The Practice Cut

The practice cut is the most necessary part of continued sword training; equal to sparring for its reflective benefits. Through cutting with the sword, one can become acquainted with the tactile sensation of forcing the blade of the weapon through a target and thereby determine the strength and angle necessary to properly execute cuts that would be fatal to an enemy in battle.
However, this kind of exercise is not for blades which were not originally designed for heavy cutting. Stainless steel swords and weapons designed for ornamental purposes are far from capable of holding up to the demands of the repeated practice cut, also known as Tameshigiri.
In the past I have used katana, wakizashi, tanto, bowies, machetes, cleavers, and tomahawks for tameshigiri, using multiple target materials to make thousands of cuts over a period of time. These cuts are made as individual exercises for the sake of personal refinement and should be done with the utmost care and with focused intent. It has been my experience that shorter, more balanced blades should be handled most carefully if the cut is to be successful, since the shorter blade will be unable to take advantage of the momentum available to longer weapons – angle of attack and proper movement is essential.
In general, the angle plays a key role in the stability of the target during the performance of the movements of tameshigiri. Though the act requires some movement, it is not an act of brute force. The blade must be drawn through the target and prepared for the next cut in a single movement, so excessive force should be avoided, as it reduces overall control at the end of the blade. A 45 degree angle is best for straw mats and generally works well for vertical targets of various kinds. This angle can be consistently applied against various axes depending upon the orientation of the target, be it upright, horizontal, swinging from a rope, or pivoting on an animated target stand.
To attain a higher level of awareness one should cut frequently using several targets and refine ones feeling for the edge. Sparring alone cannot provide this, as the training equipment is void of the edge – sparring only increases one’s feel for movement.
To have a complete awareness of one’s ability to perform cuts properly, the necessity of tameshigiri as part of one’s regular training regimen can never be overstated.
(Note to the Reader: The swordsman in the photo is not me. ^^)