Testimonials

Greetings!

I received my order of customized bokken yesterday. The bokken was good-looking, densed, and balanced. The fully-detailed, dragon engraving on the both sides of the tsuka and the well-made detachable tsuba added more to the aesthetic beauty of the bokken. It was also heavier than I expected it would be, maybe because I requested it to be made intended for powerful bokken-to-bokken contact. And indeed, the dark ironwood bokken stood very well against the expensive white oak bokken owned by my Japanese friend. He thought at first that his bokken was superior and my bokken was only stylish. Then, agreed to test our weapons, we exchanged many forceful attack to each other bokken. After the lengthly testing, he soon recognized that my bokken was the same as his bokken - a reliable wooden sword!

An outstanding craftmanship, Master Limpin's works were really masterpieces, and I thanked him for making one for me. He truly understood what all serious martial artists desired - a sturdy, dependable, and beautiful weapon!

I thanked you for being truthful and professional. I appreciated the free mini-dagger you included to my package, another fine-looking ironwood weapon. I were looking forward ordering and receiving again best quality weapons from Sandata Crafts!

- Juan Abit III
Batangas City, Philippines [July 2007]

Aloha JM,

I just got the weapons today and I must say they are really beautiful! The wood patterns on the weapons are exquisite! True craftsmanship... it handles well with perfect weight for me. I just want to thank you for your great help and customer service... much aloha&mahalo, and maraming salamat po....

Sincerely,

- Jay
Hawaii [May 2007]

I just received the bokkens and the arnis sticks in the mail today. They are all beautiful, but I am especially impressed with the custom bokken. Your master carver did a magnificent job, it feels very much like my old bokken - except heavier - which was exactly what I had wanted. Thanks once again for the great service and great products!

- Vera T.
Ontario, Canada [March 2007]

The bokkens are excellent! Good weight and balance, and they stood up perfectly to the stress of our training this week. Kukishin Ryu, which is one of our schools, has some staff techniques that require robust and sturdy weapons. The ironwood bokkens performed perfectly.

Thanks again,

- S.K. - Shidoshi-ho
Bujinkan Abi Dojo [March 2007]

My bokken arrived a few hours ago, and I confess myself speechless. They are absolutely gorgeous, and they handle like a dream. My shinkendo class just finished moving into a new building, and I can't wait to have my first practice with my stunning new bokken. Not that I have refrained from giving them a test drive, of course! My father, who also attends shinkendo with me, will no doubt be equally pleased when he returns from his office. You and Master Limpin have made my entire experience, from the actual bokken to the unparalled customer service, extremely enjoyable and efficient. As an added bonus, I also received the fastest shipping via UPS that I have ever gotten. Once again, thank you and your company and craftsman VERY much, it has been a true pleasure.

- Lincoln Hatfield
Member of Shin-rei Dojo of Shinkendo [February 2007]

Dear Mr. Taylor.

I've received my bokkens on Thursday. They are simply beautiful; perhaps too pretty to practice Deai with them. I was amazed by the finish on each bokken. Tsuba (all three of them, which I ordered only two; thanks for the third one?) fits pretty nice and adds decorative look on each bokken. The bokkens are all amazingly balanced for their weights, and I spent no time adjusting myself on them...

Thanks very much for your beautiful works.

Best regards,

- J.
Vancouver, Canada [October 2006]

Bonjour Mr. Taylor,

I receive your masterpieces on the 4th of july. It's ALL perfect. The cut, line, okinawa style, color, it's all very very perfect. You (Master Nilo Limpin) are a great artist. I really appreciate [doing] business with you. All [your] responses are professional.

My aikido school starts in September. I am sure [to] recommend you when my friends see your "masterpieces".

Thank you very much……

- Bernard G.
Quebec, Canada [August 2006]

Hello JM,

Today I received the shoto and the flat arnis stick and I am absolutely happy. Both are real masterpieces and the wood is really beautiful! Thank you very much. I collected a lot of wooden weapons but these are really the greatest! Master Limpin is a real artist.

- Klaus Schellschmidt
Germany [August 2006]

Hi Mr. Taylor,

This message comes rather late but anyways, I received my custom made bokken and jo back in january and im pleased to say they are both working out well for me... the weapons are well crafted, solid and dense, and the beautiful woodgrain really catches the attention of my fellow members...even my sensei had to check it out... so I thank you all for a fine product, very reasonable prices, and your willingness to always respond to our questions...so thank you guys and I hope you stay in business for many years to come!

- Michael Moizumi
New Westminster Aikikai
British Columbia, Canada [July 2006]

...What I'm going to say had been spoken out by the reviews and testimonials on your website[.] I think I have the same feelings [as] with them; your products are worthy of the name and the name matches the reality. But still [I] would like to have a short review on each [of the] products : )

1. Kamagong Arnis Sticks | The sticks are 28" instead of 21" that I cannot put into my casual bag, but it's OK. The grain is so beautiful which really attracted me at the first glance. The name engraving reflects another kinds of handcrafts, excellent, just like my own handwriting! Also, the carver used two kinds of carving style, concave style for Chinese name and convex style for English name. Nice!

The carrying case with the sticks is [an] ordinary case, not the customization case I ordered.

(SANDATACRAFTS HAS APOLOGIZED TO MR. W. DING FOR THE ERRORS. WE WILL BE SENDING HIS CUSTOMIZED CASE WITH HIS SECOND NEW ORDER. SANDATACRAFTS HAS ALSO OFFERED TO REPLACE HIS STICKS WITH 21" STICKS, BUT MR. W. DING HAS OPTED TO KEEP THE ONES HE HAS RECEIVED)

2. Lapsica Rattan Arnis Sticks | They are thicker thus heavier than the ones I have now, also very ideal for practising.

3. Iron Wood Dagger | Yellow (white) color on the surface and black at two edges, I assume this type is rare?

(EVERY SANDATACRAFTS WEAPON IS UNIQUE AND ONE OF A KIND BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE WOOD THAT WE USE. IRONWOOD, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR PICTURES, HAS A VERY DISTINCT AND UNIQUE TYPE OF GRAIN PATTERN WHICH IS NEVER EXACTLY THE SAME WITH EACH PIECE OF WOOD... THEREFORE EACH WEAPON'S GRAIN PATTERN WILL NOT BE EXACTLY THE SAME)

4. Iron Wood Tonfa | Comfortable handle, secure joint and good balance. Specially the name engraving, almost 100% of the copy of my handwriting! ...

5. Free Nunchakus | Nice gift! The weight and shape make it to be a good weapon for skill training.

(A FREE GIFT WAS INCLUDED IN HIS PACKAGE TO MAKE UP FOR THE DELAY IN HIS ORDER)

I'm quiet satisfied with your products, they are worthy of my waiting. I think I will place a new order with you soon!

- W. Ding
Shanghai, China [December 2005]

...i just received my beautiful [Filipino] ebony bokken, tanto and dagger..and i am really impressed with the fine craftsmanship and natural beauty of the wood...

- M. Moizumi, New Westminster Aikikai
British Columbia, Canada [September 2005]

Mr Taylor,

I received my bokken today and I'm very impressed with it. It feels substantial in my hands unlike many oak bokkens I had before. Additionally, it is wonderful to look at--almost too beautiful to use it for bokken-to-bokken contact. Thanks for your prompt and courteous service. I'm now saving up for a your suburito and shoto. I'll contact you in the near future for another order..

- S.S., Florida USA [August 2005]

Hi Jose,

I recieved the weapons today and they are fantastic. I will definitely pass your company's name along to all my friends. It has been a pleasure doing business with you and I will be ordering again.

- Dave Berube, Connecticut USA [July 2005]

I got the sticks a few days ago, and they are marvellous - both the look and the balanced feel of the weight is really great. So thanks for the deal and good luck with your business.

One satisfied customer,

- R.K., Denmark [June 2005]

Dear JM,

I would like to thank you for ensuring the highest quality and excellent craftsmanship of the training weapons you sell. The weapons are strong and beautifully crafted. Your customer service is outstanding and I would recommend your business without any hesitation.

Sincerely,

- Jean-Marc Wise, North Florida Aikikai
Tallahassee, FL, USA [June 2005]

Hi, JM

I received all the bokkens, [and] I just want to say that we are very pleased by the bokkens from Sandatacrafts.

I requested to make a different style bokken (Jigen Ryu) than the ones you normally make and that was no problem.

You sent me two straight ones and one with a curve (Jigen Ryu).

I like the one with the curve because it feels better balanced for me.

My sensei and my training partner prefer the straight ones; this is a real "edge banger" and heavy. Just the way they like it.

You also sent me one bokken that you normally make. This one is also very beautiful and nice in balance.

We wanted something that nobody has, and you made it happen. I want to thank you for that and also for the fast communication by email. I hope we can make people excited for your woodwork by showing the ones we have now, and that they will also want to buy some of your work...

Keep up the good work and thanks again,

- John Scherpenzeel
Aikido dojo Wago No Michi
The Netherlands [May 2005]

I am VERY pleased with the weapons. I think the thing that struck me the most was how light the actual wood was. I thought for sure since it was ebony it would have been heavy. Nope.. quite light actually. Very impressive work on the bokken, heavier darker wood below the tsuba, and lighter wood for balance from tsuba to the tip. The Arnis sticks are perfect, and its amazing how smooth the weapons are. You can get a good grip, but they are a pleasure to hold. Im still staring at them as I write this!

Thanks so much for the knuckles. Those are one of a kind. The dulo dulo are impressive. The nunchucka are excellent weight and nice and smooth. All these weapons should last a lifetime. By the way, I just got an email from my aikido sensei, telling us to bring our bokken to class tonight for weapons training. Ha! This package came RIGHT ON TIME.

I'm really looking forward to the last piece, the Jo. It might get here before the first of the month.. if so, I can take it to my Jo training class and show it off then too!

SANDATACRAFTS ROCKS!

~Blessings!

- Grant Weever, McKinney, Texas USA [April 2005]

JM,

I just received my order today, and cannot believe the quality and beauty of each piece. Truly, my expectations were completely surpased when I pulled out the bokken, then the eskrima sticks, and finally the wooden knuckles. I originally purchased these items to use / practice with, now I'm having second thoughts... LOL They are simply stunning. The whole experience with you guys was first-rate, and rest assured you have one more happy customer which will not only order again--but spread the word on where to go for first-rate products. No other place in my years of buying / using martial arts weapons delivers on what they say like you guys. Thanks once again!

- Matt A., Washington State USA [April 2005]

Hello JM,

The weapons arrived last week. I am more than happy with the quality of the work, the jo performed very well during my last training. Thank you very much for these great weapons and your great service. I also wish to thank you for the mini dagger, a really nice gift.

My best regards to you and your woodworkers,

- Andreas H., Germany [April 2005]

Hi, I received my weapons today. I can't thank you enough. They're absolutely beautiful. The wood is so dark and the grain so exquisite, I could stare at them for hours. They are high art in my opinion. Your customer service is impeccable, and your shipping was faster than I thought possible at a decent price from the Philippines. Clearly no expense has been spared. I look forward to dealing with you in the future, and will recommend you to anyone interested in purchasing martial arts weaponry. Thank you very much.

- Colin T., Washington USA [March 2005]

Thanks JM, I recieved it [suburito] yesterday. It is a stunning piece of wood and feels incredibly dense and responds like a live blade albeit a lot heavier!. Many thanks for your great customer service. I look forward to doing business with you again in the future.

- C. Davis, Vermont USA [February 2005]

JM,

I received the dragon-carved bokken with tsuba this morning. It's beauty and quality is beyond anything I have ever seen in a wooden weapon...absolutely outstanding, and worth every penny. Beautiful, heavy, dark wood, excellent carving (better than the pictures on your site even!) and outstanding finish...I can't stop looking at it. Thank you for a great experience, and please pass on my compliments to your carver, who is truly a master!

Sincerely,

- Erl Slayton, Middletown CT USA [February 2005]

Hi JM,

I received the bokken today. Thus far I'm very pleased! The one I have is quite dark, with hints of brown..very striking. Its also lighter than I expected...very nice!

Thanks so much for all your help! I'll have to start planning so I can order a suributo next! LOL

Regards,

- J.G., Alabama USA [February 2005]

JM,

I received my order on Tuesday. Thank you very much. I am very impressed with the craftmanship and hope to do business with Sandata again very soon.

Happy Holidays,

- C. Chen, California USA [December 2004]

I finally got my order yesterday. It was held up (due) to bad weather conditions here in the states.

The nunchaku are a work of art. They are very beautiful. Each pair is a pleasure to use. The weight, balance and feel are exquisite. I have spent quite a bit of time just holding and admiring them. They are my new prize possession.

...

The dagger is also a beautiful piece. My sons have been arguing over whose turn it is to train with it since it arrived. I knew it was a mistake to buy only one.

I could easily place any of these items on display in my home as works of art but I will use them as originally intended, as working tools.

Thank you for a fine product and thank you for your personal attention and service.

Give my regards to Master Limpin.

Sincerely,

- Matthew DePasquale, New York USA [December 2004]

Hello again JM,

UPS just delivered the package! Thank you so much for making this a special Christmas. I will be sure to tell everyone at the Dojo about my experience with you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!Thanks for everything.

Sincerely,

- D. Hospodor, California USA [December 2004]

Hello JM,

I appreciate your kind offer of sending a free weapon, but that is really not necessary. You really went beyond the call of duty in providing excellent customer service and are not at fault for shipping problems with UPS. I was able to buy something else for my fiance and will instead give her the nunchaku as part of my wedding presents in March. She's a very understanding woman, so there were no problems. :)

I was very impressed with your company and its products, and I'm sure I will shop with you again as my fiance continues her martial arts training (she tests for her black belt in karate this summer).

Thanks for everything.

Sincerely,

- Frank Souza, Florida USA [December 2004]

JM,

I got the package yesterday and I am very impressed with the quality and workmanship of the weapons. The custom suburito was exactly what I had in mind! Thank you for putting up with my questions and making the process easy.

- C. Davis, Vermont USA [December 2004]

Hi JM,

I got the Bokkens and the Jo! Thank you so much for getting it done so quickly... Aside from it's beauty, the balance and weight are excellent! Perfect for Aikido and Shinto-Muso Ryu jodo.

- Andre Cervera, New York USA [September 2004]

J.M.

...The pieces are handsome and solid. I like the feel of them. Not only am I delighted, but I would also like to investigate the possibility of getting a slightly longer flat stick or two... I want to thank you so much for sending me beautiful wood. You are thorough and timely, which I value greatly in an email-based interaction with people halfway around the world. I greatly appreciate your craft, professionalism, and friendliness.

- S.D., Minneapolis USA [Written in July 2004]

Dear Mr. Taylor!

First of all thank you very much for your support, kindness and [especially] for the beautiful bokken and knuckles you sent me... The Kamagong wood you selected [for] me is fabulous both in the way [it] looks and the feels... with the awesome greenish color and in addition, the black sheath you attached!

I really appreciate the service you provided. I would like to keep in touch with you in order to get some other weapons for my collection!

Kind regards from Budapest,

- Oliver Buga, Budapest Hungary [September 2004]

Hello Mr.Taylor,

I got my order this morning! Thank you very much! UPS had some problems with the address being incomplete, or so they say, so I had to phone the HQ to give them the address they already had (lol). As I expected, the soushintou is superb! I don't really understand what you meant about the blunt side not being sanded, but anyway, the design, balance and wood quality are magnificient! I've been training with it all morning, and I love the feeling of the tsuka. The patterns in the wood colors are very nice too. Considering that all the other on-line weapon crafters told me they couldn't make it, and even if they would make the effort to do it, it would cost me 750 USD for a regular white oak quality, I guess you can imagine how much I'm moved by the quality of this woodwork. I still can't believe this cost me only 200 USD with shipping costs... I mean, you usually can't buy anything made of Ebony for 200 USD... the cheapest ebony bokutou I've seen costs 275+ USD, and I find the darker ebony wood less attractive than your Iron Wood. After 4hours of training, I see why your Craft Master had some backaches crafting it... it IS quite heavy. Nevertheless, the balance is so perfect that I can rest it on my shoulder and walk while using both hands on something else! I also let it drop once on the concrete floor, and there is no sign of it on the wood! (I also accidentally pierced the ceiling twice (^^")... still praying the wife won't notice...) Once again, I'd like to thank you for making it so perfect in such a short time. I would much appreciate it if you could deeply thank your Craft Master on my behalf. I still hope his back is okay^^'... I'm looking forward to doing business with you again! It's been a pleasure.

Take care

- Cedryc Jordens, Tokyo Japan [September 2004]

The Arnis sticks and Arnis swords I recently purchased from you are 'better than advertised.' As someone who appreciates beautiful wood and the care necessary for hand-crafting, I am really pleased with your products. It is clear to me that whoever made these weapons understands wood and the use of martial arts weapons. The weight of the sticks is amazing and the finish is flawless. It has been a pleasure to do business with you.

- J. O'Neal, North Carolina USA [June 2004]

JM,

Just got my order. Every thing was of very high quality, and I will recommend you to my friends and students. As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate you keeping me informed on the status of the order, and for taking care of me with the sticks because of the delay (I realize you didn't have to do that).

- Marc Fox, California USA [June 2004]

Hi JM!

Not to worry, the dulo-dulos arrived today while my wife was at home. I must say that they are absolutely beautiful, not to mention, functional... Thank you once again for the excellent quality of the dulo-dulos, as well as your excellent service. I'll look forward to doing business with you again.

All the best

- Dave Stone, Melbourne Australia [May 2004]

Hello,

The weapons have just arrived. They are extraordinary! Many thanks & I hope to do business with you again too.

Bye,

- Mich Mangen, Luxembourg [April 2004]

Mr. Taylor,

I had a chance to work with my new bokken tonight. I must say it has met if not exceeded my expectations. It actually does create a rather distinct "swoosh" that is easy to hear (not faint like other bokken). Though I was worried at first it may have been too heavy after completing several drills I find the balance and weight are perfect. My thanks again to you and Master Limpin for your attention to details and commitment to your products. Sensei Leary and I have already begun thinking of our next order and several others have expressed interest in the bokken and other weapons. I will be in touch within the next few weeks.

Thanks again.

- Sensei Michael Calabrase (BSR Inc.), North Carolina USA [March 2004]

These are as beautiful as the website pictured them and very well made indeed. I especially liked the shape and feel of the flat arnis sticks. I took a couple of playful swings at things to try the balance and weight which were both excellent, but felt immediately bad for scuffing the beauty of the sticks. I'll be ordering more from you and recommending your products to friends and classmates tonight!

Good luck and work hard!

- Thomas Smith, Oklahoma USA [March 2004]

Hi Jose,

I just wanted to inform you that I have received my shipment & it is to my utmost satisfaction. I would like to thank you for your professionalism & quality service.

I look forward to doing business with you again.

Regards,

- Khalid Ismail, Riyadh Saudi Arabia [March 2004]

Hello Mr. Taylor,

I received these beautifully crafted works of art today. Your website doesn't give these beautiful weapons justice... As you can tell I'M very pleased with the weapons I have received they are too beautiful to use in the dojo... but you know I still have to show them off.

Thank you for the great communication and I know without a doubt we will be doing business again in the near future.

Thank you once again.

- John A., California USA [March 2004]