Rattan Bō, Fighting Staff

Description of the Product

Rattan is perfect material for training swords and staffs. It is lightweight, yet sturdy, and can withstand quite a lot of weight, bending and beating. Rattan has some flexibility, but not too much. When rattan is damaged it breaks into flexible fibers instead of sharp splinters so it's also quite safe material. Rattan as a material differs from traditional woods because fundamentally it's more like a grass. Rattan is a climbing palm meaning it doesn't grow independently on its own, growing its own thick and sturdy trunk, but climbs up using other trees. Since rattan climbs up using a support tree, rattan's own trunk is long, narrow and flexible.

The diameter of this Bō fighting staff is 30-35 mm, so it is perfect for heavy duty play where you want to use full force, like in Bōjutsu, a Japanese martial art that uses different staff techniques. The Bō, or staff, which is used in Bōjutsu, can be made of other unfinished woods, but but rattan as material is very common. As our staff is 180cm long, it is called a rokushakubō, as it's six shakus (a japanese unit of measurement) long. If you are looking for a shorter single stick versions, perfect for swordplay,  please check out our Rattan Stick Training Sword.

Rattan is flexible and malleable (for example rattan furniture is made by bending it), but the downside of this malleability is that the training sword can also take a slight bend/warp, e.g. during transport or when stored at an angle. The good thing is that rattan can also be easily straightened. Maybe the easiest way to straighten a curved rattan stick is to put a little weight on the rattan so that it lays flat and straight against the floor. When the rattan is left to straighten under weight like this, it straightens itself and stays straight after a few days. In humid conditions (garage, outdoor storage, terrace, etc.) straightening happens faster than in dry indoor air. If you want to do the straightening quickly, you can heat the rattan (e.g. with a heat gun blowing hot air) and bending it straight. After cooling, the rattan keeps the shape. With this heating method, rattan can also be bent into very sharp turns and shapes, and this method is typically used when making furniture. If you otherwise want to modify your staff, normal wood working hand tools work fine with rattan, i.e. a saw, a file and sandpaper will cut into rattan easily.

• Perfect for use in Bōjutsu
• 100% rattan
• Diameter: 30-35 mm
• Length: 180 cm
• Can be used in SCA combat, swordplay, training, HEMA, LARP, make-believe, base for your own DIY-project etc.

Due to the length of the item, please contact us first for shipping options.