From: Valuemetaphysics@aol.com
Date: Tue Jul 27 2004 - 03:47:28 BST
Dear Horse and forum,
I hope this is of interest:
Suitable Swords for Iai and Test-Cutting.
by Nakamura Taiazburo, Hanshi, 10 dan (translated by Guy H. Power)
NOTES: In the measurements given, 1 shaku is roughly equivalent to 1 foot. 10
bu = 1 sun (about 1 inch); 10 sun = 1 shaku. Also text in parentheses are
notes by the translator.
LENGTH
(Note: A sword length is measured in a straight line from the munemachi to
the kissaki. Regardless of how straight a sword is or how deeply curved it is,
the straight line distance is its length.)
Sword blades transition to 2 shaku 3 sun (about 70 centimetres) because the
Tokugawa government (ca. 1600-1867) standardised the measurement. Examples of
swords being 2 shaku, and 2 shaku 5 sun exist; however, these were instances
where a person's body height was extremely different from the average of the
day. Also, the former Imperial Army and Navy military swords were standardised at
2 shaku 2 sun (about 67 centimetres). Swords used in modern iaido range
from 2 shaku 3 sun to 2 shaku 5 sun (about 70 cm. to 76 cm.) in length.
Anything longer than that would be for an exceptionally large person. Using a sword
longer than 2 shaku 5 sun for tameshigiri (test-cutting) is inadvisable
because the body of the blade may be a bit weak due to the excessive length of the
blade. The blade may bend or break when combined with the physical shock of
striking an immovable object, incorrect blade angle, and an incorrect striking
angle. The longer a blade is, the more likely it is to be weak.
I had the considerable opportunity to meet the great master Nakayama Hakudo
(Hiromichi) sensei and was able to hear his insight about the length of a
sword. Nakayama sensei said that subtracting 3 shaku (90 cm) from one's own height
was a good rule-of-thumb; the resulting difference would be a good sword
length. From my height of 5 shaku 4 sun (164 cm), I subtracted 3 shaku. Therefore,
a good length for my sword would be 2 shaku 4 sun (73 cm). However, this
length would only be good for practising iai kata in empty space; it is just a bit
too long for test-cutting. After World War Two I was presented with a koto
sword which was 2 shaku 4 sun 5 bu (74 cm) in length and I used it for about five
years. But once while test-cutting, my grip was not on the mark and I ended
up bending the sword beyond repair. The standard blade length for modern
test-cutting is 2 shaku 3 sun 5 bu (71 cm); I recommend that students do not use
swords exceeding this length.
WEIGHT
A regular sword which is good to use will weigh from 1.1 kilograms up to 1.3
kg, including the handle and tsuba. If the sword is any heavier, the
practitioner will have to use physical strength. It may appear all right while
practising iaido forms, but when cutting forcefully downward or executing chiburi
(blood removal), the blade will often shake uncontrollably when brought to a halt.
The root cause of many bad habits in swordsmanship is that the sword is too
heavy. It is essential to use caution with a heavy sword.
SORI (CURVATURE)
(The sori is measured at the deepest portion between the imaginary
"length"-line and the back of the blade.)
A sori of 5 bu (1.5 cm) is adequate for a sword of 2 shaku 3 sun (70 cm).
Anything deeper or shallower is unsatisfactory for high class swordsmanship.
MIHABA (BLADE WIDTH)
The ideal blade width will be approximately 1 sun (3 cm) at the tsuba-moto
(base of the hand guard), and about 8 bu (1.4 cm) at the monouchi ("sweet spot,"
about 1/3 of the blade measured from the point). The balance of a sword of
these measurements will be good. As with the sori, anything more or anything
less will be unsatisfactory for high class swordsmanship.
http://www.webdiva4hire.com/kenshinkan/length.html
Mark 27-7-04: It would appear that sq-sq tension or coherence is appreciated
in arts involving a relationship between sword and Human.
"The CoP (Centre of Percussion), aka Sweet Spot, is the part of the blade
that can deliver the strongest blow with the least vibration."
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Sword
All the best,
Mark
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