Life goes on, you know... If you don't have peaks and valleys in your study, you don't have a life!
Bill
PR 24 and Tonfa
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Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
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RACastanet
- Posts: 3744
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA
The Marines have the pr-24 in their inventory and I have had the chance to work with one a bit.
To David's point, the collapsing version is not very substantial and it did rattle a lot when I used it. However, I have no idea how old it was and how much it might have been used and abused.
But... I liked it. The balance was very good and I could really whip it around. The high speed I could develop with it would generate considerable energy to apply to a target and make it difficult to intercept. The small collapsed size and light weight would make it easy to carry. They are rather pricey though, about $75 to $85 each, so I have not purchased one. A pair would make the kata Bill referred to rather interesting.
The Marine security guards train at Quantico. The trainers go to the Army's non-lethal techniques school at Ft. Leonard Wood in Kansas I believe. The trainers get to experience 200,000 shu OC as part of their curriculum. They offered us the chance to experience it when we tried out the 50,000 shu but there were no takes that day.
The security guards train at a high level of realism. The martial arts school works with them to make certain baton techniques and the like are the same as the security Marines use. These are well trained Marines and they get assignments such as guarding US Embassies. You do not want to get into it with these Marines. They will settle matters quickly if not lethally.
My gunteacher and boss carries a simple expanding baton but still shows off his old wooden night stick. The night sticks of old were quite substantial! He proudly told me he whacked quite a few heads with it and it never cracked.
Rich
To David's point, the collapsing version is not very substantial and it did rattle a lot when I used it. However, I have no idea how old it was and how much it might have been used and abused.
But... I liked it. The balance was very good and I could really whip it around. The high speed I could develop with it would generate considerable energy to apply to a target and make it difficult to intercept. The small collapsed size and light weight would make it easy to carry. They are rather pricey though, about $75 to $85 each, so I have not purchased one. A pair would make the kata Bill referred to rather interesting.
The Marine security guards train at Quantico. The trainers go to the Army's non-lethal techniques school at Ft. Leonard Wood in Kansas I believe. The trainers get to experience 200,000 shu OC as part of their curriculum. They offered us the chance to experience it when we tried out the 50,000 shu but there were no takes that day.
The security guards train at a high level of realism. The martial arts school works with them to make certain baton techniques and the like are the same as the security Marines use. These are well trained Marines and they get assignments such as guarding US Embassies. You do not want to get into it with these Marines. They will settle matters quickly if not lethally.
My gunteacher and boss carries a simple expanding baton but still shows off his old wooden night stick. The night sticks of old were quite substantial! He proudly told me he whacked quite a few heads with it and it never cracked.
Rich
Member of the world's premier gun club, the USMC!
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John Giacoletti
- Posts: 448
- Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:08 am
- Location: Largo, FL
http://www.shureidousa.com/kobudo/tunfatuifa.html
The Shureido tonfa have a larger knob on the handle which provides greater grip stability and prevents slipage. In addition, when held by the long end, the tonfa become a battle hammer or mallet which will wind anyone's clock if your temples are smashed.
It seems to me that targeting is primary ... a strike to the wrist, forearm or clavicle would be disabeling but not lethal.
Shureido tonfa are handmade in Okinawa and show an elegance in design and craftmanship that is unparalled by the Tiwan and Philapine knock-offs.
The way to go on these is to have a military buddy in Okinawa purchase the weapons for you in Naha and send them back stateside by US military mail.
The Shureido tonfa have a larger knob on the handle which provides greater grip stability and prevents slipage. In addition, when held by the long end, the tonfa become a battle hammer or mallet which will wind anyone's clock if your temples are smashed.
It seems to me that targeting is primary ... a strike to the wrist, forearm or clavicle would be disabeling but not lethal.
Shureido tonfa are handmade in Okinawa and show an elegance in design and craftmanship that is unparalled by the Tiwan and Philapine knock-offs.
The way to go on these is to have a military buddy in Okinawa purchase the weapons for you in Naha and send them back stateside by US military mail.
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Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
I agree.John wrote:
Shureido tonfa are handmade in Okinawa and show an elegance in design and craftmanship that is unparalled by the Tiwan and Philapine knock-offs.
You can get "knock off" tonfa that look exactly like the Shureido brand tonfas. Our class largely has chosen to get these, because Rich can get a great deal on them from Century. The students seem to be happy. If they are happy, I am happy.
However, I've used my Shureidos for years. The one pair I love so much is over 20 years old, and has been through hell and back. Ian even applied his master craftsman hands to one of them to repair it when it split down the middle. It was worth it, and thank you, Ian.
I pick up these Century brand knockoffs, and initially they look and feel right. Then I start to do Hamahiga no tonfa. And then you can feel it. Yep...
It's like buying a Fender Stratocaster. You can buy them made in every country in the world. But the person who knows how to play knows better than to buy the ones not made in this country. If you've played a lot, you'll immediately feel the differences.
Now if they had a six sigma process...
- Bill
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John Giacoletti
- Posts: 448
- Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:08 am
- Location: Largo, FL
Tonfa
Thanks Bill.
I'm getting out my sand paper, again. Just ordered my 1st set of Tonfa from Century. I have the red oak and white beech eccu that I got from Shureido in Naha and they are lightly stained and not varnished. If I have to sand the varnish off the Tonfa I'll be ready. My favorite bo is one of the less expensive brands, but after sanding it down to the bare wood and using it for three years, it's really a nice weapon. It's got distinctive color patterns from my own sweat and oils and these wonderful dings you can feel when you hold it from bunkai exercises I've done.
I can now start the new year with a new weapon and learn Hamahiga no tonfa.
Guishi sensei has several nunchuku techniques using two sets of nunchuku that we are going to start working on and that's going to be an interesting challenge, too
The weapons are my way of refreshing my karate training and keeping the rust off
I'm getting out my sand paper, again. Just ordered my 1st set of Tonfa from Century. I have the red oak and white beech eccu that I got from Shureido in Naha and they are lightly stained and not varnished. If I have to sand the varnish off the Tonfa I'll be ready. My favorite bo is one of the less expensive brands, but after sanding it down to the bare wood and using it for three years, it's really a nice weapon. It's got distinctive color patterns from my own sweat and oils and these wonderful dings you can feel when you hold it from bunkai exercises I've done.
I can now start the new year with a new weapon and learn Hamahiga no tonfa.
Guishi sensei has several nunchuku techniques using two sets of nunchuku that we are going to start working on and that's going to be an interesting challenge, too
The weapons are my way of refreshing my karate training and keeping the rust off
There is much to make of every moment.
