Good morning all,
I am looking for a kagum, probably needs to be used as i can only afford around $150.00 U.S. I have checked a number of websites and can't seem to find anything for less than $250.00. Any thoughts?

Haidong!
Adam

Trust me, no one is trying to scam you at $250USD. That's barely a couple bucks over cost price, shipping, duties, and state/federal taxes.

In my opinion, the new aluminum "lightweight" swords aren't worth buying. Aesthetically, it may look better, but functionally it's about as useful as Action Flex swords; fun at first, but you soon realise it has no characteristics of a real sword.

He you thought of putting off your purchase for a bit longer, to save for a steel kagum? Even some Japanese style iaito are quite hefty (compared to the WHDGDF kagum).

I am open to anything. what I don't want is flashy or fun. I am just looking for a reliable no frills sword to practice with. If i need to save a little longer I will gladly do that. If you could direct me to a few sites I would greatly appreciate it.

thank you so much for your reponse

Here are some suggestions...

1. http://www.martialartswords.com/index.p ... f7499c4fd4
- I have not used their kagum but they are made the same as the jingum and the jingum are excellent.

2. http://www.swordarmory.com/05kat/05kat.htm
- Great quality.

3. http://www.chenessinc.com/iaito.htm
- Inexpensive and is the same weight and feel of a their live blades.
- As with all Cheness products, be very careful to inspect the handle.

4. Cheap alternative
- I suggest buying a quality low end live blade and dulling it down. You can usually find a Paul Chen practical for around $150 to $200 on Ebay.

Good Luck

When I was first looking for a kagum, there was talk of some good deals on www.kendogumdo.com.

I still have a kagum that I am willing to sell for $100 plus shipping costs.

Regards

Gaaah!! My friend ordered one of their kagums and they are absolute junk. They are lighter than the WHDGDF ones too! The are very wobbly too. In fact, after a few classes with it, he noticed it was slightly warped.

I've used it myself and it makes perfect sense to be selling them over the internet; we can't weigh or inspect the product ahead of time.

A few of us just recently purchased kagums from Cheness.. #3 on the list.
I used it for the first time last night.

After an hour and a half of class, boy were my arms tired, and sore.
Sore in different places then usual. My thumbs for instance.

The handles were all fine, no defects in any of the swords we have received so far.
The weight is just a big difference from that of the WHDG Kagums.

The five ounce difference between the old style HDGD kagum and a Cheness iaito does not seem like much, but that weight is all out in front of your hands. It does make for some good practice, though, as it is the same weight as a jingum.

Monetary considerations aside, I've never understood the reason for the use of the kagum. All proper application and handling of a chingum is, or should be, taught with a mokgum. I advise all of my students (not that there has ever been a great number of them) to save their money for a chingum. I've always suspected that requiring the use of a kagum was an added source of revenue for an organization (but then, some people have said I'm a bit of a cynic). And organizations will do what organizations must do. In the old days...we went from training with mokgum to chingum at yudansha level (even the children). I don't know of anyone who ever hurt themselves or others with a chingum who went through the proper training with a mokgum. (Although I'm sure that it's possible that someone, somewhere may have been injured somehow, sometime. Of, course, Brad would have posted it and I don't recall seeing it.) Just my two cents worth. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Primary reason seems to be getting them used to having a scabbard hanging in your belt earlier.
Having said that, though, between the 'group' of students I was in at our school and the ones that followed i have seen less and less emphasis on using anything but mokgum. Not sure why that is.

I do think we'd see less 'speed Yedo' forms if we used chingum sometimes to practice, though....

Frankly, I think we ought to be using a grooved sword - of which ever kind you're going to use, even mokgums - after blue belt. To get the geometries down right.

The grooved mokkgum is a good idea for audio feedback; however, it will be even lighter than a jingum and you would not be able to use it for blocking techniques. The wood would splinter and obviously cause a safety issue.

If you like the idea of a scabbard, I have seen for sale plastic scabbards for regular sized mokkum...
http://www.martialartswords.com/product ... ucts_id=37
& even both sword and scabbard wooden. With the wooden scabbard option though, the blade would be very thin and the sword very, very light and I don't think that they have a groove. I believe I have seen them sold through Century.

Thanks

and you would not be able to use it for blocking techniques. -- well, of course not.
The reason for the groove is during drills and forms to get blade geometry right. There's no reason to limit class practice to one tool only; after all, we don't use kagum for blocking techniques either.

One can use a grooved iaito for drills and forms if one is concerned about the weight difference.
Having used a saegum to practice some Yedo forms with, I am beginning to believe that the saegum and the new aluminum kagum are counter productive for forms to some extent due to their extremely light weight.

*emphasis mine

Muscle fatigue at the base of the thumb(s) can be a sign of improper grip (ie, not having the palm heels in the right position leaving the handle to be secured by the thumbs alone). When we start out as white belts, everything hurts, so this clue goes unnoticed in all the other screaming pain of various body parts. Later, however, once you are conditioned, when you switch to using a heavier sword, this is a good thing to which to pay attention. I find this is something that recurs again and again to students both old and new.

Thanks for the tip Mr. Boyd.
I will have to be more conscious of my grip.
I wonder if my fatigue hurt my grip ?

I never had any pain there until I started using the heavier sword.

One problem I do have, sometimes, is that the handles seem to be too small for my hands. Does anyone else have this problem? I have very large hands and I sometimes feel like I can't get a good and proper grip on the sword. I'm constantly adjusting my grip. I suppose this could be all in my head though.