Over the last month, we have seen a couple of wooden weapons fail during class… Fail as in they became two separate pieces. Additionally, we’ve had reports of splinters in people or on the mats. Right now the weapons racks are getting rather full and it’s time that we all take a good look at our weapons and the communal weapons in the rack and make sure they are in good working order. Please take a little time this month and carefully assess the weapons you use for any cracks, chips, splinters, roughness, or “funny looking spots”. For most wooden weapons, any minor damage can be rubbed out with a little sand paper (typically 220 grit does the trick). If the weapon has a crack or chip that can’t be taken care of that way, it may be time to retire that weapon (be aware that glue, wood filler, and even most epoxy won’t hold up in paired weapons practice). If you have any questions or find something that’s borderline, please speak to one of the sensei about it.
By Nate Weed