begin to forge flat sheets from the pieces. The thickness of the sheets should not exceed 5 mm. We place pieces of high-carbon steel on a steel blank with a handle, wrap it in paper and apply clay. Next, we put the steel in the forge, fill it with charcoal and heat until white(about 30-40 minutes). Then we do this: we take out the resulting piece of steel, hit it with a hammer several times and heat it again. This procedure must be repeated at least 5 times. After this, we take the low-carbon steel that was set aside in advance, forge a bar from it, roll it up and forge it again - we do this about 10 times.
Finally, we start preparing the blade. To do this, we split the block and forge a rectangular plate. Now we stretch the plate perpendicular to the length, giving the blade the required shape. We process the edges of the blade with a file until the desired quality is obtained. All that remains is to make a handle for our katana. To do this, you can use a couple of bars, which can then be wrapped with leather and cotton cord. That's all - our katana is ready.
Katanas made of wood and paper
A few words about how to make a katana out of wood. There is nothing complicated here. For wooden katana we will need wooden blank, which just needs to be processed with the appropriate tools: jigsaw, chisel, hammer and files. Cut out the desired shape and then sand it down. Of course, such work requires perseverance and patience, but making a katana from wood will require much less effort than making a combat katana. Before cutting out the workpiece, it is advisable to mark it with special marking tools so that you get exactly the shape you want. And finally, how to make a katana out of paper? Making a katana from thick paper is quite simple: you need to mark its contours and then simply cut out along them.
Sword work is one of the main training booths. And since ancient times, it has been used to practice chopping movements and positions with weapons. bokken- wooden sword, designed to replicate the main characteristics (size, shape and weight) of a real sword ( Shinken). Over time, the attitude towards martial arts changed, giving priority to practical benefits to internal development, and the type of training sword acquired standard, unified parameters. This kind of unification did not benefit the development of real skills at all, but it greatly simplified technological process mass production bokken. How to independently make a training sword from wood (or other materials) will be discussed below.
First, you need to understand what you want to get in the end, and for what purpose you need it: a sword for practicing forms, for bloody sparring, for honorably hoisting on a wall, etc. If you are going to study at a formal school where teaching is expected kenjutsu in any form, try to find out in advance what requirements will be imposed on the weapon. If appearance or strict compliance with standards is fundamental - then seriously think about purchasing a factory tool - a smoothly turned wooden weapon, a practical plastic representative Cold Steel or bamboo shinai. Fortunately, they are now sold in almost any weapons or sporting goods store, and real cabinetmakers are ready to provide their services everywhere.
If your current priority is to create a training sword as an applied tool that does not require great skill, excessive time and money, but replicates the simulated weapon in the basic characteristics, then you can try to make it yourself.
Dimensions . A traditional bokken has the following dimensions:
- Daito(the larger of the paired swords acts as katanas, tachi) - length about 102 cm, tsuka (handle) about 24 cm.
- Shoto(smaller - wakizashi, kodati) - length 55 cm, handle 14 cm.
If you want to do ninja, Do not forget that exact dimensions no one will give it to you - these weapons were either made to order individually (or even independently), or other people’s blades were used. As a rule, the length of a ninja is usually taken as the average between daito and seto - the length is about 70-80 cm, the handle is about 20.
Material . The most heartbreaking moment. If you want to get a tool for practicing racks, a cut one will be enough for you. cardboard box. If you want your bokuto had a considerable weight and definitely resembled a real weapon, then you will have to take care of quality material. Classic - wood. For sparring the best varieties Trees considered to be dogwood, oak (better - Japanese white), hornbeam, acacia, boxwood. It is better to avoid all pine, birch and alder trees. Oreshina - too, although the author’s hazel bokken survived a couple of years of active clashes with swords made of textolite, duralumin and pressed plywood. Textolite is also a solution, although it is more relevant for the role-playing movement than for BI (because it is hard, painful and not authentic in any eye).
Tools . The best thing is a workshop with a full set of electrical equipment - a jigsaw, a grinder. You may also need a hacksaw, a plane, a vice, a knife, stationery for marking, sandpaper and files. Optional: varnish and brush.
Blank . For the layman best choice to find the source, you will have to wander around the forest for a couple of hours and look for branches of sufficient thickness with a natural bend, closest to Japanese swords. Creating an artificial bend will not lead to anything good, there are hundreds of broken bokuto of this kind around the world - the best for that proof. If there is no forest nearby, then purchasing timber or boards from a building materials store is inevitable. The block, of course, will have to be taken slightly larger in size than the planned final result.
So, the process itself :
- Dry the stored branches; it is better to do this in a dark, ventilated room, away from sources of temperature changes (batteries, refrigerators). In the case of timber, drying is not necessary.
- Mark the workpiece - draw the shape of the future blade with a pencil. Ideally, you can borrow a ready-made bokken and make markings based on it. If you are making wooden chokuto(straight sword), then there will be even fewer problems - a ruler and tape measure will help you.
- Carefully saw off/cut off the excess lengths of the material, leaving about half a centimeter of margin for sanding.
- Start processing with a plane or grinder the combat part of the blade, forming the “blade”. Remember that the shape and thickness of bokken varies even in modern schools. The back of the blade should be flat (if possible), with clearly defined edges. But if there aren’t any, it’s okay, you’re not making a museum piece.
Kashima-boken Aikiken Yagyu-boken
- Having finished shaping the blade, proceed to processing the handle - the correct handle should have an oval cross-section, turning into the blade either smoothly or through a protrusion (rudimentary guard).
- The bottom of the handle should simply be “cut off”, but the tip of the blade (kissaki) can have several different shapes: just an oblique cut, a rounded end or a slightly oiled “chisel” cut - all three options are the “classic” shapes for bokuto.
Iwama Shinto, Yagyu, Kenjutsu Aiki, Katori
- Having formed the blade and handle as a whole, you can begin grinding - emery or a file will help with this. Remember that the cleaner it is bokuto, the fewer splinters, abrasions and scratches you will have in the future. So don't ignore this point!
- To preserve your bokuto from rotting, I recommend covering it with stain or varnish. However, if this is your first experience in making a wooden sword, do not rush into it, do not do potentially unnecessary work without checking your specimen for strength.