Mats for Cutting
By Guy Power
Copyright © 2000
Guy Power. All rights reserved.
Continued...
Test Preparation
I prepared both products identically one day prior to the test.
After folding the mats in thirds and tightly rolling them,
I affixed each makiwara with five rubber bands. To obtain like-sized
targets,
I had to use three beach mats per makiwara; however, I needed
to use only one piece of the Mugen Dachi tatami-omote per makiwara.
Both brands of makiwara were mixed together and simultaneously
soaked for a period of 10-12 hours. After six hours elapsed,
I
rotated the mat mixture to ensure each makiwara had equal time
in water. (Makiwara float, even when waterlogged, and especially
when piled upon each other in a stack; rotation alleviates
the
problem of the top makiwara being semi-moist or dry.)
Three hours prior to the test I removed all makiwara and stood
each one vertically, allowing excess water to drain. When the
test session began, both brands of makiwara were heavier and "meatier" than
in the dry state. However, the beach mats were noticeably lighter
in weight and more flexible compared to the tatami-omote.
Tameshigiri
I prepared five makiwara of each type and used a vertical-post
tameshigiri stand with a 5" (120 cm) wooden spike to transfix
the makiwara. The cuts were executed using a Nosyuiaido "steel
iaito." Air temperature was 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28
degrees Celsius); winds were easterly at 5 knots (just joking
- I was
inside the dojo). I executed between four to six cuts on each
makiwara,
using left and right kesagiri (downward diagonal cut), gyaku
kesagiri (upward diagonal cut), and suihei giri (horizontal
cut).
The three-piece beach mat makiwara provides a soft target and
I found that I needed less strength and blade velocity to cut
through
the beach mat makiwara. The mats are very forgiving if you
slap-strike them with your blade, but the makiwara bend slightly
at the base
during the cut, especially with suihei giri.
The single-mat Mugen Dachi makiwara are heavy, stiff, and "meaty," definitely
requiring proper blade angle-of-attack, velocity, and strength.
When you hit this target, you get the substantial feel and sound
("ssssszzzip") that are lacking in the beach mats. The
tatami-omote are green and also have that "smell of Japan." I
did not experience makiwara-bend as I had with the beach mats;
these were nice and firm. If I didn't cut suihei giri well, I obtained
a solid "thwack" with a resultant scoop in the makiwara.
It did not bend at the base.
Cutting a two-mat Mugen Dachi makiwara is a real test of one's
skill. Although I often cut two-mat targets, I did not include
those metrics because a two-mat makiwara becomes a test of
the sword and the swordsman rather than the target material.
However,
it was fun - the gyaku-kesagiri was especially challenging.
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