Test Cutting and the modern Western Martial Artist

**lklawson** · Posted On: 6/24/2010 6:16pm

New CBD article.

http://cbd.atspace.com/articles.html

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 6/24/2010 10:48pm

And what is your take on it?

**DdlR** · Posted On: 6/24/2010 11:20pm

Kirk wrote the article.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 6/24/2010 11:44pm

This may be a stupid question, but what are "cut five" and "cut six"?

**daishi** · Posted On: 6/24/2010 11:51pm

That's something you don't see very often. Very cool, thanks.

**lklawson** · Posted On: 6/25/2010 5:36am

Originally Posted by TheRuss

This may be a stupid question, but what are "cut five" and "cut six"?

Horizontal cuts right and left. Saber tradition.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

**lklawson** · Posted On: 6/25/2010 5:38am

Originally Posted by PizDoff

And what is your take on it?

Well, as DdlR points out, as the author I think it's freaking awesome!

I also think that I'm a terrible self-editor. :P After re-reading it I don't know how many times, I've found I don't know how many misspellings and wonky sentences after posting it up.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

**Dimmakfist** · Posted On: 6/25/2010 11:44am

About a year ago I hung a pork shoulder from a rope and sliced it with my bowie knife. I cut the the meat with ease but my bowie got stuck in the bone. I wonder if I used a saber if I would of cut through the bone too. Either way it gave me faith in my blade. Seems to me to be a good way to test cut. Thanks for the article.

**Ningirsu** · Posted On: 6/25/2010 12:30pm

Originally Posted by Dimmakfist

About a year ago I hung a pork shoulder from a rope and sliced it with my bowie knife. I cut the the meat with ease but my bowie got stuck in the bone. I wonder if I used a saber if I would of cut through the bone too. Either way it gave me faith in my blade. Seems to me to be a good way to test cut. Thanks for the article.

I've always wondered about that; in battle, having one's weapon stuck in the body of your enemy is never a good thing, and I wonder how much of an issue it really was.

In any case, great article, Kirk! Definitely covers the pros and cons for test cutting in excellent detail.
But I do wonder about the first "con" to test cutting; it's true that non-moving targets or tatami mats are unrealistic training mediums, but at the same time today it's impossible (well, legally) to test actual cutting against other humans the only "realistic" training medium. As a result my impression was that test-cutting was also intended as an "inevitable substitute" for live combat experience with bladed weapons.

Again, great article! Thanks for sharing!

**Chili Pepper** · Posted On: 6/25/2010 12:38pm

Originally Posted by Ningirsu

I've always wondered about that; in battle, having one's weapon stuck in the body of your enemy is never a good thing, and I wonder how much of an issue it really was.

Enough of an issue that the British cavalry dropped the vertical cut from their sabre training - too many men being dragged from their saddle, after lodging their sword in their opposite number's skull.