Quick question

[Winter_Wolf]

Hello,
What are peoples opinions on having a black bokuto(sp?)? would this send out a negative conontation about my attitude or will my sensei really care? I'm not talkin about spray painted ones but the "high quality oak (1m) bokuto" from e-bogu gives you the option to select black as a color. While everyone at my dojo has pretty much the same stuff (sensei's hakama is black and ours are blue) I would like to do something to add a little originality, since everyone else has a white or red bokuto.
Thanks,
W.W.

[kendomushi]

You know, I've seen those offered for sale for years, but in over 10 years of doing kendo I have never seen anyone use a black one. I've seen a few sitting on display stands, but never saw one in anyones hand. That alone, at least here in Japan, would make me choose to go with a high quality red or white oak one over the black.

[Chusan]

If you like to spend your money on those expensive items, well, that`s your problem :-)
Anyway: might be better to use your bucks for a nice pair of extra-kote, I suppose (imagine the price for high-end bukuto, can be more than fourhundred US-Dollars...)

[Winter_Wolf]

Hello,
Kendomushi- Good pt., but I like to be different (no, not that way!) so I might just get one for that reason...
Chusan- $15.00 bucks ain't bad, but I guess it depends on where you by and the shipping...and since I don't have bogu yet...**crying noises**
Thanks,
W.W.

[Danny Boy]

The nail that stands out is the one that is hit by the hammer ;).

[Winter_Wolf]

The nail that slips out of the box is free, but what does that have to do with having a black bokutoh?

[Atama]

I bought my fiance an ebony bokutoh as a present and it was a lovely piece of wood , so nice I nearly didn't give it to him .......I wouldn't worry about standing out.

[xvikingx]

My senpai, who works with wood, was telling about ebony bokutos.... he said that although ebony is less likely to get all dinged up at first ( as apposed to oak) , after while it stops absorbing shock and ends up shattering.
He said you are better off with a nice red oak or hickory bokuto and as far as exotic wood goes purple heart is very nice.
But for $15 I don't think you can go wrong.

[Hai_hai]

E-bogu doesn't sell ebony bokken.

[Winter_Wolf]

yes, but they are black and they are bokken

[qpuppy]

Winter_wolf...

I dont think there is a problem with it.. but make sure what you mean black bokutoh is not a cheap fake version of a real black bokutoh... black bokutoh are usually made of carbonised wood.. and it is a extream high quality.

A senior of mine, she is only a shodan... but very very highly respected lady in my club and also in Victoria (Australia), especially by me :p. She had purchased a black bokutoh and kotachi from me, Koei Budogu, the original cost is a shocker... but because I am the suppier for Koei in Australia, I was able to get a very nice discount on it.. but even still, after the discount, the total was about AU$700... so.. if you are looking for a black bokutoh.. make sure you know what you are paying for...

cheers

[Winter_Wolf]

Hello,
Thanks to everyone who replied! I've decided to go w/ either white or red oak since from what qpuppy has said, it sounds like the black ones from ebogu are not of good quality since they cost the same as a red or white one. I'm not insulting ebogu's bokkens in any way, but since I cant be sure what i'm buying i'll just play it safe this time around. Now that just leaves one more question, is there a difference between red and white? My friends white bokken feels lighter than my red one but i'm not sure, anybody else have any ideas?
Thanks,
W.W.

[Hai_hai]

Go to bokkenshop.com if you really care so much about expensive bokken.

[Winter_Wolf]

I really don't give a flying fart about expensive bokken Hai_hai, welcome to my ignore list and please remember not to post in my threads again. Anyway, anybody w/ an opinion that matters have a prefrence of white or red?

[Ben F.]

The white oak bokken I have had have always lasted longer that any of the red versions. They seems to be more hearty and will take a beating better. Look for a tight grain and a grain that runs parallel to the cutting edge.

My two cents...

[Neil Gendzwill]

There's three kinds of oak normally: American red and white oak, and Japanese white oak. American white oak is better than American red. Japanese white oak is not the same species of tree and is much better suited to use for bokken than either american oak. For more info see http://www.uoguelph.ca/~kataylor/bokuto.htm

If you look here: http://www.bogubag.com/Swords/Bokutoh/bokutoh.html
You will find Japanese white oak, #32-140, which we buy for our dojo and are very good for the price. A little lower down you'll find a real ebony bokken and you will see the price difference. Most people don't use ebony for everyday practice.

[Winter_Wolf]

Hello,
Thank you Neil and Ben F., those were the replies I was waiting for, I decided on white just to be safe but thanks to everyone who replied.
Also, I appologize to everyone for that brief rant, I was just irritated that my question wasn't takin seriously, especially by someone new(er) to the KWF.
Thanks,
W.W.

[taiwnezboi]

"although ebony is less likely to get all dinged up at first ( as apposed to oak) , after while it stops absorbing shock and ends up shattering."

I thought that bokuto were used for practicing forms. Why would you ever hit things with one?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Originally posted by taiwnezboi
I thought that bokuto were used for practicing forms. Why would you ever hit things with one?

Because you hit the other guys bokken during forms. In kendo no kata the contact is light but in many koryu there is quite strong contact.

[etherknot]

Originally posted by Winter_Wolf
I really don't give a flying fart about expensive bokken Hai_hai, welcome to my ignore list and please remember not to post in my threads again. Anyway, anybody w/ an opinion that matters have a prefrence of white or red?

I have a Japanese white oak bokken. I lucked out and brought it from a bloke who was closing his shop. Not only did I get a good deal on it but I find that it is considerably heavier than most peoples bokkens. I happen to like it. Your mileage will vary of course.

[Inouye02]

has anybody heard of brazilian ironwood ? now thats a heavy wood, also very heavy...

[kendomushi]

The contact during kendo kata is light. However there are training exercises done in some dojo where you forcefully strike laterally against the boken back and forth. I guess it builds up your wrists (at least thats where it gets to me most). A softer wood or one that doesn't absorb impact well would be very poorly suited to this exercise.

[qpuppy]

heya Neil...

yeah.. bogubag.com is actually a distrabutor for koei budogu within the American area. I preferly like #32-107.. actually have one my self... it's a really great bokutoh... nicely weighted and very dense. great for a beating and very reasonable for the price.... have a look at....

[Fraz]

I have spent £30 on a white oak bokken and now 6 months later it's warped. I have also bought £10 Red oak Bokken and a year later despite being a bit beat up it's fine.