Fencing?

[Maximilian]

Does anyone know if rapier fencing would be effective with a Katana?

Edited March 13, 2006 by Maximilian

[Bushido58266]

are you asking if rapier fencing techniques would work with a katana? if so then no they would not

if you want to learn to use a katana then try checking into iaido or kendo

[Maximilian]

They are not availible where i live.

[UseoForce]

katanas are slashing weapons, rapiers are thrusting weapons.

Short answer: No.

[Maximilian]

Allright, thanks for the help.

[Anbu Alex]

At most from what a friend showed me of fencing footwork wise you can use it with the katana but actual application with the sword at most you can understand the thrusting and stabbing motions but even so not as much there are probaly kenjutsu videos you can buy for this

[battousai16]

actually, no, not even that much, as the katana is considerably heavier than the rapier. and although you can stab with a katana, it's not really designed for it; the blade will get stuck. it wont transfer well. furthermore, i've been talking to a fencing buddy of mine, and she says that the curve of the sword is opposite. as in, the rapier will arc upwards. unless your katana is perfectly balanced, and considering you want to adapt it to fencing techniques i'm going to assume it wont be, your katana will probably lean forward, and you wont have nearly as much control over it as you should. which leads into the mess about using a katana one handed, but that's another can of worms entirely.

[Bushido58266]

At most from what a friend showed me of fencing footwork wise you can use it with the katana but actual application with the sword at most you can understand the thrusting and stabbing motions but even so not as much there are probaly kenjutsu videos you can buy for this

im learning iaido and i know a little kendo and my friend is really good at fencing, the stances and footwork are really not similar. fencing stances would not work with a katana because fencing stances are built to give power in thrusting and have basic thrusting movements of foreward and backward with not much or no angle work at all, where stances you learn in kendo and iaido are more strict, hip action stances built for slashing and you use more movement (side to side, foreward and backward, diaganols) which allow for the slashing techniques

so really you cant use any fencing techniques for a katana, just like you cant really use kendo or iaido techniques for fencing

if you really want to learn to use a katana even though there is no instructors where you live then check out websites, books, dvd's for reference in kendo or iaido. now they are no where near the quality of a live instructor but they do help a little.

[Anbu Alex]

well kendo and kenjutsu have completly different footwork from what ive seen their footwork can be applied in kenjutsu

[UseoForce]

The nature of the weapons defines the way you should fight with them. A katana is a curved, slashing weapon. That means an overall circular fighting style.

A rapier is a straight thrusting weapon. It should be used predominantly for linear thrusting attacks.