Aikido Weapon Tips: Tonto & Shinken

Video Transcript

Finally, we have the tonto, or the small knife. And again it was another tool of the samurai. Quite often if it wasn't hung on the belt, it could be easily slid up the sleeve and hidden if needed be. And there are many different versions of these. They range from relatively small to almost the size of the wakizashi as you can see. So it just sort of depended on the type. Again, white oak, relatively inexpensive and to study Aikido you will need them, because in all of these, we do use tori arts, which are the take aways. And you will need them eventually at some point to study. Now, I've been asked to bring in a live blade, and these are, this is a live blade so again as you can see, it is a representation and the blades are relatively similar in shape and dimension. Obviously though you can see the handle is considerably longer on the live sword and this one in our school we have an affiliate, we have a study of ei jujitsu that we're very, very happy about. But a live blade is not necessary for Aikido. I mean they're always fun to play with, but if you do, make sure you're exceptionally careful. Remember it is three feet of surgical steel. As you can see, there's very nice hammering so it will look like woodgrain. Not all of them look like this, just this one.

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