All about Wooden Swords and Katanas

When one thinks of swords or blades, one always reverts to the clanging of steel on steel. The swords and the blades generally consist of metal in pop culture phenomena. The image of a hero accompanies the image of a gleaming sword, held back with a leather scabbard. Metal swords are not the only material of blades to have prestige and rich history. There are wooden swords that have been the companion of humans since before the methods forging metal were discovered. The salient features and important characteristics of wooden swords are described as follows.

Cultural Significance of Wooden Swords

According to experts, it is possible to classify the origins of the sword according to geographical spread into three regions.

• Oriental and Asian
• European
• African

In the above three regions, archeological discoveries prove conclusively that the first swords to exist were wooden in composition. Wooden training swords may seem incomparable to the strength of steel or iron blades but they had many advantages as well. Wooden blades were immune to rust and water damage. A wooden sword usually had a better balance than a steel sword as well. The Aztec cultures included an obsidian edge to the wooden blade for a sharper result. The ancient South and North American cultures exclusively used wooden swords for a long time period. Even when the blades evolved to steel, the handle and the sheath consisted of wood as a primary material. The Japanese culture particularly revers these wooden swords. The wooden variant of Japanese Katanas is extremely popular among cultural aficionados and martial arts practitioners. The wooden swords are the rank indicators of “Sihengs” who have completed the initial stages of their training successfully and can continue with a weapon. Wooden weapons are also used for practical demonstrations of martial forms and katas. Only the truly skilled masters of “Sifu” can wield a steel sword in a formal gathering.

Benefits of Using Wooden Swords and Katanas

The main benefits of using wooden katanas and swords are as follows.

1. Martial arts training is easier with a wooden weapon that a metal weapon.
2. There is less chance of injury when dealing with a wooden weapon.
3. The wood doesn’t rust or dull due to external elements.
4. Wood is more enduring than steel. Therefore, it doesn’t need sharpening or grinding as frequently as steel swords.
5. Wooden swords are generally cheaper than steel swords.
6. Training with wooden swords also develops the skills of fighting with staffs and sticks in the martial arts practitioner.
7. There is less chance of collateral damage while using wooden swords.
8. One can easily carry wooden swords into cosplay conventions and other costume events where steel swords and other weapons might be prohibited.
9. It is easy to carve emblems or insignia on a wooden blade.

Now that you know all about wooden training swords, get your favorite LARPing blades here. We also have foam swords and other training materials for absolute beginners.