searching for weapon equipment

~ I have recently made some nice steel heads for long weapons and am trying to come up with some good staffs to attach them to.
~ Specificially I need some wood that is strong enough and flexible enough to handle some 25 lb, 35 lb and 45 lb Tiger Fork and Kwan Dao pieces. The 60 Lb kwan dao I made is basically solid steel. The tiger fork will be the same.
~ I need something that will last a long time and can handle the normal actions of intense training. The problem I am running into is staff breaks off at the attachment.
~ The attachment basically is a sheet/tang of steel 1/2 inch x 1 1/2 inch x 8 inches. I cut a slit into the wood staff that size and then hold it in place with two bolts . Then I wrap it in leather.
~ Any suggestions would be appreciated.
~ I am not interested in hearing how your training is superior to mine, I am interested in creating some solid weapons for training.


Peace,

Sin Loi

Yi Beng, Kan Xue

We used to get good ironwood poles from China. They have become increasingly difficult to come by. Our current solution comes from a lumber yard. They have been laminating pieces of purple heart wood together and turning them for us. It's a little costly but the result is good weight and they don't shatter when you hit them on the ground or against another pole. We have a few left from our last batch. I will get the price and e-mail you if you are interested. Or just ask at the lumber yard near you. The cost may not be what you are looking for since our training is superior to yours. ;)

I have had the opprtunity to shop at Kmart and find that they have curtain rods (6ft) made out of wood that are very durable. I use them for staff training and I enjoy them. Hope this helps.

Those curtain rods do have lots of uses. Staffs, shafts, rods, sticks, canes, ect. I like them too

Any interest in selling me a tiger fork head? I need one, probably the 25lb would be awesome if you are :)

Try here:
http://www.kingfisherwoodworks.com/

He traditionally does japanese weapons, but I know he does custom work. Very knowledgable about wood properties (pros and cons of each type) so might be worth talking to anyways. Really good quality work though.
Anthroman

60lbs!

Holy bejeebies! :D

That's pretty heavy. The one I have weighs in at 24lbs and it is a wicked and tiring workout to do the form I have learned with it. hahaha.

I'm not sure that there is a wood that can be doweled or made to a pole that would be able to withstand that weight at a full extension of the weapon away from you. Meaning, when you throw the weapon forward, and the blade is out in space while your hands are at teh pommel or butt end of the weapon, that weight is going to become substantial and very hard to control.

The pole I have on my Kwan Dao is steel. so it's all metal. Maybe you should look at steel poles to handle the weight of the weapon heads.

cheers

~ Thanks all with your suggestions. I think what I will do is use 1/4 inch x 1 1/2 inch steel plate running the length of the shaft for the lighter ones, and a 1/2 inch plate for the heavier ones. The weapons are about 90 inches long all together so the shaft should be about 65 inches.
~ After I get them to look pretty, or at least presentable, I will make some pics available.
~ If they come out as well as I hope, perhaps I will sell some. Being as I work full time and train a lot along with the rest of lifes activities, they seem to be taking a while to complete. Oh well.
~ If you want an idea of what it is like playing with some really heavy weapons, get ahold of an 76 inch piece of 2 inch steel or iron stock and practice your staff forms with it. Practice the form real slow and hold each stance and weapon extension for a minute or so. That will develop a nice burn and really give you a good work out. I think if you try that for about a half hour a day of serious work with a staff form you will notice some incredible strength gains along with some nice definition and definite hardness. It will also do wonders for your chinna/qinna.
~ I have heard of tiger forks and kwan dao's weighing up to 125 lbs so that is what inspired the quest to start making heavy weapons.
~ From working with a heavy staff, I know that when I transition back to a normal wood staff, it feels like a feather. The control I have over the wood staff is much improved as well.
~ I think if I can do an hour straight of a 100 lb plus tiger fork and/or kwan dao, when I am 40 (my goal, I am presently 35). I will be doing pretty good.

Peace

Sin Loi

Yi Beng, Kan Xue

~ A 25 weapon is not an easy thing to manipulate. I did try a 12 KG (24 lb) Kwan Dao in Korea when I was over ther, and I do work out with a 17 lb nine ring broad sword now. Thats heck after 30 minutes.
~ If the 60 lb weapon gives me too much trouble, then I will leave the heavier stuff to the young pups I work out with. But I am kind of of the mindset that you dont ask someone to do something that you are not willing to try to do yourself. (I tried that fancy wushu flips once, so I am not afraid to ask a kid to try it, I just don't do it now.)

Peace,

Sin Loi

Yi Beng, Kan Xue

I've seen a few solid iron Kwan Daos - head, shaft and all. Some even crossed over into 3 digits in pounds. I've seldom seen anyone try to use these. Usually once something gets that heavy, you need a metal shaft.

Beware the exotic hardwoods. Don't eat up our rainforest woods when something renewable will suffice.