Cutting Practice and the FMA's!

[Brian R. VanCise]

Okay I have been doing alot of cutting practice with my Barong's and Bolo's and my Kampilan. Since I also practice some other styles I have been using some really good tatami mats and they have been cutting beautifullly.

What are some of your favorite things to practice cutting on? (mats, bamboo, plastic bottles, etc.)

 

[lhommedieu]

So far I've cut 2 liter plastic bottles full of water with my C.A.S. Iberia pinute. I haven't touched up the edge and it makes clean cuts with no problem. What has your experience with tatami been like? Can you recommend a good supplier and suggest a size for starters?

I have a custom pinute on order and would be interested in doing some test cutting with it this summer.

Best,

Steve

 

[Blindside]

I buy beach tatami mats at Big Lots for $1 each, they act as a half roll compared to normal tatami sizes. They have a fringe of cloth on them, but that doesn't seem to matter.

Besides that, milk jugs and 2 liter bottles, the harder plastic of the 2 liters or liquor bottles take more acceleration to get through and I haven't been very successful with shorter weapons.

Lamont

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I buy beach tatami mats at Big Lots for $1 each, they act as a half roll compared to normal tatami sizes. They have a fringe of cloth on them, but that doesn't seem to matter.

Besides that, milk jugs and 2 liter bottles, the harder plastic of the 2 liters or liquor bottles take more acceleration to get through and I haven't been very successful with shorter weapons.

Lamont

Lamont the beach tatami mats are a really good suggestion and I have used those in the past as well. If you want to spend alot more then you can go to http://bugei.com/subcategory_19.htm and buy some tatami mats.

 

[Blindside]

Lamont the beach tatami mats are a really good suggestion and I have used those in the past as well. If you want to spend alot more then you can go to http://bugei.com/subcategory_19.htm and buy some tatami mats.

I've cut with those mats before when I was being taught a bit of battojutsu, but I don't really see the need for using such nice (and pricey) mats for cutting practice.

Lamont

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I've cut with those mats before when I was being taught a bit of battojutsu, but I don't really see the need for using such nice (and pricey) mats for cutting practice.

Lamont

I have to agree with you on the price being very high.

 

[tellner]

Wrap an inch and a half thick alder branch or sapling in enough layers of cheap grass mat so that the whole thing is about sixteen inches around. Soak if for a few days so that it's nice and supple.

Scotch broom, saplings, blackberry bushes.

Rolled roasts.

Rope.

 

[Bill Bednarick]

I cut mostly hardwood saplings,this weekend I cut up a big maple and limbed it with a modified 12" machete.

Got some nice cuts on 3/4" to 1" limbs. Clean snap cuts at various elevations and angles. Worked left hand a bit too, which is tricky at first.

I mostly work snap cuts as they transfer to all the weapons I train.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Bill you have to love modified machete's for cutting practice!

 

[Bill Bednarick]

I convexed the edge and clipped the point a bit. It's an Ontario.
I have another one that's the Ontario 12" light which is half as thick. I ground the point on it like on a Worden S/F machete. Good for backcutting and hooking.

 

[Morgan]

Okay I have been doing alot of cutting practice with my Barong's and Bolo's and my Kampilan. Since I also practice some other styles I have been using some really good tatami mats and they have been cutting beautifullly.

What are some of your favorite things to practice cutting on? (mats, bamboo, plastic bottles, etc.)

Guro VanCise,

I recently saw a demo of cutting with the Japanese Katana. It was quite impressive and ritualistic. Would you be willing to make a video clip of your cutting techniques with each of the various blades that you mentione in your post?

Thanks in advance for your reply,

Morgan

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Guro VanCise,

I recently saw a demo of cutting with the Japanese Katana. It was quite impressive and ritualistic. Would you be willing to make a video clip of your cutting techniques with each of the various blades that you mentione in your post?

Thanks in advance for your reply,

Morgan

Morgan I would be happy too if I can ever get around to it. Thanks for the interest.

 

[guramicmac]

For the shorter bolo type swords, I pick up the fresh coconut that some asian stores sell. If you don't slice off your fingers and if you can get that one slice just right to crack the top open without spilling all the water in it, you're doing good.

-Gura

 

[airdawg]

I only recommend adding fabric on the item being cut(old jeans and T-shirts). Clothes can do some very interesting things to what should have been a clean cut. I like to experiment with everything. I used to practice with old car tires, but it has become difficult to find tires without steel in them.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Meat wrapped in jeans is excellent for cutting practice.

 

[Bill Bednarick]

As bizarre as this is going to sound I think roadkill would be good for cutting practice.

It's meat and bones and guts after all.
I've never tried it but it would certainly be "realistic".:barf:

I do know of forums where people jump in the ditch after all sorts of dead stuff to practice skinning and tanning.

Waste not, want not.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Bill I knew you where a realist.

 

[Bill Bednarick]

Who me? A realist? Naw, not me brother.

Some of the last people you want facing you with a knife are butchers and meat cutters.

Sure they won't have fancy methods only their style knows.

But they will have allot of experience killing and cutting up mammals in some pretty rough conditions.

I read somewhere the Bolo Fighters in WWII mostly had very few techniques.
What they did have is years of cutting with that bolo on various things like dinner, firewood, etc.

Same thing for the Gurkha...
Years and years of living with the blade in everyday use.

 

[Rich Parsons]

As bizarre as this is going to sound I think roadkill would be good for cutting practice.

It's meat and bones and guts after all.
I've never tried it but it would certainly be "realistic".:barf:

I do know of forums where people jump in the ditch after all sorts of dead stuff to practice skinning and tanning.

Waste not, want not.

I used to know a bunch of those guys who would pull over and pick up a dead animal (* fresh as they called *) and then practice the skinning later at home.

I guess if you are serious about it, then it all seems logical.