Cedar Bokuto

[Kishaba]

I am making a bokuto from cedar wood and would like to know if cedar is a worthy wood. I know the usual woods preferred are white oak, red oak, and many other Japanese woods. Right now im letting the wood dry for its 6 month-1 year stage.Thanks

[Neil Gendzwill]

Too soft. If you want to work with a commonly available wood that works really well for bokken, use hickory. Here's some useful info.

[Hai_hai]

Cedar is a soft wood, is somewhat light in weight, and has a low density. There are various varieties of cedar but none are hard woods.
Oak is a hard wood and has higher than average density. If you notice, most bokken are made with hard and heavy woods.

[R A Sosnowski]

I am making a bokuto from cedar wood and would like to know if cedar is a worthy wood. I know the usual woods preferred are white oak, red oak, and many other Japanese woods. Right now im letting the wood dry for its 6 month-1 year stage.Thanks

Wood requirements: hardwood with a good crushability index (will dent but not readily splinter).

Forget cedar as previously mentioned.

Do use the link provided by Neil Gendzwill.

HTH.

[Old Warrior]

Or else, give up the process and go here: www.BobsBokkens.com

He made one for me and it is a prize. I keep it on the credenza in my office. I have only used it for some suburi (when I feel real edgy), but it is a piece of artwork.

[not-I]

www.BobsBokkens.com

Wow, looks like great craftsmanship.

But the cops are using bokken now?! I mean, getting whacked with a rubber nightstick is one thing, but a bokken swing from horseback is more than likely to crack skulls open! I wonder if those officers receive any kenjutsu training.
Jeez, Rodney King's lucky to be alive. Imagine if he'd messed with the mounted LAPD...