Swords Martial Arts

Swords and Martial Arts Items

Sword Books

The Japanese Sword: A Comprehensive Guide (Japanese Arts Library)

The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords

The Craft of the Japanese Sword
Well over a thousand years old, the tradition of swordmaking in Japan is one of the most highly regarded metal crafts in the world. When all sword manufacture was prohibited in Japan for seven years after World War II, the age-old techniques were in danger of being lost forever. Today, in the hands of a new generation of practitioners, the craft is making a startling comeback. Connoisseurs say that the swords being produced now are the equal of anything made in Japan in the past few hundred years.

This book takes the reader into the workshops of four of Japan's leading sword craftsmen. Each craftsman has a different role in the manufacture of a blade. Yoshindo Yoshihara, the swordsmith, begins with raw steel made in a traditional charcoal-fueled smelter and refines it by folding and forging, gradually shaping it into a sword with a hardened edge. Okisato Fujishiro then sharpens and polishes the sword with fine stones to reveal the color and texture of the steel. Metalworker Hiroshi Miyajima makes the small copper-and-gold habaki collar that fits between the blade and the scabbard. Finally, Kazuyuki Takayama carves the hilt and the scabbard out of a single piece of wood. Black-and-white photographs show every stage of the manufacture, while important information on history, metallurgy, and modern-day appraisal is presented in an extensive introduction...

Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths: From 1868 to the Present

The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths
Unparalleled in its deadly cutting power, strength, and enduring elegance, the Japanese sword is a triumph of both technical merit and mythical appeal. For a thousand years the Japanese sword was the linchpin of the warrior class, the mainstay of social order, and the definitive weapon on the...

The Yasukuni Swords: Rare Weapons of Japan, 1933-1945

Martial Arts Books

The Martial Artist's Book of Yoga: Improve Flexibility, Balance and Strength for Higher Kicks, Faster Strikes, Smoother Throws, Safer Falls, and Stronger Stances

Ultimate Flexibility: A Complete Guide to Stretching for Martial Arts

Tao of Jeet Kune Do
by Bruce Lee
To watch Bruce Lee on film is an amazing experience. Those who have read Tao of Jeet Kune Do, however, know that Lee's prose can also be exhilarating. This praiseworthy and enduring bestseller (mainly written over six months when Lee was bedridden with back problems) compiles philosophical...

More Martial Arts Books

Martial Arts Magazines

Martial Arts DVDs

Kung Fu The Complete First Three Seasons

Cameron Shayne - Budokon for Beginners

Martial Arts 50 Movie Mega Pack

Taekwondo Taegeuk Poomse # 1-8

Ultimate Fitness for Martial Arts

The Art of Aikido

Japanese Swordsmanship The Art of the Samurai

Karate for Kids

Shaolin Kung Fu Fundamental Training