Bokken
木剣

Raw Power

Bokken [木剣 ] is Japanese, meaning bok(u) – “wood”, and ken – “sword”. It was used in sword-training by samurai in feudal Japan, and is still used today in several martial arts. It is typically made of hardwood. 

This sword is made of smoked oak. The smoking is done by exposing the oak to ammonia fumes, which alters the wood and creates a beautiful dark color. This process only works with oak, and the intensity of the color depends on how long the wood is exposed to the fumes.

The sword is finished with raw linseed oil, which protects the wood and gives it a warm smooth touch.

Build Your Own!

Make your own bokken with my Build Manual, which contains drawings, complete measurements, and images with text.