kingfisherwoodworks.com
Specifically I would be looking for Tonfa. As the other person posted about Kingfisher, I have contacted them previously to see about a Tonfa with them yet have not had a reply. I imagine my request was irrelevant to them as they already have enough business otherwise and going out of their way for something if they barely have time to do what they have to is more then understandable.
Thank you very much! I never tought of adding the actual word Hickory.... Guess I wanted to leave my options open for all types of woods.Just google "hickory tonfa" Quite a few hits...
Tonfa
Kensho improved on the traditional Tonfa design to provide an ergonomically superior fit and Tonfa handle to Tonfa body connection. Customization options available for sizing and exotic wood preferences.kensho.international
Ive never done a tonfa and would hate to use your request as an experimentation. Not sure I could deliver on it. Good luck though.
I Believe part of the issue that makes hickory desireable for such uses is that when it breaks, the grain of the wood tends to hang on so that it breaks gradually, and does not simply fly apart all at once. That can be a big safety issue for tools like hammers and axes, and would be relevant for martial arts training as well.
Absolutely agree on all those points.
Well, I should clarify that I am no expert and am more of a backyard dabbler, although I’ve managed to make some nice things. I’ve read a bit about woods, and have settled on what works well for my purposes and don’t know a whole lot about the others. There are some beautiful woods from around the world and it can be tempting to make weaponry with it. But there are a couple of issues. First, they can be expensive. Second, if they break all at once they they are not the best choice for impact weapons, although they does not automatically mean they are a terrible choice. They can still be strong wood, it’s just that IF they break, then they fly apart. But if the weapon is robust, they may not break. I believe baseball bats are made of maple. It is a strong wood, but as we see in nearly every pro game, they do break and they fly apart. But maple is a a strong wood, and it can be quite beautiful, especially if it has a curly grain. I don’t know why they don’t make baseball bats from hickory, but maybe there is something about hickory that make it wrong for baseball bats. I dunno.
I realize I didn’t really answer your question, about using a wood that isn’t a great choice for one type of weapon, for a different type. I think it is possible, but it depends. Something like tonfa is often braced along the underside of the forearm, and is short and could be fairly thick. For something like maple, perhaps that could work. Same with nunchaku, and back in the 1980s I used to see nunchaku advertised in Black Belt magazine, often made of “rock maple”. But my point really is, a longer weapon meant for impact is going to experience greater forces than a shorter weapon, all things being equal. That longer weapon is more likely to break than the shorter weapon of the material is prone to that kind of breaking.
So one aspect I didn't see anyone mention is vibration. I belive they use maple due to the vibration that is transfered into the hands. Maple reduces vibration as opposed to other hard woods. In general a harder wood gives more vibration. This can cause injury in the hands and arms. Hardwoods will tend to make your hands go numb during practice. This is also one reason white oak is the most common choice for impact weapons.
Name or link would be useful. I didn't see any, but my tells me I am functionally blind.
