If you are into martial arts, or you plan to start training, you should be in the know about a tool called bokken. The bokken is a Japanese sword that is used for martial arts training. Most often it is used by people that practise aikido, kendo, iaido, kenjutsu and jodo. So, if you are interested, read on in order to learn more details about how to make a smart purchase and avoid common mistakes when choosing the right bokken for you.
A bokken is primarily used as a safe and cost-effective substitute for a real blade. Its function is to play the role of a real blade while in training mode. A bokken is most often used by persons that are still in the early stages of training and have not yet reached the level where a real blade would be safe for usage.
Due to the great number of models and the different level of quality found on the market, probably the safest option is to buy bokken online where you can inform yourself in detail about the features of the model you like. And, moreover, when you opt to buy bokken online you can easily make comparisons regarding quality, price and features without having the need to go from store to store and waste a lot of time and energy. To make things even simpler, here are a few general guidelines which will help you choose the optimal type of bokken for your needs.
When looking through the types of bokken, you need to keep two factors in mind: material and size. Let’s explain these in more detail. First, material. High-quality bokkens are usually made of wood types such as red oak, white oak, isu, sunuke, kiri, tetsuboku, camelia, and ebony. For beginners, bokkens made of red or white oak are the most recommended types. The reason for this is the fact that oak has an excellent balance in the density of its fibres and its durability. When compared, white oak is slightly heavier, and red oak, even though lighter, it is highly durable and suitable for women and practitioners that want to perform repetitive strikes.
Lastly, size. There are three sizes available: short, medium and long. Users who are more serious about the type of martial art they decided on, most often use long bokkens. Children and junior practitioners usually opt for medium-sized bokkens, and the short ones are for those who are not able to maneuver longer bokkens. With practice, anyone can get there, though.
