The Kingfisher Suburito (basic swinging sword), at 38 oz and 42" in length with 12" tsuka, is heavy with a pronounced forward balance. It's made of high density Appalachian hickory but often includes character marks and grain irregularities as shown in the above image. With a comfortable (slight hourglass shape) oval tsuka and correct curvature it has good directional feel and is excellent for developing form, correct hip positioning, strength and flexibility. Exercises include multiple sword cuts as well as left handed single cuts as the left hand is often considered the side of main power delivery.
The Short Suburito, at 26" overall length and 7 1/2" tsuka is ideal for one handed use and the development of wrist strength. Perfect for use in rooms with low ceilings, the short version has all of the ergonomic features of the full length suburito with a strong reverse taper, hourglass shaped tsuka and massive front balance. It's weight generally falls at about 21 oz, and specifically designed for one-handed exercises.
Hi Brad I received the bokken and OH MY GOD, it is beautiful I almost don't want to use it, it looks so good. The jo and tanto are awesome too. One question on the bamboo tsuba, when I try to fit it, it got to 3/4 of the length of where it's supposed to be at the beginning of the tsuka. I didn't want to jam it in there forcefully, so is there a proper technique to install the tsuba? I'm assuming that I put an o-ring on each side of the tsuba. Makers response-Thanks so much! Tsuba are custom fit to individual bokken. They are intended to be a little snug at first however, they will seat into the transition ramp after a bit of use.
Hello, I'm mailing you to let you know i received the 42" aikiken i ordered near the beginning of the month. it is of the best quality i've ever seen. awesome, awesome sword, thank you! the grain on the chisel top is wild, changing color from light to dark with movement and the patterns within the wood make me feel like i'm handling a much more expensive piece of art. i hope to take care of it well enough to hand it down to my children! i can't wait to order another one of your wooden weapons. hopefully soon! - Andrew