Nunchaku Questions! Thanks

[TaeKwonDo Afficianado]

Hello all this is my first post.

I am beginning to learn with the nunchaku.

For a real pair I have read a lot here and decided that a purple heart set, with cord not chain, from Crane Mountain would be a good choice.

My question is how do I determine what length of cord I need or want.

I have heard that the standard length on non-custom nunchaku is too short for real use, only good for speedchucking demonstration.

Thanks for any and all info.

Also, is the set I mentioned pretty good in your opinion, or should I get something else.

Great site here as well,

-Tom

[AndrewGreen]

The "traditional" answer I have on that is if you hang them over 3 fingers they should hang nicely, but with no room to spare.

You'll have to learn how to tie them too, then you can do it too whatever length you want.

That's Akamine lineage Ryukyu Kobudo answer, other branches might have other preferances, and partially it is what you prefer.

[striking_cobra]

what do you mean by real use?

[TaeKwonDo Afficianado]

I mean something that you would prefer to hit someone over the head with other than a rattan set, if you had to.

Something that is heavy (at least heaver than most practice nunchaku) and will last, and something in the traditional Okinawan style preferably.

Thanks,

Tom

[Hogosha]

You wont be hitting people in the head so does it matter??

[TaeKwonDo Afficianado]

Yes....

I hope to not hit someone with them, but If i had to I don't want rattan or a cheap or light material.

It does matter.

And like I said, there is more to the pair I want to buy than just strength for the purpose of hitting someone.. I want the wood to last long, not have the cord/chain bearings or anything break on them.

I understand 99 percent of everyone chooses to train with martial arts weapons only for the purpose of fun and or demonstration, or just to say you know how to use them. I however am intersted in both those things, as well as self defense.

All the best,

Tom

[Hogosha]

1. Your not allowed to carry Nunchaku on the streets.

2. If someone does attack you whats the chance you'll have them with you?

3. If you did attack someone with them say a robber they'd just sue your *.

[striking_cobra]

yup, courts in this state at least will hammer you bad just for using them in a fight, because if you carry them on the street, they assume you were out looking for a fight...so chances are you won't be carrying them, or you will be sitting in a little cage with no windows.

as far as durability, a heavier pair can wear out just as fast, they're heavier, therefore put more stress on your cord.

[TaeKwonDo Afficianado]

Thank you for the replies and I am aware of the laws and stuff.

Just to be clear I'm not saying any of you are saying that I am like this.... but I am obviously not going around looking for fights.

Anyways, It can be legal to carry nunchaku "on the streets". And yes I am aware that often police/courts, etc. will look at the guy with a weapon and possibly think he is the one that started it but I am very active in self defense in general and I am a big beliver in self preservation. If it was legal for me to carry nunchaku, even though it could be frowned on in the courts, I would risk getting in trouble and saving my own butt. I don't start trouble, I don't look for it, and I would not want a fight if someone tried to rob me...etc. But if I had to I would use whatever weapon I have and I honestly think that that the lowly Nunchaku is a fairly good weapon. I am also a "gun nut" so I know some martial arts people really frown on that.

As for being sued by a robber that is one of the things that really angers me in life, but I would be willing to risk if it everything I worked for my entire life was at risk, or if I thought my life was at risk.

And once more for the guy who said "you won't be hitting someone in the head".... do you mean that nunchaku aren't meant to hit people in the head or that I will never have to/have the opportunity to? I certainly hope not to have to.... but in practice 90 percent of every strike is going to be aimed at the head, and if it happens to hit the neck or shoulders instead, so be it. Why do we study to punch someone in the head or to kick them in the head.... you will probably never have to. It doesn't mean that you should not learn it.

As for durability, that is one of my questions striking cobra. I want to know if the purple heart is durable, and also, the pair I'm interested in has a brass ring at the top so the cord isn't sliding around on the wood.

Anyways, I will now give me point of view. I find it irritating sometimes when people say you cannot use nunchaku in a fight or whatever. Obivously, what are the chanches.... very low that you will be attacked in the first place... and very low that you will have them with you. I agree.... but it doesn't make it impossible, and there is at least one person who posts on this board who was attacked and had nunchaku with him. Could he be making it up ?? Sure, but I believe him.

Anyways, the martial arts to me are not performance arts. They are martial arts that happen to be totally awesome when performed. If you want to perform the martial arts, I do not tell you that you shouldn't because you will never have to do a kata performing what seems like a random series of moves in 4 directions, and using some moves that might never make it into a real fight. In fact, I would say "good job, that was amazing" because I think it is cool when people do that.

And I do understand that some martial artists do make fun of the flashy performance type performers... but I don't.

But why do so many performance orientated guys and girls say that people who focus on the martial aspects of martial arts are crazy or that It is useless in these days to practice them like that? If nunchaku are not going to be used as weapons why even bother practicing the strikes at all... why not just practice the insane spins and stuff?

Anyways, thanks for the concern, but I would like to focus on my original questions about the Purple heart nunchaku with brass inserts, and if you nunchaku experts think that it would be a good set.

And once more just to reiterate.... I've heard some crazy ideas on this board, and I certainly do not think "finding a good nunchaku" is a crazy one.

All the best,

Tom

[patusai]

I knew a guy back in the day that make a pair of steel ones out of cold rolled steel bars and welded a chain to fasten them together. He use them to practice with until the first time he spun them around and caught them under his arm. It was months before he was able to use Nunchakus again. My point us...well I have no point....but then again...

As for using the Nunchaku on the street, why bother? If you are living in that dangerous of an area and you feel a need for a weapon why would you use something old world and inferior to the more modern day weapons? Ok, so you pull out the chucks and the guy robbing you pulls out his gun and...well...you know.... If it's that dangerouns Hogosha is right....more than likely they will take the chucks aways from you and...again...well...you know...