Nunchaku (nunchuks)

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grter

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Recently all aspects of the NYC ban on nunchaku was struck down in federal court. So I am now the proud owner of a few of these goodies. I have always liked them since I was a kid and enjoyed playing with them and doing tricks.

They provide a good workout for the wrist, upper arms, forearms, and upper body. They also help improved martial arts form as well as hand to eye coordination.

As a weapon they require a good amount of dynamic practice and time to learn to use them practically. From what I have read they are much more effective as a grappling device for various joint locks etc... and are much more easy to learn to use in that manner. In fact some police departments use them specifically for that purpose.

After trying out a cheap pair I got for $20.00 (too much) I picked up a local cheapo martial arts store I decided it was not for me. These would be described by usanunchaku who later sold me my first quality (hickory) pair as polyurethane coated driftwood which he does not sell. I admit they were effective spinners but the cheap ball bearing chain system on these are known to come apart with mild to moderate use sending the other half flying across the room and one chuck was slightly longer than the other. The guy who sold them told me they were good, ummm I don't know about that.

Next at $55 dollars (usanunchaku) is my favorite a quality pair of octagon impact grade appalachian hickory ones finished in linseed oil with paracord. These were nice. The difference was night and day and they were nice and quiet unlike the junkie rickety chain held on by a thin piece of metal end cap on the cheapos. Thats it for now.

What are your experience with Nunchaku.
 
If you are planning to use them for self-defense you should practice striking. They will probably strike you on the rebound if you're not careful. Go very slow at first and study the rebound angles after your strikes. I used to practice on trees and on some old fiberglass cafeteria chairs.
 
Not some sales site, but a PD using them. Marketing on the internet is completely unreliable. People will call themselves anything to sell something.


https://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/10/28/colorado-police-help-nunchucks-make-comeback/

Thats 2 so far

CNN report on California using them and CBS Denver report on Colorado police using them.

There is also a complaint of a cop going overboard causing wrist damage to a passive protester.

To answer your question yes they are being used by PD
 
I like the hickory from usanunchaku it's a little on the light side but not too light either. Their Brazilian walnut (IPE) would be perfect (hard, strong, dense, and heavy) but I am such a tree hugger besides I do want the next generation to be able to see IPE trees in the natural rather than pictures of it as an extinct species. Just common decency.

I opted for Cebil Wood round taper nunchaku with stainless chain and U swivel instead that I got from Chuckworx to try a heavy wood. These are great dense, heavy, hard, and strong not as good as IPE but by far more than good enough and not on the verge of extinction.

I still like my usanuchaku U Swivel and chain setup better. The chuckworx feels like a classy high end piece and as far as which I like better overall it's a tie but I do use the USAnunchaku round hickory (kind of plain Jane finish a great wood to grip securely) chain and swivel most often overall.

My favorite despite being less used is the corded straight octagon by USAnunchaku (also hickory). It just feels the most natural in my hand and is easier for me to use.
 
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I was a kid in the early 1970s who was instantly hooked after seeing "The Chinese Connection". Back then nunchaku was a brand new thing in western pop culture and were not available for sale.
So I cut up one of my mother's brooms (she was not happy) and figured out how to drill them and fasten them with nylon rope and melt the knots with a soldering iron.
Made some for my motley best friends and we actually got pretty good with them without too many self-inflicted injuries.
I think I still have them somewhere.
 
Back in high school, we used an old duffel bag packed with boards wrapped in a blanket to practice on. Kept some of the percussive rebounds to a safe minimum and sounded real cool when we were whacking away at it
 
If you are new to these wearing some head protection is a good idea.
I used to to make my own with a cord and those were very fluid, the pair I have now have the chain with the bearing swivels.
If I were to build another pair I would use a cut resistant cord and try Ipe for the wood.
 
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I think Thornton or Northglenn police in Colorado also use them, as i hve seen officers carrying them. My understanding is that they are not for striking, but for the joint locks and pain compliance.

They are fun, and you do get a good work out with them.
 
If you are new to these wearing some head protection is a good idea.
I used to to make my own with a cord and those were very fluid, the pair I have now have the chain with the bearing swivels.
If I were to build another pair I would use a cut resistant cord and try Ipe for the wood.
And a cup. Verrrrryyyy important piece of safety equipment with nunchuks.
 
I have a family member that prefers these for defense and has devoted time to practicing with them.

They are not particularly easy to use. Get a foam pair to work with, and get used to whacking yourself here and there.



They are cool, and I have fond memories of seeing them on TV. Wouldn't be my personal choice for defense, however.
 
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Photo on 4-21-19 at 6.14 PM.jpg


My quality made in USA collection (far left) Cebil wood with U Swivel (their own modified version of the 70s dolan design) from chuckworx. Metal hardware is all stainless screw apart with locktite. My impression is overall everything is quite strong with some good weight on the heavy side.

Next going right are round hickory from USAnunchaku. These are an exact (almost ?) copy of the dolan design U swivel. Hardware is thicker chrome plated steel with a thicker zinc plated steel chain held by a tapped in roll pin. The swivels are screwed straight down into the wood with the end caps glued to the wood under them while the chuckworx version seems to be an assembly attached to the end caps which in turn is held by screws that are screwed in through the sides. I prefer the USAnunchaku version as I think it's stronger since the swivel screws go down into and run parallel to the wood grain. The design is just classic brute strong practical simplicity however the Chuckworx should be at least if not more than strong enough.

Middle is the thicker octagon para corded (3 string method) hickory nunchacku from USAnunchaku. These are what feel and work best for me. It's more of a classic functional martial arts design that I find smoother and easier to use than the bling filled chain versons. The lack of having to have a custom in house made U Swivel chain assembly make them significantly less expensive (about 1/2 the price) too.

The ridged grip aluminum pair from USA nunchaku weigh 2 llbs are downright dangerous if you are careless and are only suitable for careful slow practice the idea being to build up the muscles quicker enabling you to use the lighter wood ones with ease. I am scared to use these on a frequent basis and when I do I am very slow and careful. I have to tell you after practicing with these the wood ones feel like feathers but be careful the wood ones can hurt you too when those toned muscles swing them full force if you underestimate them just because they are not as heavy as the aluminum.

Far right are octagon aluminum corded chucks from karatemart advertised as US made. They are shorter and weigh less than the other aluminum pair but are still very dangerous if used carelessly. They were about 50 to 60 dollars and I had to file some somewhat acute angle sharp edges around the opening where the para cord came through. That is not cool at all but was not too hard for me to correct with a small file. I rarely use these they are short at 11 inches with a short cord maybe someday I will string it up with a longer cord.
 
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Next up is hopefully my only and last pair of driftwood Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.19 PM #3.jpg
they actually swing quite well and the wood is light but functional but they have obvious short comings. They may make for a nice rebuild project.
Note one is slightly longer than the other Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.19 PM #3.jpg
Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.17 PM.jpg Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.25 PM #2.jpg

One chain link has a busted weld. The swivels are crude rough cast steel.

Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.26 PM.jpg

The whole assembly is attached to thin metal end caps held on by a cheap rivet. The fit is terrible the end cap is incorrectly fitted and actually wobbles. During break in use there were actually metal shavings being shed due to cheap quality soft steel and rough edges. I later found out these set ups have a reputation for eventually flying apart during use.


Compare this to the more quality setups. This one is the Chuckworx U Swivel setup.
Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.28 PM #2.jpg
Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.30 PM.jpg Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.43 PM.jpg

End caps are tight with absolutely no play. No busted welds in chain which looks quite nice. Everything can screw apart. They swing smooth.


These are the USAnunchaku

Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.34 PM.jpg

Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.31 PM #2.jpg Photo on 4-21-19 at 7.32 PM #2.jpg
 
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I must admit paracord setups make things a lot simpler and solve a lot of problems despite the fact that they eventually wear out and can be easily cut with a sharp instrument but for the most part they work quite well and have a better flow in my opinion.

Chains are cut resistant and look movie cool but although they can be smooth they still don't have that same flow and nice feel of cord.
 
I practiced with the chucks for a few years, when I was young...got pretty good with them, and never hurt myself.
One set has shorter sticks with a longer chain, long enough to put the sticks end to butt side by side and stick them in a back pocket. The long chain gave them good reach.
The other pair I had, I made myself. I used a piece of hickory from a broken shovel handle, and para cord. Long sticks, and they hit hard.
I kind of gave up on them when they were specifically banned in Ohio law along with butterfly knives. Apparently the lawmakers got scared by the Bruce Lee movies or that “everybodies Kung fu fighting” song.
 
Except a bike chain with a brass lock is just that until you deploy it as a weapon.

I think having a sickle at the end of a chain is going to draw some attention unless you're in a field of crops harvesting grain with it or something.

Not that I walk around with nunchuks or a kusari-fundo.

The ban on carrying firearms in Illinois was overturned, but the ban on carrying many other kinds of self-defense weapons like "any bludgeon, black-jack, slung-shot, sand-club, sand-bag, metal knuckles or other knuckle weapon regardless of its composition, throwing star, a ballistic knife, which is a device that propels a knifelike blade as a projectile by means of a coil spring, elastic material or compressed gas; or a dirk, billy, broken bottle or other piece of glass, stun gun or taser or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument of like character" - are still illegal to have on your person or in your vehicle.

A CCL allows me to carry a firearm but having a pair of nunchucks would land me in jail.
 
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