jeremy

From what I've read adding a rather unusually heavy tsuba was added to swords to perform the cutting on dead bodies. If you add weight to the kashira, you'll find the blade will be easier to swing as its bringing the POB closer to the kashira, usually this is done to top heavy swords.

Most bamboo species become harder during colder months. It feels a bit more like cutting through wood, so more chance to chip or bend a sword.

Thanks for the kind words Greg . It was unusually quick from the UK to Australia! Freight for 100 tatami was about $500 Aussie, definitely not a cheap endeavour by any means! Safer than cutting bamboo especially here in the winter time though.

Here in Australia in the summer humid wet months, the tsuka on all my user swords start having gata gata, rattling inside the core agaisnt the nakago where I need to use shims to tighten the fit. In the cold non humid months where its really dry , everything tightens up including the koiguchi around the habaki as well as the nakago inside the tsuka core. And I've noticed its been like this ever since I started getting into swords back in 2003

These aren't tatami omote. As Ken had said, tatami is a type of rush or igusa grass. Bit harder to cut than straw . Not sure if that eBay straw is a good deal or not. Jeremy

Hi Matt I think you'll find also Japanese iaido and particularly tameshigiri practitioners may have differing views on this subject . In Japan many of my teachers use cheap modern made shinsakuto for their cutting and iaido training . In rough dull cutting polish . In the West we are more spoilt for choice, in Japan only Japanese nihonto are allowed to be sold etc. If you want one of the closest things to a shinsakuto i would contact Rick Polland at swordstore.com and ask about his steel iaito. They cost about $1500usd. Cheaper than shinsakuto and just as good for cutting and iaido . Cheers Jeremy

Hey Greg , check your PM. Jeremy

Foam pool noodles are another sub standard substitute for mats and bamboo. Good for beginners too. N

This is what comes up when it comes to the end part of trying to donate.

Here in Sydney the Chinese cheap reject type shops have them. But now even they are getting harder to find. It'll be only be bamboo that will be available for cutting soon I feel.

Gofundme didn't work for me either. Sent some cash your way via PayPal. Jeremy

Australia Post is slow. I'm waiting for packages into Australia from China USA and Japan. All seem delayed.

I bought a tanto from eBay Japan. Hope it will be ok to get shipped. The seller is in the process of deregistering it

I bought a tanto from eBay Japan. Hope it will be ok to get shipped. The seller is in the process of deregistering it

This is from a couple of days ago

It gives similar resistance to the mugendachi grade tatami (which is the lowest grade/softest resistance) however it doesnt compare to the used tatami omote and other higher grade tatami used in Japan. Even these beach are starting to become hard to find here down under!

Welcome to the toyama and nakamura ryu family sir. Jeremy

The Owner at mugendachi gave me this idea a few years ago, to get beach mats to feel more like tatami when cutting. Or should I say similar resistance when cutting . Roll about 3 beach mats and insert a 6mm-10mm pine dowel. Soak about 12 hours. Dry for an hour or so. This is what we have resorted to here in Australia. As well as fresh green bamboo. Jeremy

I used to buy hanwei swords drom shawn salafia about 20 years ago ! He used to run a site called mantis swords, as far as i know he doesnt operate anymore . Jeremy

You may also want to try Rick Polland at swordstore.com They have steel iaito which use Japanese fittings and the blades made in China. The feel is almost identical to shinsakuto, from the tsuka to the blade .

Fantastic find! Thanks for that

Hey Ken, search function came up with heaps of oils that people use, I couldn't find a post which had the technical differences of tsubaki and choji oil. Is there a big difference in using either one?

I also have started using tsubaki oil on my swords. David, what makes you say it's the best oil out of interest? Cheers Jeremy

Probably try e-budo.com for these types of questions. Here in Australia there's no supply of any type of tatami omote hence we use beach mats and bamboo. Good luck in your search

My shinsakuto has a similar "bend " after a decade of use. No problem with it cutting and sheathing.