Martial Arts Mailorder FAQ
Mary Malmros
Last revised date: March 26, 1995
Changes this revision: Added Phoenix Martial Arts Supply,
Century Martial Arts Supply
Updated entry on Bill Latham (he is now
selling custom swords)
Thanks to:
Cynthia Kim
Kim Taylor
Bill Wrankin
Kurt Krumvieda
Charles Buhs
Steve Crogan
James Harr
Frank Lindquist
Ron Fox
Introduction
-------------
This document is a compilation of mailorder sources for martial arts
supplies. It has been compiled from information taken from a variety
of sources, mostly off the net. It is posted on or about the fifteenth of
every month to rec.martial-arts, the iaido list, and will also be
available via anonymous FTP once I get a site set up (probably
rtfm.mit.edu).
Right now the FAQ is a simple alphabetical listing. In the future, I
may add topic indexes.
Right to use and distribute
----------------------------------------------------
This FAQ may be freely copied wherever you like, as long as you
include the disclaimer. Information from this FAQ may be copied at
will. If you intend to copy the whole thing, please include the Call for
Contributions.
Call for Contributions
-----------------------
Keep it going! Help add to the FAQ! Tell me about new sources, or
keep the old ones up to date. If you use these suppliers, please let me
know how your experiences were. If you know of other vendors,
send me information about them and they will be added to the FAQ.
If you have more information to add about a vendor who appears
here, send it along!
Information that I need to have to add something to the FAQ:
- Name of the company
- What they sell
- Phone number
Other information that would be very helpful:
- Location (city/state/country is good, street address is even better)
- Hours of operation
- Forms of payment accepted (visa, mc, amex, check, MO, cash)
- Opinions on the quality of merchandise (design quality,
manufacturing quality, suitability, problems in caring for it)
- Opinions on ease of conducting business (politeness/helpfulness
of staff, promptness in filling order, availability of requested
items/sizes in stock, correct filling of order, return policy)
- Whether they also have a retail store
Disclaimer
------------
This is a compilation of information that has not been personally
verified. Some of these companies may have closed shop or changed
address. I am not a representative of any of these businesses or
organizations, nor do I profit from any of their sales. No guarantee
is made regarding the quality of merchandise, competitiveness of
pricing, or honesty in business dealings of any of these vendors.
Caveat emptor.
And now, the FAQ!
Blades N Stuff
1019 E. Palmer Avenue
Glendale, CA 91205
USA
Steel blades for Japanese swords, clay heat treated.
Bugei Trading Company
3790 Manchester Avenue
Encinitas, CA 92024-4935
USA
Phone (800) 437-0125
Self described as "All things Samurai..."Gongs, flutes, tea sets,
incense, caligraphy sets, artwork, tapes, books,hakama, kimono, obi,
katana/tachi/wakazashi/tanto/kozuka/naginata/yari blades, sword
mountings and fittings, bokken, jo, bo, kyudo supplies, Japanese
woodworking tools.
Notes: great catalog. but not the best prices. Most items can be
found cheaper elsewhere (if you can find them).
Bujin Designs
640 Dewey Avenue
Boulder, Co. 80304
USA
Phone (303) 444-7663
Clothing (obi, hakama, etc. including semi-custom fit hakama), some
Japanese training weapons, and a truly excellent selection of well-
designed weapons bags.
Cole Cantrell
Asian Antiques
San Diego, Ca.
USA
Phone (819) 697-2406
Cole sells antique Tsubas, Menuki and Fuchi/Kashira - usually has a
wide selection of affordable items. No catalog available - usually
attends large sword shows, and West Coast Gun Shows.
Century Martial Arts Supply
Phone (800) 626-2787
Century is probably the best-known supplier of martial arts gear. Most of
their offerings are probably best described as "entry-level" in quality:
not the best stuff out there by a long shot, but fairly priced and
adequate for most people's needs. My last dealings with them were several
years ago, but they were friendly, easy to deal with, and handled returns
efficiently and without complaint.
Cheng and Tsui Company
25 West Street
Boston MA 02111
USA
This company is in the book, software, video business. Subjects from
Korea, China and Japan are covered, from language instruction
to videos like "Cruel Story of Youth" from 1992, Japan's Rebel
Without a Cause. Write for a catalogue.
Dragon Books
870 Hampshire Road, Suite C
Westlake Village, CA 91361
USA
Phone (805) 371-6222 & 6223
Fax (805)371-6224
Email: Budo...@eWorld.com
Visa MC Amex Discover
Over 850 items, including a wide variety of books and videos, scrolls,
clothing (uniforms/obis/hakamas including Tenki uniforms and obi),
weapons, magazines, and other miscellaneous items.
Notes: they will split sizes (tops & bottoms) on their uniforms. The
"Meijin" uniforms are a very good quality, reasonable priced
alternative to the more expensive Japanese brands.
Electronic and printed catalogs are available.
Eguchi Budo
attn: Kaori Tanabe
595 Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 206
Pasadena, CA 91101
USA
Phone (818) 577-9646
Fax (818) 449-2436
Bogu repair. They do most work on site, especially kote, do, and men
refurbishing. Their main workshop is in Kyoto. Write or call for a
catalogue.
Ganzo Ltd.
P.O. Box 11
Hyampom, Ca. 96046
USA
Ganzo sells sword bags - a very wide selection, along with
Fusahimo and Sageo cords. Tsuka-ito (handle cord), display boxes,
and misc. sword parts, sword maintaince kits, etc. 1 Page price sheet
available - usually attends large sword shows.
David Hamilton
P.O. Box 22278
Santa Fe, NM 87502
USA
Phone (505) 757-2114
Handle wrapping services, Tsuka & Saya carving, Saya
lacquering, also Copper & Silver Habaki made to fit your sword.
Excellent, tightly-wrapped handles for Iaido - David does Iaido
himself. One man shop - so work usually takes a while. 1 page price
list of services.
Hida Tool Company
Berkeley, CA
(510) 524-3700
Carries Ho wood from Japan - the real stuff, and expensive. Hida
Tool specializes in Japanese hand tools ... nice stuff ... hold on to
your wallet!
Honda Martial Arts Supply
61 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10010
Phone (212) 620-4050 or (800) USA NYNY
Uniforms: Tokeido, Shureido, Mitsoboshi, Judo, TKD, hakama.
Kendo armor, wooden weapons, pads and protective gear.
Judako Inc.
10126 St-Laurent
Montreal, PQ H3L 2N7
Canada
Phone (514) 387-6978 or (800) 363-2992
Fax (514) 387-7110
Iaido equipment
K.E. Skafte
DK-4800 Nykobing Falster
Denmark
Phone 5485 1505
Fax 5486 1422
Antiquarian book dealer from Denmark. The catalogue is in English
and they ship worldwide, it's worth writing for a copy if you are
looking for a certain unavailable or rare book on arms, armour and
other orientalia.
The Kiyota Co.
2326 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
USA
Phone (410) 366-8275
Fax (410) 366-3540
10:00 am - 6:00 pm EST
Major credit cards, cash
Kiyota has an extensive collection of Japanese imported Iaito.
Prices range from $157 (wholesale) to $1500. He also has a
beautiful selection of bokken and other weapons from white oak to
exotic Japanese hardwood. He is extremely knowledgable about
the availability of genuine swords and will appraise swords and
advise serious buyers. He also carries uniforms, protective
equipment, and trinkets like keychains. He is very helpful and has a
quick turnaround time.
D.R. Langenbacker & Sons
P.O. Box 933
Riverton, UT 84065
USA
Phone (801) 254-4400
Sells Replica sword fittings - Tsubas, Menuki and Fuchi-
Gane/Kashira in Silver, Brass, Bronze and Gold. Wide selection,
excellent workmanship, fine details. Look twice at work - it's hard
to tell Langenbacker replicas from the original. Langenbacker is just
completed a new catalog with photos.
William Latham2
66 Tahoe Circle
Novato, CA 94947
USA
Phone (415) 892-4330
Fully-mounted heat-treated modern steel swords, custom-configured, for iai
or tameshigiri.
Sword restoration and sword polishing; from minor clean-up through full
repolish/reshape lines in blade. Bill polishes Tanto, Wakazashi, Katana,
Tachi, Naginata and Yari. Also makes Saya and Tsuka wood core. Trained
by Francis Boyd in the Honami school of sword polishing, also associates
with Leon Knapp (Author of _The_Craft_Of_The_Japanese_Sword_). Bill
charges $35/inch for full polish, starting on the 3rd stone. Includes
reseting the lines if necessary. Includes burnish, keisho (outline the
hamon) and the polishing the Kassaki. "Clean-Up" light polish starting on
the 6th stone is $15 dollars/inch.
Fred Lohman Co.
3405 N.E. Broadway
Portland OR 97232
USA
Phone (503) 282-4567
Fax (503) 288-3533
Sells Replica sword fittings and other Japanese sword related items.
Fred has a wide variety of colors of silk Tsuka-Ito (handle cord)
from Black/ Blues/ Greens/ Reds/ Whites/ Golds/ Purples/ etc ... in
widths for Tanto (narrow) Wakizashi (medium) and Katana (heavy
weight). A sample hank of colors/widths is available, also leather
Tsuka-Ito. Gold plated (bright & antiqued) cast silver Menuki,
Fuchi-Gane/Kashira, Shitodome, Seppa, and other parts. Same
(the Ray-skin that goes around the wood Tsuka core), Water
Buffalo Horn parts for Kashira, Koiguchi (mouth piece for Saya),
Kojiri (Saya end piece), and Kurigata (Sageo (Cord) knob). Other
items include Choji Oil (Oil of cloves), Sword cleaning paper, and
other misc. items for Japanese Swords/Naginatas. His catalog is
approx. 15 pages, and has an illustrated list of sword
nomenclature, along with a 1-pager on how to wrap a Tsuka, and
ways to tie the Sageo cord.
David McDonald
P.O. Box 265
Sidney, MT 59270
USA
Phone (406) 482-3243
Primarily TSUKA-MAKI (handle-wrapping)
Meirin Syngyo Co., Ltd.
1-32 Rokumentai-cho Tennoji-ku
Osaka, Japan
Fax <Japan>6.772.3028
Solid quality, reasonably fast handling, no problems with
customs. They offer Kendo-gu and Iaido and material for karate,
judo and other martial arts.
Mere Dragons
PO Box 17277
Boulder, CO 80308
USA.
They do mail order and they're a direct Marto distributor of high
quality museum reproductions. All Marto blades are made in
Toledo, Spain of high quality carbon steel. Full catalogs are $4, but
that cost is refunded with an order of $100 or more. Prices on the
blades range from $100 for the cheapest tanto to $520 for the most
elaborate field tachi. Their prices are in general 15% off
manufacturer's suggested retail.
Museum Replicas Ltd./Atlanta Cutlery
2143 Gees Mill Road
Box 840
Convers, GA 30207
USA
Phone (800) 883-8838
Swords range from $49 Ninja short sword to katanas at
approximately $140 to tachis at $350 - all are fine quality replicas.
They even have tantos for as little as $40.
Okame Japanese Antiques
709 Devonshire Road
Windsor, Ontario N8Y 2L9
Canada
Phone (519) 254-4363
Sword repairs.
Phoenix Martial Arts Supply
Somewhere, Oklahoma
Phone (800) 890-1117
Very sturdy, reasonably priced heavy bags, kicking shields, and other
striking targets. Custom-made bags. Very friendly and helpful.
S&P Budo
c/o Mr. Hiroaki Kimura
6049 Transit Road
De Pew, NY 14043
Phone (716) 681-7911
Iaido equipment
Tozando Mukomachi
P.O. Box 27
Kyoto 617
Japan
Phone (81) 75-951-5375
Fax (81) 75-951-5376
Our experience with Tozando has been generally good, as long as
you are paying sale prices. Their regular prices are too high.
However, they are the only Japanese supplier that I know of that is
easy to deal with for North Americans. They have an English
catalog, an English-speaking salesperson and you can pay by Visa.
Turtle Press
PO Box 290206
Wethersfield CT 06129-0206
1-800-77-TURTL
Martial arts books, aimed at the average martial artist regardless of
style (e.g., fitness, conditioning, strategy, teaching, philosophy).
Martial arts training videos focusing primarily on the Korean arts.
Also carries a lot of material geared towards instructors (books and
special reports).
Patrick Veninga
1405-B West Touhy Avenue
Chicago, IL 60626
USA
Sword fittings repair.
Mike Virdagamo
O1079 S. Oakland Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106
USA
Phone (818) 792-7510 or (818) 793-7272
Tsuka and saya carving. Shira Saya and Buke Zukuri Saya. Tanto,
Wakizashi, Katana, Naginata, and Yari. Does excellent work.
The Wareham Forge
Hamlet of Wareham, RR #2
Proton Stn. Ontario N0C 1L0
Canada
Phone (519) 923- 9219
Email: wareha...@ambassador.com
Wing Lam Kung Fu Federation
1155 Reed Avenue, Room 5
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
USA
Phone (408) 244-2831
Email: wl...@sensemedia.net
Visa MC
A complete line of books, uniforms, training aids, videos
(instructional, Hung Gar, Northern Shaolin, Sun style Tai Chi). In
the future will have videos on Chin Na Choy Le Fut and more on
Sun Style Tai Chi.