Cutting Fresh Bamboo

This Forum is a place for students of swordsmanship to ask advice from moderators Paul Champagne & Scott M. Rodell on how to practice test cutting in a manner consistent with how swords were historically used in combat. Readers use this Forum at their own risk.

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KyleyHarris
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Cutting Fresh Bamboo

Post by KyleyHarris » Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:21 am

Hello Everyone.

Well. Stricktly speaking this sword is not a chinese origin, or chinese technique either. But I thought I would share this with you out of personal accomplishment.

This sword is the first I've built myself. Mostly I do smaller blades. But I wanted to build something both durable, and good at cutting, and not too big.
This sword is made from D2 Tool Steel. A great advantage to this steel is that it is nearly a stainless. with a good polish it resists staining extremely well.

The blade is 5mm Thick throughout the length. it is a full convex. Its not finished, or made in historical fixtures as that was not my intent. My intent was to build a sword to suit my fighting abilities and style that works well.

Originally this blade was much thicker edge geometry. I decided to regrind and thin it down, although it is still a very thick strong convex.

This first video is a closeup of the grind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kZSTMDVc_Y

This second video is the test cut on fresh bamboo cut at my friends home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT4zE5o2O2M

For Structural testing I did a 30 minute full impact test on a dead hard tree. 443 full impact cuts that took 30 minutes. (i recorded it all) The blade flexed 30 degrees in some cases where it bound up, and at the end of the test would still slice paper easily.

I hope you enjoy (even though its not chinese oriented). Its just a Milestone in my personal knife and swordmaking history.

Scott M. Rodell
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Re: Cutting Fresh Bamboo

Post by Scott M. Rodell » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:58 am

Nice cutting Klyey, but if I might make one suggestion in regards to safety... I know you are an experienced cutter, but it is always a good idea to wear long pants, jeans preferably, just in case you slip & the blade strikes your leg. Cloth, as you know, can provide quite a lot of breaking action should you be cut.

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KyleyHarris
Rank: Wang Yen-nien
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Posts:62
Joined:Thu Jun 03, 2010 5:56 am
Location:New Zealand
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Re: Cutting Fresh Bamboo

Post by KyleyHarris » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:31 pm

Hi Scott,

Missed your reply.

Thanks, and you are right.. Actually sometimes I think Cricket Shin guards would be a good idea. Its all too easy for deflection to go the wrong way sometimes.

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