tamershi giri with cactus

[jezah81]

Would it be OK to do tameshi giri with a cactus or would the sap be bad for the blade? Is it an appropriate target?
Regards,

[Dave Neeley]

I would suggest wearing thick leather gloves when spiking the target on the stand.

[Nathan Scott]

Jeremy,

I think it's a bad idea in general, personally, but am responding to this thread mainly to inform you that if you live in an area where large cactus grow (like Arizona), the residents there are VERY protective of their cactus. Even those residents that practice sword. I know because I've joked about whacking up one of them, and was reprimanded with a serious tone about it!

In AZ, the large cactus popularized in the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons are in fact protected by the state. It is illegal to destroy them willfully in AZ.

Also, the same buddy that got defensive about my joking about whacking up AZ cactus also told me a story about some bozo who stood underneath a cactus and shot off one of the arms of a cactus. The arm fell down and crushed him to death. Oops.

So, how 'bout you stick to traditional targets and ask your qualified instructor what they think you should be cutting instead?

Regards,

[chrismoses]

Yeah, this just sounds like a really bad idea. Too many things can go wrong here. I'd follow Nathan's advice and stick to the more traditional targets.

[CEB]

Originally posted by Nathan Scott
Jeremy,
....
In AZ, the large cactus popularized in the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons are in fact protected by the state. It is illegal to destroy them willfully in AZ.
....

Even the dead ones, or at least that was my understanding last time I was in Tucson.

[G. Zepeda]

Yes, it's true, many cacti are protected by the state gov't here in AZ. Saguaro and Organ Pipe are the only two that come to mind.
Now, if you have a proliferation of Prickly Pear bearing in on your front door, like I do...use a machete to cut individual pads off and pick them up with sed machete and into the trash. Very time consuming and meticulous work. Don't go thrashing around like Star Wars kid or anything, that can get you sick.
I learned a lesson from my grandfather about messing with cactus a long time ago. Thing is, about cactus, they have these very fine, very small spines that you can actually breath in! When you bash and smash cacti, these spines are released all around you and are carried by the wind. I have met someone who learned the hard way that you can breath cactus spines into your lungs. Very painful, bloody cough for a while. You always want to wear a cloth around your face, a hat, eye protection, and of course, hand protection. Don't bother trying to use it for cutting, it demands and deserves more respect. There are some very funny stories about idiots shooting saguaros only to have them collapse on the person, or the person's vehicle.

[CEB]

Originally posted by G. Zepeda
Yes, it's true, many cacti are protected by the state gov't here in AZ. Saguaro and Organ Pipe are the only two that come to mind.
...

Yes Saguaro, those are the ones. If you find a dead one and decide that you want it to take it home they will take you to jail I guess.

[G. Zepeda]

When Saguaro cactus die, the skeleton of pith they leave behind are called the "ribs". They are very pretty, rough-hewn looking rods, and can be exceptionally long. They combine to make a neat looking cylinder, usually semi-collapsed. After the saguaro dies, not much is left after a few days except the ribs. I do believe that it is illegal to have possession of the ribs as well.
Of course, many people put them in their back yards and decorate their Southwestern homes with them. We don't exactly have a "cactus control squad" running around down here. It's hard to catch anyone who dumps or illegally uproots or destroys protected life. I think it's the forest service that is responsible, and boy, when they catch someone, they make a helluvan example out of them. As well they should.

[G. Zepeda]

Looks like I was wrong, they last more than a couple of days...maybe it was winter.
Here are some links to pics of saguaros:

http://yuma.about.com/bl_azcactphoto_skel.htm

http://yuma.about.com/bl_azcactphoto_giants.htm


I was wrong about the cactus cops too, here's a transcript:

"prickly problem in the Southwestern United States. Giant cacti are disappearing from the desert. Natalie Pawelski reports from Saguaro National Park in Arizona.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATALIE PAWELSKI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Saguaro cactus is a symbol of the Southwest, the visual cliche slapped on Margarita glasses and signs for Mexican restaurants. But walk up to one of these desert giants and you realize how impressive they can be, and it begins to make sense that a black market for cacti as yard art has grown. Supplying that market, cactus rustlers.

JIM MCGINNIS, "CACTUS COP": If they go out and take the plant illegally, and want to sell it quickly, then they can charge anything they want for it.

PAWELSKI: Some call Jim McGinnis a cactus cop. He enforces Arizona laws protecting saguaros and other native plants.

(on camera): Saguaros only grow here in the Senoran (ph) desert of Arizona and Mexico. As cities like Tucson and Phoenix spread, cactus habitat shrinks.

(voice-over): To protect them from destruction and theft, Arizona has outlawed poaching, but does provide permits, sort of like hunting licenses for people who want to rescue native plants that are in the path of development.

CHRIS SHIPLEY: So you just can't go into the desert and start taking plants and trees. You have to have the consent of the landowner and permission of the State of Arizona.

FEYERICK: Poachers who ignore the rules can make hundreds, even thousands of dollars for cactus. McGinnis remembers one prize saguaro he tracked against state lines.

MCGINNIS: And it was in Las Vegas with a price tag of it of $15,000. Now if it sold at that price, I'm not sure. But the individual stole the plant and he went to federal prison.

FEYERICK: But on this day, a more regal relocation, a nursery crew rescues a saguaro that's in the way of a new housing development. Saguaros don't grow arms until they've aged at least 75 years, so this one is probably still just a few decades old. If you still want that yard art and you've got some patience, you can also get saguaros raised from tiny seeds in nurseries. Here's a saguaro at one-year old and at three.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The center plant is the saguaro, hard to believe that that's the gigantic signature plant of the Southwest.

FEYERICK: Saguaros can live for a couple centuries or more, survivors of the days before this desert became a state, trying to survive the day when this desert becomes a suburb."

[jezah81]

I actually live in australia where cactuses arent protected, you can buy them from plant retailers. So my question is would it be OK to cut cactuses if they arent protected. Would it provide enough resistance?
Regards,

[PwarYuex]

Originally posted by jezah81
I actually live in australia where cactuses arent protected, you can buy them from plant retailers. So my question is would it be OK to cut cactuses if they arent protected. Would it provide enough resistance? Regards,

Our plants are too watery, and it would be like cutting mush- no resistance. Also, they are expensive.

[Soulend]

Just a guess, but I imagine that it would be similar to cutting fruit - not a good idea for your blade. What's wrong with goza?

[Tim Atkinson]

I do not know of any reafy supply of goza here in Australia. If anyone knows differently please let us know

Thanks :D

[pgsmith]

Hi Tim,
Howard Quick is a member of e-budo in Australia. He does Shinkendo, which has regular tameshigiri as a part of their practice. You might contact him and find out where his dojo gets theirs.

Just a thought. :)

[Tim Atkinson]

Paul,

Thanks, I will look into it.

I can get a ready supply of 25-30mm diameter cardboard tubes, with about 4-5mm wall thickness, which is what I have used in the past.

I would like to try the softer targets though.

Thanks again. :D

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by Tim Atkinson
I would like to try the softer targets though.

A suggestion. Do any farmers in your area grow wheat or rice? You may be able to get large quantities of straw for next to no cost.

Gather the straw into bundles, starting at about 6" (15cm) thick and several feet long. Tie the bundles firmly with twine (cotton or other natural fiber) spaced every 6 inches. Soak in water for two days, then let dry overnight.

You now have an inexpensive, realistic target for suemonogiri. Make thicker bundles as your experience with the material grows. You can even tie several bundles together into "straw men" to practice different cuts.

Be sure to clean and oil your blades after every use. The wet straw will cause rust otherwise, and any dirt or grit in the straw may be transferred to the blade, so wipe gently on the first pass.

Hope this helps.

[Soulend]

http://00fun.com/wimg/0073.jpg

[Brian Owens]

Haaaa Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!

TELL me that's a Photoshop job, please, or I'll have to fly to Arizona to see it.

Haaaa Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!

[Tim Atkinson]

Brian,

Thanks for the info. There are rural areas on the out skirts of the city, I will look into it.

[Kaoru]

Hi all,

What an interesting thread this has been so far, and I've really been enjoying learning all this information about cacti... but ahaha, then I got to that photo... OH my GOODness... ahahahaha!! *Is very shocked and looks very embarrassed, has to cover eyes* Oh David-san, what got into you?? Having an odd day, neh?

Carolyn Hall