Not an Inch to Spare

I have nearly finished the sketches for part 2 but I wanted to share these photos with you. These shots explain why precise targeting and using the correct angle are important. The other major factor is having a high quality knife like this little Shobu by Gary Bradburn.

Prior to making this cut I stood the pool noodle upright on the dojo floor and cleanly severed it with a cut from my Hogosha, a larger Bradburn Shobu. Then, on a whim, I stood up one of the remaining halves (free standing) and to my student’s surprise made this kesa cut with the little Shobu. As you can see by the photos of the blade, there is not an inch to spare. Too close or a little too far back and I would not have made the cut. As we continue to explore cutting we are going to start using more challenging targets but for now we are trying to perfect our technique. Part 2 of "On The Edge of Functionality" shortly, I promise!