Cutting Fruit

by Matt O'Neill
(Medlow Bath, Australia)

When I go to sword training on Sunday afternoon we usually do some of our basic cuts practise with sharp swords. We have been trying out different test cutting methods.

This week I brought a box of small rockmelons because Mrs Heenan said she thought it would be good to try cutting fruit. We thought the best way to cut them would be to tie them inside plastic supermarket bags and hang them from a tree. This would give us the best range of cuts.

We tried lots of different Jian cuts and some Dao cuts as well. Fruit was very easy to cut. All of the basic cuts work easily with this method.

When we had finished cutting the melons suspended from a tree, there were plenty of large pieces left over. So we took turns throwing them towards each other so we could practise sword cutting with moving objects.

At first we both got covered in sticky melon. It's easy to stand there and hold the sword in the direction of the fruit. There is no work involved because the momentum of the flying melon cuts itself if you just leave the sword in the way. We use this principle a lot when training in swordfighting. We use wooden swords for that, of course. If someone is speeding towards you, all you have to do is point the sword in his direction and he runs onto the blade.

After getting melon splattered all over my shirt a few times, and getting hit in the head with one, I learnt to turn my waist while holding the sword in place. This isn't as easy as it sounds. You have to cut, turn and aim correctly, all at the same time. I think this sword cutting practise helped my swordfighting. Afterwards, I used the same action in some full speed sword fighting with Mrs Heenan, and for once - I beat her. She was very pleased about that.

We had to clean the swords very carefully after cutting the fruit. It leaves a sticky mess everywhere. Usually we can just clean them off with methylated spirits and reoil them. Not this time. We had to actually scrub them with warm running water and a dishwashing brush, to get the mess off. Then we dried the swords and oiled them. There was no damage but I don't think you could leave them for long without rust developing. You have to clean the cutting swords straight away.

Another important thing to think of when test cutting with fruit as the target, is the slippery mess. Rockmelons don't make as much mess as some other fruits might. But we still picked up the pieces and checked to be sure we were on non slippery ground between cuts.

It was a lot of fun and another good way to work on sword fighting skill.