A review by Paul Holsinger
[3rd Dan Shinjitsukan Kenpo & Kobudo]
October 2004

First of all I want to say that I am very picky about my weapons so I'll just lay it all out. I received them via UPS today just 2 days after they were shipped. Upon first laying eyes on them I could tell that they were of the highest quality.

The wood is the most striking element upon first inspection. The pictures on your website look great but I always assumed that you took pictures of the most attractive weapons that have been made over a period of time. To my utter amazement they are just as beautiful, perhaps more so then the ones pictured. Really the wood you guys use is just breathtaking. You could take a square piece of this wood, sand it down, and polish it and it would look like a work of art. Using this wood to craft a weapon creates an end result that is just visually amazing.

Now to the craftsmanship. Very solid and well measured. The joints are secure and the angles are precise. Everything is finely sanded down and there are no defects in workmanship. No nicks, no hidden marks, or cracks, simply perfect woodworking. I am very pleased.

Now to the balance. The sticks I ordered are perfectly straight and of consistent thickness. The balance on these is perfect.

The nunchaku is surprisingly well balanced, in fact, the best balanced nunchaku I have ever worked with. Most nunchaku are tapered toward the top ends. This keeps the weight farthest away from the spinning point and generates greater centrifugal force. Yours are not tapered so I did not expect as high of performance. I was wrong. The amount of wood hollowed out of the top end where the string is secured removes just the right amount of weight as to create a similar affect. The wood does something special here as well. The string and sticks are a perfect length. All I can say is that when this weapon is swung it launches itself with almost no effort. The perfectly balanced ends swing in perfect unison and the control is right where it needs to be. I am very pleased.

The tonfa shafts are very well balanced. It is the correct width and feels very solid. The handle has a problem though. The nub at the top of the handle is not large, wide, or thick enough for my tastes. With out this counterbalance the swing is less controlled. While the handle is secured in the correct position along the shaft, I might suggest you look at increasing the width of the top nub. With such a weighty weapon it is very important to have this counterbalance. This is not to say they are unsatisfactory or not usable. They are very functional, but they would be perfect if this small modification were made. (We have taken Mr. Holsinger's advice and we are currently working with our wood carver to change the handle dimensions in order to improve the weapon's balance - Sandata Crafts)

Now about your customer service. Exemplary. You responded to all of my inquiries quickly, often within hours. You did not charge extra for customizations. You offered a reasonable price. Andy you were always personable and professional. You get the highest marks for this.

Over all I am very satisfied. Please feel free to reprint any of our correspondences including this one. I look forward to looking you up in the future should any of my classmates or students be in the market for the highest quality in hand made Philippine ebony weapons. Thank you again for a wonderful experience

Sincerely,

- Paul Holsinger
3rd Dan Shinjitsukan Kenpo & Kobudo
[October 2004]