Anybody use O-kissaki for iaido? Pictures if you've got em!

[iaido_21]

I was told by my Sensei a few years ago while examining some swords that you cannot do proper Iaido with O-kissaki, because the yokote that you need as the pivot point for your noto has so much tip after it you can't physically put it in, unless you change the position all together. Just curious if anybody uses them. Thought it would be a good discussion topic as I was just looking at some very cool black and white pictures of a couple very large Nihonto with O-kissaki, and thinking how cool that style of kissaki looks.

Ryan

[Michael Hodge]

Suppose you could say I do. My iaito has a very large chukissaki; noticeably bigger than than your ordinary middle-of-the-road iai kissaki. It wasn't a feature I requested, only that I ended up with the larger kissaki when it was being made. It's a shinken.

Problems are minor initially as larger kissaki tend to jam up and scratch the inside of your saya easily, so proper alignment during noto is especially critical. You also have to keep the web of your hand well clear of the koiguchi during the draw, as larger kissaki have a tendency to find your hand that much easier than smaller ones.

I wouldn't recommend okissaki for iaido. The margain of error is just too great (especially if you're using shinken). That isn't to say it's unusable though; only that you really have to be delicate and on point with your draw and noto so as to not carve chunks out of your saya and yourself.

[iaido_21]

Cool, thanks for the insight. Probably designed more for use where the sword has already been drawn. Thanks!

Ryan

[Fukuryu]

Something about o-kissaki in iaido in this thread in Swordforum.

[chidokan]

Nishimoto sensei uses one as a training aid under instruction from Iwata sensei, to help him think about noto/nukitsuke... I tried it once, wickedly sharp and no room for error. Not recommended unless you know exactly what you are doing. However I would say it is not as bad as a really strongly curved blade, like an old koto type... they are a swine to draw properly!

[tango]

i wouldn't mind seeing a picture of what you guys are talking about here... I'm not sure I understand the real size differential between a normal kissaki and an o-kissaki...

[Fukuryu]

i wouldn't mind seeing a picture of what you guys are talking about here... I'm not sure I understand the real size differential between a normal kissaki and an o-kissaki...

Once again, Swordforum... Today is my "Link to other fora" day...