I agree with your agreement, Chris...
The alloy iaito I was training with from Swordstore could cut through the first layer of skin if I just rested it on the inside of my forearm--tell me that couldn't hurt you, Brian!
I have since switched to shinken, upping the stakes a bit more--but only after training with the iaito for the previous year as if it were a shinken. And although theoretically it should be no different when I use a bokken--it is.
Iaito good.
Shinken better.
Boffer bad.
I just know if I ever get a boffer in hand, I'll just go around bashing all my dojomates in the head until someone can wrest it out of my hands, at which point the fight is sure to escalate...so maybe it really IS the most dangerous weapon of the bunch.
And keep me informed on the Seattle gettogethers. Between the Japanese sword stuff and the Western, Seattle is turning into Sword Party City...
In Sangha,
Dr. Diane Mirro