My other half likes a woodwork challenge and has agreed to make a vertical sword stand for a japanese friend who has recently bought a shinken (typical size katana) from Japan. Just wondering if anyone has made one themselves and has any tips/measurements/patterns for such a project? We've downloaded some pix and dimensions of this type of stand from the internet eg... http://www.budo-aoi.com/bmz_cache/b/be5efad59ff2fdc01e7c0ecbcefb4b10.image.458x458.jpg ...so we do have something to go on but any additional advice would be gratefully received!
Shinken belong in a box with a lock. Your friend is an idiot if he wants to hang a real weapon in his house without a lock. As to the woodwork project, I've never seen a vertical stand for a Japanese sword. They are usually hung horizontally.
He may be putting it in a lockable cabinet or room for all I know - that is his problem. Vertical stands may not be traditional but they are pretty common (presumably for reasons of space). The first example we were shown was from a japanese website.
Wrong and wrong. With due respect, calling someone an "idiot" is not only rude, but illustrates your lack of comprehension and actual knowledge for the subject matter. Here is an image of a typical Japanese vertical stand known as tachi-kake Here is a typical horizontal stand known as Katana-Kake
I know this isn't vertical but its an interesting alternative, I'm sure the design could be changed to suit a vertical position & maybe even lockable if that's needed. Alternatively if you visit sword buyers guide forum you'll get a lot more helpful idea's from the friendly sword enthusiast over their. [/URL][/IMG]
Well then, I guess that makes me five times an idiot, since I've currently got five shinken hanging on the wall of my bedroom. Not to mention the shotgun and .22 caliber rifles that are leaning in the corner. There are idiots, and then there are people that believe that everyone should conform to their world-view ... For the original poster ... tachi kake were traditionally used as a holding place for tachi, which were slung edge downward by a hanger as opposed to the katana, which is placed edge up through a belt. They aren't nearly as common as the more often seen katana kake since swords in tachi mounts are much more rarely seen than katana mounted swords.
Gosh, what's the opposite of "thank this poster"? Unless you have small children, no need to lock it up. Mine just sits on a katana-kake.
An aquaintance of my teacher was a sword enthusiast (Iaido) who used to hang his shinken on his wall, blade exposed. One day when playing with his kid he rolled into the wall accidentally causing the blade to fall and almost sever his leg. Weapons don't have a mind of their own. If you leave them out accidents can happen. All those weapons in your house can be used against you. What would happen if you were unlucky enough to encounter a burglar who suddenly decided to kill you out of fear? Prevention is the best cure. Just because your country has stupid laws doesn't make it smart to leave weapons out.
Here is it. My husband found it tricky cutting out the curves but prevailed in the end. The thing in the stand is a utility blade mount currently with a wooden blade in it that we used to test for size.
I think this thread is about how a traditional sword stand of some eastern tradition looks like, not one of the 10000 other threads here on MAP on wether it's smart to store weapons in your home unsecured. It's a bit like if I (living in Norway, having ice on the roads allready) -starts a thread about if it's best to change tyres in a car-repair-facility or if it's safe to do it yourself and save the money -just to get the thread kidnapped by people who want to discuss if winter-tyres without metal spikes are as good as, better than, or worse than winter-tyres with metal spikes :topic: -nice sword-stand, by the way! I do european ma, and we don't really have any sources on how the swords were stored, so I follow the kliche of the wallhanger, and have my swords hung on the wall. I think they look pretty nice up there
That was your teacher's friend's stupidity, leaving sharps around near kids is asking for trouble as is pratting around near a weapon. I've got kids and anything sharp and pointy is kept well out the way be it tools, weapons or kitchen knives. Also if you do wish to do something like have a shinken, iaito etc "out" there are methods of securing the weapon in the saya with the sageo. Even though my long and short swords are in bags/cases they are both locked in the saya so even if taken out cannot be drawn immediately.
It looks like your husband did an excellent job on the sword stand, it looks great! Please pass on my admiration, as my poor woodworking skills could not have produced that stand. For Ace of Clubs : I would be more than happy to discuss both your friend's obvious idiocy as well as your obstinate fear of alternative viewpoints in another thread.
Please pass on to your husband, he did a great job & it looks very nice, the end used should be very pleased indeed.
