All,
(11/23/20)
The writing has been on the wall the past week so it is not a huge surprise that moments ago NYS designated Rochester, Brighton, and Irondequoit as Orange Zones. This designation forces closures of many non-essential businesses, including the gyms category which we fall into. If we are lucky, this will only last a week or so. For now, there is definitely no class this week. Marcella and I will monitor the designation and make determinations about classes on a week by week basis. We will leave the class reservation open for classes until they are determined to be impacted by a continuing Orange or worse designation. In the meantime, if the Orange zone continues into next week, I will make at least next Tuesday’s class online through Google Meet.
Until then, try to have a Happy Thanksgiving. Wash your hands and heck behind your ears, too. Wear your masks and just be aware.
We are happy to announce our return to in-dojo classes as of October 2020. These classes will continue to maintain social distancing limitations until such time as NYS Guidance changes. We have plenty of ventilation given our 2 walls of 20' tall windows.
For the time being, we will hold classes on Tuesday nights from 7pm-8pm and Thursday evenings from 6pm-7pm. Class is currently limited to 12 people to maintain a 6' radius around your one-point, so please email aikidoroc@gmail.com if you plan to attend so we can make sure we have space. After October, we will evaluate adding additional class offerings.
Selecting a Jo
There are many places online and locally where you can purchase wooden practice weapons. Unless you are buying custom or at least semi-custom, be prepared to cut it down to length. The length should be from the floor to your arm pit. You’ll want the diameter to be between 7/8” and 1”, if you have really big hands you might want a little fatter, but not much.
Woods and quality…
On a budget:
You can buy them very inexpensively, though the cheapest tend to be a
Taiwanese red oak and have a varnish finish. The Taiwanese red oak is
not great. It is more brittle than the domestic red oak with which you
might be familiar. The varnish crackles over time and never really
slides well in the hand. Therefore sanding the varnish off in the
beginning is recommended. You don’t need any special tools, just a few
sheets of 220 grit sandpaper. I recommend the Norton 3x or similar
quality. Cheap sandpaper falls apart frustratingly easily when wrapped
around small diameters. You can also make one from wooden broom handles
in a pinch. Everybody has a budget. 
The nicer stuff:
There are better woods for weapons use than others. Denser woods feel
nicer as the extra mass helps the jo move more fluidly. Ideal woods
have good crush resistance performance making them less prone to denting
or worse, small surface fracture defects that are either prone to
giving splinters or cause structural failure. We don't often strike
weapon to weapon, but it does happen. You want a wood that is durable.
The wood also needs to be strong to support the uke-nage connection
during waza and tori techniques.
Good woods (abbreviated list): Kashi (Japanese white oak), Hickory, white oak (North American), and so many more. There are bad woods, but unless you are making your own, then you probably won’t come across those except for that version of red oak I mentioned earlier.
Making your own:
There are plenty
of suitable domestic and exotic hardwoods readily available and the Jo
can easily made with both simple hand tools as well as super expensive
power tools and jigs. Some find it very satisfying to use tools that
they have made themselves. Having used existing Jo's will guide you in
what is important in their construction.
Surface Finish:
If
you sanded the varnish off your jo, you can leave it bare if you choose
but there are oil finishes that work well including Tung oil based
finishes. Some like Boiled Linseed Oil but this can be a little sticky
and it takes a long time to dry. Fromby's makes a Tung oil based finish
that works well. All wooden weapons require maintenance. The
occasional light sanding and a new coat of Tung oil will extend the life
of your weapon. Always give a light sanding as the last step. This
breaks up the surface allowing it to slide through the hand with less
friction.
