Fly Whisk

[Kempo]

Hi. Does anyone know where I can purchase a Fly Whisk (the weapon used by Mimi Chan during the Kung Fu Qi Gong 10th Anniversary Gala Benefit)?

Thanks for any help!

[Stacey]

yeah, I hear thats really deadly. In fact thats what fidieval peasants used to penetrate plate armor.

Just like the fan and other girly weapons that look cool and have no use.

[Art D]

Your such an idiot

[SaMantis]

Ditto that. Stacey, if you like I can show exactly where to apply both the fan and the fly whisk. Just bend over. :mad:


Kempo, I'm not sure where you can pick one of those up, but every once in awhile I've seen one in the store at Wah Lum (Orlando). Also, dealers in Shaolin replica items/kung fu gear shops may carry them or know where to order one.

[BeiTangLang]

Easy guys,....back to the topic....

[Stacey]

seriously, would you fight with a fan against a knife? Fantasies aside, these are antiquated weapons that never were of much use. As for the bend over comment, I sense some latent ****sensuality.

Its just fancy garbage. A skilled fighter can use anything. Just because someone did, doens't mean its a good weapon. William Wallace (The real one) killed an armored knight with his fishing pole. If you want good improvised weapons practice fighting with chairs and books.

[Brad]

What's a fly whisk? And why is it "girly"? :D

[BearBear]

Hi. i onli skimmed bits and peices of this thread so i'm not sure what the general topic of convo is but this sentence caught my attenmtion so i reply directly to this sentence


eriously, would you fight with a fan against a knife? Fantasies aside, these are antiquated weapons that never were of much use

YES. i worked security for around 7 years. and for a quite a while much to the amusement and teasing of work mates i used a hand fan (bamboo and paper) I found it more that once very useful against a knife, machette and even once an little axe! so regarding PRACTICLE experience at some very hard workingmens clubs whre some guy is trying to stick sumfing in up or out of you.... YES i found it an advantage.. again i'm not talking intelectual debate or fantasey kwoon/dojo training.. i'm talking someone serious tryng to KILL me ... i find ur state ment "that never were of much use" ignorant ... sorry a bit harsh there...

by the same token i'm not talking area fairy wushu gymnastics tyle fan play *sorry modern wushu people* ...

in the end too much abuse from work mates lead me to use a plam stikc or pencil instead..
i could get away with it in japan.. but iin austtralia ... a fan does looks somewhat poofy hehe

if u know how to use a fan u will find it effective thats my *experience* anyways.

Bearbear

[SaMantis]

Cool, BearBear -- haven't heard from anyone who's used the fan for practical purposes before. From what I've seen in the form, the fan is effective against short/medium weapons, since used properly it can trap and control the weapon/hand. Also it can inflict a wicked paper cut.

Brad -- the fly whisk isn't girly at all IMO. It's basically a long wooden handle (around 1 1/2 feet long) with a shock of horsehair hanging from one end -- the horsehair is at least as long as the handle. If you've seen National Geographic documentaries of African tribes, the chiefs are often seen carrying these and occasionally whisking away flies. I've also seen pictures of monks carrying fly whisks.

The handle is a pretty solid weapon by itself, but the whisk adds another element. Whack someone in the face with that horsehair and they'll feel some pain. Then turn the whisk around and knock them upside the head with the handle. Fight over.

[Stacey]

interesting.

Bearbear, your fan couldn't stop a machete which means you used soft blocking to pass it off and I'm guessing you grabbed the wrist hand and used some mantis techniques to dispatch them.

So was the fan any more useful then say, a magazine? I don't doubt that with mantis kung fu you were able to use the fan as a weapon, but as a weapon is it that useful?

Would a baton have better served you? Or a tonfa?

considering that these were nonthreatening everyday things, would it be more practical to adapt fan techniques to a magazine and can/sword techniques to an umbrella? Just a thought.

[Art D]

What’s your point? Fan is a common weapon that has been used widely. Just because you can also use a magazine or that my glock will blow someone away is not the point. It is not a girly useless weapon... your words!!! When you train you learn to use everything to your advantage, that’s just good training. I ask why the macho reality persona? Do you train any weapons at your school? What are they? Are they all modern?

[Brad]

considering that these were nonthreatening everyday things, would it be more practical to adapt fan techniques to a magazine and can/sword techniques to an umbrella? Just a thought.

Yes. But praciticng with a sword os a lot more fun that with an umbrella(and it's heavier). And a fan can help keep you cool in the summer.

So a fly whisk is basically a stick with horse hair on it used for getting rid of flys? Sounds pretty useful to me :D

[RAF]

CCTV 9 just had a supposed Taoist Monk at one of the temples doing a form with a fly whisk.

I suppose anything could be used as a weapon.:confused:

[Frogman]

Fan…
Fly Wisk…
Magazine…
A roll of paper towels…
A stapler…
Your jacket…
A cup of hot coffee… (My Favorite)
Chop sticks… (I think I may have seen that in a movie somewhere)
Anything you can pick up and through…
What ever keeps the pointy end of the knife or hard side of the on coming weapon at bay…
One of things I like most about CMA weaponry is the versatility, I don’t think it’s a good idea to put yourself above using a weapon or technique because you think it's girly. I’m sure there is a girl out there somewhere that will clean the floor with you using what you would consider a girly weapon.
Both of these weapons are very good for many things one function that stands out is that they are both very deceptive. They may not be able to deliver the deadly blow but the do conceal it till it’s to late i.e. Fly Wisk and Gim. Around comes the FW followed by Ouch!! Maybe if your fan is pink ok yea that’s girly, no offence girls, but come on! I once had a friend tell me ”An open hand is not a weapon…” So I slapped him, I love how easy it was to change his point of view.

Kempo good luck with your search.

RibHit
fm
:D

[SaMantis]

Umbrella.

Which is what I carry around town, even when it's not raining. I can't walk into my office building with any weapons (not even my pocketknife), so the umbrella is something I can carry in and out of the building and through Chinatown to KF class.

Seems like, unfortunately, there are a lot more homeless people on the street this winter, especially in Chinatown, and many of them have a very desperate look about them. They're not the usual 'spare change' seekers, but more like the 'I'll knock you down and gnaw your brains out just to get drug money' variety. So, the umbrella stays in my hand at all times.

[Stacey]

true, I come down to Boston for private lessons and Chinatown is dank. Are there worse areas? I get those looks too. Its comforting to know kung fu, but I generally try to get out of chinatown by nightfall, which is hard when sun sets at 4:30PM

[SaMantis]

I've heard it's one of the worst areas in Boston. But then, there's a stretch of sidewalk across the street from FleetCenter that can be pretty awful, too.

I have to go into Chinatown after 4:30, so I avoid the alleys, stick to main streets and stay away from the Chinatown gate if possible. The last person I'd ever want to go up against is one of those guys, kung fu knowledge notwithstanding.

[Hua Lin Laoshi]

Anyone who thinks the fan is not a serious weapon should learn how to use one. The same techniques also apply to the fly whisk. Flicking the horse hairs into the eyes will give you plenty of time to apply the end of the handle to the temple or other target of your choice. Unless your opponent trains in Iron Eyeballs.

BTW, how would you use a rolled up magazine if you never learned any fan techniques?

[SaMantis]

Good point, HL - many of the same techniques apply. And you can still inflict a wicked paper cut. ;)

[Oso]

once, when I was being a smart ass :rolleyes: , and said
something cheeky to my first sifu he threw the rolled up
magazine he had in his hand at me. He was around 10 feet
away and the magazine stayed rolled up until it hit me square
in the eye. I got several small cuts and a black eye.:eek:

[NorthernMantis]

lol funny how this thread relates since I just bought a fan.:D

2 years ago when I lived in Colombia I came back to wah lum to take an intensive course for a month. While I was there I saw sifu Tu practicingng with a fly whisk/horse tail and a straight sword since there was a seminar coming up. I asked him how would you use that then he flicked the flicked it in my face (which stung) followed by his gim in my gut. The fly whisk is used to get the opponents attention followed by a a strike with something else.

Stacey I can't believe you actually think the fan is not an effective weapon, obviously because you don't know how to use it.Otherwise you would know that the fan is effective when it's closed. I just bought a metal fan a while back for Christmas.Trust me it will make you hurt a lot and don't say you don't belive me becuase it's steel. When the fan is closed I can stab your ribs,strike the temple, the neck,back of the spine and belive me it will HURT. Heck I can even hurt people by just blocking. I know this because I have already done it to me people. I presume when you think of the fan you think of the classic shaw brothers movies when you strike with the open fan. This is incorrect since it's only used as a distraction when it is opened. However you can flick it across the eyes when it is opened, again followed but something else. Oh and some fans do come with bladed metal ribs which are concealed very well. It's no different then throwing a drink in someone's face and then sucker punching them. I would expect that you arealy would know that since you claim to a bouncer.

Next time it would be wiser not to quiclky put down what you don't understand. I love proving people wrong.:rolleyes:

(Conversation with my brothers and I when I bought my fan)

Brother number #1: Hey, how do yoou use that?

me: Punch at me.

[thud] Ow!

me: Ok now a different way. Try again

[thud] Ow!

Brother #2: Can you use it when it's opened?

Me: Sure but it's done in a different way,not like in the movies.

Brother #2: Whatever sure. :rolleyes: Ok prove it.

me: Ok punch at me.

[thud] Ow!:D :)

[yu shan]

Isn`t Fly Wisk the horse`s tail? All in all, the act of distracting? And isn`t this "weapon" considered a southern...

[Hua Lin Laoshi]

yu shan

The Fly Wisk is the horses tail (if you get a real one). It's more than just a distraction although that's it's main use. The handle is wood and if you leave an inch or two sticking out of your hand can be used to poke or hook. But you know that.

Also, I believe it works as well in the north as it does in the south. No need to change hands, polarity or check your opponents origin to use it. :D

[NorthernMantis]

lol not really yu shan. To tell the truth from what I have have heard/read the fly whisk is more commonly associated with O-mei styles.

[yu shan]

hua lin

Well said. As for the horse`s tail, I consider myself lucky to have seen the WL version (sothr/ nothr) who cares!

I learned two fan forms in WL. One very basic, the other, I was told by my Shrfu Sean ****ran, was an old fan form. Do you know the name of this fan form?

[Hua Lin Laoshi]

The 2 Fan forms I know of are WL Fighting Fan (curriculum form) and Plum Flower Fan (seminar form). Plum Flower Fan has a move in the beginning where you put the open fan in front of your opponents eyes and then kicking him. It's the shorter of the two. WL Fighting Fan has the roll near the end. I don't know which is older.

The Gim & Fly Whisk set is from the Ching Ping system. Sifu Mai from Boston performed the set beautifully at the 2002 Anniversary show. It's on the tape if anyone is interested. Did you take any of the Ching Ping Gim seminars while with Wah Lum?

[yu shan]

The fighting fan is very basic with more flute-like techniques then fan, nothing wrong with that of course. Shrfu Sean did call the 2nd fan, plumflower fan. He told us it was an old form, taught in the early days...what that meant, who knows! It is not short by no means, numerous aerials, a taxing, lengthy form. Three butterflies and three hurricanes. Often wondered if MC learned from the CLF system. Looks very similar to what they do.

I learned two-parts of the Ching Ping Gim, heard it is a very long set. A Muslim Style, MC hooked up with in the Mainland.