thanks Mullet. Do you practice Aikido too? I'm hoping that Osage will be a decent balance and not be an oak destroyer. It's probably funny the first time or two but I'm sure eventually people get tired of having their weapons demolished. Either way, it's a gift to my sensei so I'm sure people wont be able to get as mad at him if he breaks their weapons, he is the sensei after all!
I have enough of the board left to make another bokken and a jo for myself. the jo might prove to be a little more interesting. My dad has a router and I found a description of how to make a jo with a router. We'll see how it goes. I'm sure it won't be a perfect dowel but I don't think it needs to be. As long as it's pretty close to round, straight and smooth in the hand it should be fine. I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't rocket science, they're really just wooden approximations of swords and spears that we use for whacking at each other with. all the perfect lines and curves are really just for show.
