Where Can I Get A Lightweight Competition Sword (Iaito is it?) in the UK?

Question

Yeah, so I need a lightweight sword so that I can do all that twirly stuff without breaking my wrist; my bokken's been fine for general practise and stuff, but it's not so great for anything else...

Also, living in the UK, I'm apparently very restricted as to what I can have and apparently most US sites don't deliver swords and stuff to the UK, not to mention that customs and the import police would then proceed to squeeze out of me every last penny they could.

Also, aside from it being light and well-balanced, I'm not too sure of what I should be looking for (just switched over from kama...because I actually loathe their existence...) and although I'm sure that spending £500 on a sword will possibly get me a good one, I don't have that sort of money so I'm looking for a nice beginner's one...

Help, would be lovely...

Answer 1

Do a search for Battle Orders, or try a martial arts magazine in the newsagents...

Not too sure about lightweight, when I was doing live-blade a while back, what mattered was the quality of the steel!

Answer 2

I'm a Kung Fu teacher based near St Helens, and I too know how difficult it is to get hold of weapons from nearby...  Especially swords!  There are two websites that I purchase all of my weapons from, and I personally woudn't buy from anywhere else!  Both sites are reasonably priced, so take a look and let me know how you get on.  My email address is [e-mail]

http://www.playwell.co.uk/store/acatalog...

http://www.wushudirect.co.uk

Good luck!

Answer 3

your local japanese store :3

Answer 4

Are you a member of a registered martial art club ??

If you are, then your instructor should have details of the best type for your hight/weight/knowledge.

If not, then it is illegal to own one.

Answer 5

Yes it is tricky and yes the regulations have been stepped up BUT as long as you are a member of a legitimate martial arts group with suitable public liability insurance etc., it should be okay.

It is not 'illegal' to own a sword if you are a 'legitimate' owner.

Here is a quote from the home office:

Working in partnership with police, collectors, traders, victims’ groups and martial arts experts, the ban does not come at the expense of genuine Japanese sword collectors or martial arts and historic re-enactment groups however.

‘Having undertaken a wide consultation we recognise that it is the cheap and easily available samurai swords that have been used in crime. That is why we have made sensible exemptions for genuine enthusiasts,’ Vernon Coaker stated.

I have added these web-sites which have useful info and also a web-site that I use to buy my swords, as I am an iaido practitioner (Japanese sword-drawing arts).

Good luck!

Answer 6

edinborough and if you get a pagan religous one its then a religous item

Peace

P.s

Dont harm anyone