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Thread: Tatami

  1. #1
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    Default Tatami

    Hi there,

    Does anyone know of a cheap place (or any place for a start) to buy tatami mats for test cutting here in Australia.

    Our dojo has nearly run out

    Thanks,

    David Carvosso
    David Carvosso

    - Nothing improves technique like tameshigiri -

  2. #2
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    Being on another island, albeit quite a bit smaller, I can understand your problem, David. I worked with the people at http://www.tameshigiri.com & got the shipping price down to the merely awful from the horrible.

    We've tried beach mats with very poor success, & most of our iaidoka aren't quite at the point where they can take advantage of the abundant bamboo that grows everywhere in Hawaii. So I would suggest contacting Dave Wilson <dave@tameshigiri.com> & see if he can ship you tatame omote via slow boat.

    And of course make sure that you take many cuts on each roll !!
    Ken Goldstein
    --------------------------------
    Judo Kodansha/MJER Iaido Kodansha/Jodo Oku-iri
    Fencing Master/NRA Instructor

    "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it'll annoy enough people to be worth the effort."

  3. #3
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    Thumbs up cheap mats

    hello, I purchase my mats from this company. I think th eprice is really cheap but to ship them where you are may be costly. Doesnt hurt to look into it though. Good luck.

    http://www.seagullintl.com/content/17.htm
    Lou Roberto
    -----------------------------
    Those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.

  4. #4
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    Those are beach mats, Lou, & don't have the same resistance or cutting "feel" as real tatame omote. They also contain a lot more silica, which can scratch your shinken's blade. There are thousands of free beach mats available here in Hawaii for almost nothing, but after trying them, no one uses them.

    I don't recommend beach mats at all!
    Ken Goldstein
    --------------------------------
    Judo Kodansha/MJER Iaido Kodansha/Jodo Oku-iri
    Fencing Master/NRA Instructor

    "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it'll annoy enough people to be worth the effort."

  5. #5
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    Default

    Unless you have contacts in Japan, it's extremely expensive to import them to Australia - the cost is mostly the container fees.

    It's advisable to band together with other schools to try and spread the cost if at all possible.
    Mat Rous

  6. #6
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    Default

    Maybe try www.dragonsedge.com

    Don't know if they do international shipping, though.
    Arik Hartsaugh

    You can't shake hands with a clenched fist.
    -Indira Gandhi

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Unskilled_Blade
    Maybe try www.dragonsedge.com

    Don't know if they do international shipping, though.
    Or have anything at all to do with JSA for that matter...
    Christian Moses
    **Certified Slimy, Moronic, Deranged and Demented Soul by Saigo-ha Daito Ryu!**
    Student of:
    Shinto Ryu Iai-Battojutsu
    Tuesday Night Bad Budo Club (TM)

  8. #8
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    There is not much point importing New Tatami from the USA into Australia - with exchange rates and commission, it ends up way too expensive. To make it cost effective from Asia, you need to import at least 5000 mats.

    See what I mean?

    Even finding beach mat suppliers is hard here in Oz. They keep pretty quiet about who their supplier is. It's hard work!
    Mat Rous

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrismoses
    Or have anything at all to do with JSA for that matter...
    LOL! Whoaaaaaaa! I'm sorry about that one! It seems there a 2 sites with the same name This should work:
    http://dragonsedge.biz/product_info.php/products_id/544

    They sell the beach mats, too, but there most likely crappy.
    Arik Hartsaugh

    You can't shake hands with a clenched fist.
    -Indira Gandhi

  10. #10
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    Default

    Arik,
    The "tatami" sold by that company are Bugei's wara. They are taller and much easier to cut than regular tatami. Besides that fact, tatami has nothing to do with bamboo (as that site professes) and the "real Samurai" did not use them for tameshigiri practice.

    I make it a point to never buy anything from people that have no idea what they're talking about.
    Paul Smith
    "Always keep the sharp side and the pointy end between you and your opponent"

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by pgsmith
    Arik,
    The "tatami" sold by that company are Bugei's wara. They are taller and much easier to cut than regular tatami. Besides that fact, tatami has nothing to do with bamboo (as that site professes) and the "real Samurai" did not use them for tameshigiri practice.
    Hi Paul,

    How much easier to cut are these? I've always heard that online. The wara we have from Japan is very hard to cut - nice and "Crisp".

    We're still looking for a supplier here but it's hard. Most suppliers only carry the beach mats and even then, only the short ones.

    It's not very economical to order from the USA.
    Mat Rous

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maro
    Hi Paul,

    How much easier to cut are these? I've always heard that online. The wara we have from Japan is very hard to cut - nice and "Crisp".

    We're still looking for a supplier here but it's hard. Most suppliers only carry the beach mats and even then, only the short ones.
    A LOT. It's hard to equate, but I'd say that one tatami omote has about as much material as maybe 3 of the bugei wara. Even then it's not a direct comparison, because they just don't cut the same, you can roll up 2-3 of the bugei wara and do cuts like mizu-gaeshi easier than you could with a single roll of real tatami omote becuase of the added thickness (ie they stay put better). You might contact someone like tameshigiri.com to see who they buy from in Japan, it's not like you'll be cutting into their marketshare.
    Christian Moses
    **Certified Slimy, Moronic, Deranged and Demented Soul by Saigo-ha Daito Ryu!**
    Student of:
    Shinto Ryu Iai-Battojutsu
    Tuesday Night Bad Budo Club (TM)

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrismoses
    A LOT. It's hard to equate, but I'd say that one tatami omote has about as much material as maybe 3 of the bugei wara. Even then it's not a direct comparison, because they just don't cut the same, you can roll up 2-3 of the bugei wara and do cuts like mizu-gaeshi easier than you could with a single roll of real tatami omote becuase of the added thickness (ie they stay put better). You might contact someone like tameshigiri.com to see who they buy from in Japan, it's not like you'll be cutting into their marketshare.
    That's what I gathered. Coupled with hira zukhuri blades, no wonder the sword zips through the cut!

    I will look into the Japanese suppliers. I have a friend who already import swords. I know he's had enquiries from other people also. A good niche market to start here.
    Mat Rous

  14. #14
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    Does anyone have a good source for the igusa (or igusa seeds) that make up tatami omote? Doesn't look like it would be all that hard to grow a crop & stitch it together from what I see on the mats I have from Tameshigiri.com. Or it might be possible just to bundle & tie the igusa together without stitching, as all we're going to do is cut it, anyway. Has anyone tried this?

    I just found an interesting chart on tameshigiri cutting materials at http://www.ishiyamaryu.com/articles.php:

    Type Availability Density Cost

    1) Wada (rice straw) Rare #10 free-$1.00 per target

    2) Beach mats (flax) Moderate #9 $1.50-3.00 per mat

    3) Wara (grass type) Moderate #9 $3-5.00 per mat

    4) Omote (half mat) Excellent #8

    5) Omote (grass) Excellent #5.5 - 6 $3.00 per mat

    6) Goza (half mat) Moderate to poor #7

    7) Goza (Igusa grass) Moderate to poor #4-5 $3-4.00 per mat
    Ken Goldstein
    --------------------------------
    Judo Kodansha/MJER Iaido Kodansha/Jodo Oku-iri
    Fencing Master/NRA Instructor

    "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it'll annoy enough people to be worth the effort."

  15. #15
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    You need to take the Colon off of the end of your link.
    Mat Rous

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