Cutting Planes of blades

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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Scott M. Rodell
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One more point...

Post by Scott M. Rodell » Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:41 am

There's one other point that should be considered in regards to this questions & is relationship to Test Cutting for Historical Swordsmanship.

Anyone who has been involved in even a minor amount of free swordplay understands everything happens quite quickly. So one's responses need to be simple & direct, fancy moves that might look cool in wushu performance forms aren't going to work in full speed combat. Likewise, a swordsman would want to cut in one manner, the manner that was effective in all situations. No one has the time to train so much that he or she is able to apply different cutting angles from one target to the next. Therefore, one needs to be practiced & be proficient at the angle that cuts both hard & soft targets. That angle is the edge & cutting plane parallel angle.

Chris Fields
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hmm..

Post by Chris Fields » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:56 pm

good replies, and thanks for taking the time to look at the link I posted.

I think I have come to the conclusion that this technique is most likely a modern developement for soley cutting tatami matts. Would you agree?

I know it is hard to see the different chisel angles of the cutts, but they are there. When you are down next April, maybe I can get Mike Femal to come by and do some cutts and we could have a good indepth discussion it.

You can see the chisel angle most prominently on the cutts in which a lower cut is used to pop the top part of the matt upwards, and another cut is done to that free falling piece of matt. They play with the chisel angle to make the top part of the matt go where they want it to.
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Re: hmm..

Post by Scott M. Rodell » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:08 pm

Chris Fields wrote:... come to the conclusion that this technique is most likely a modern developement for soley cutting tatami matts. Would you agree?
That was my feeling from the beginning, but I didn't want to speak about something outside my training (i.e. Japanese swordsmanship)
Chris Fields wrote:... see the chisel angle most prominently on the cutts in which a lower cut is used to pop the top part of the matt upwards, and another cut is done to that free falling piece of matt. They play with the chisel angle to make the top part of the matt go where they want it to.
This is what makes me think of it as a pallor trick. In other words, it has no practical application in swordplay. I mean no disrespct in saying this. Such cutting is a real skill, just not one that has interest to me. My focus is on understanding cutting to improve my understanding of swordplay. I have no interest in cutting as a skill in & of itself. Never-the-less, I repect the skill required to cut in such a fashion.

Chris Fields
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Post by Chris Fields » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:43 pm

I am also interested in the same aspects of sword that you are, you opinion is highly valued. thanks =)
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