(Message edb:444)
Date:    Tue, 25 Apr 2000 10:59:53 PDT
To:      L5RINFO@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM
From:    Edward Bolme <edwardb@FRPG.COM>
Subject: Re: [L5RINFO] New World Record

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>> Saturday, our sensei, Russell McCartney, broke the world record in
>> consecutive target cuts. 1181 consecutive cuts in 1 hr 25 minutes.
>
>         How exactly is this accomplished, did he just stand there
> hacking at the thing for an hour and a half?

We had approximately 20 target stands, which hold the targets upright. He'd
chop each goza into anywhere from 3-6 pieces, and move on to the next
target. At times he'd stand between 2-4 of them and turn and chop in
patterns. After he moved from stand to stand (minimum 3 stands away), we'd
scuttle out, clean up the bits, and spike new targets. He'd work something
like 3 minutes, then take 30 seconds off. This gave us time to sweep and mop
the floor real fast without a 4-foot razor blade flying around.

> My question is were they killing cuts (with authority) or drawing slices.
> Or rather, what qualified a valid cut?

Well, the cuts had to be clean through the target, no threads hanging loose
(indicating a tear or break instead of a cut), the target stand couldn't
fall over, etc. The goza are tatami mats rolled tight and soaked in water,
and I'd say they're probably offer about the resistance of a human arm
(eek). As for drawing slices, well, no, the sword passed through the target
in the blink of an eye. Anything slower, and he probably wold have pulled
the target off the stand or knocked it over or something. Although he did
once cut through the wooden spike of the stand, as well (a half inch of wood
at the center of the goza). That cut was a little low. ;)

> Also, that had to have jacked that sword up good. Cutting bamboo for that
> amount of time, even with the semi-mythical swords of the mastersmiths
> would mean completely rehoning the blade. Many hours with the
> fingerstones, yuk!

I'd say sensei has a fine katana. He only used the one.

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