Tonfa
Tonfa are wooden clubs with round handles jutting from one side, about 1/3 of the way from the end. Tonfajustu, the art of using the tonfa a self-defense tool, is one of the hallmarks of kobudō.
Tonfa were originally millstone handles, though there is some evidence that forearm crutches inspired similar weapons throughout Asia. Tonfa were extremely popular among US police and security forces from the early-1980’s until the mid-1990’s, when they were replaced by easier-to-carry telescoping batons. Because of this, tonfa are commonly known as nightsticks, side-handle batons, stop-handle batons, or PR-24s. (As the story goes, policemen didn’t know what to call their new weapons, so they used the catalog item number as a placeholder name.)
Tonfa were historically wielded in pairs, because two-handed weapons (i.e., the katana and various polearms) were the most prevalent weapons of that era, which are vulnerable to Kūsankū movements. In general, one tonfa is used to block, parry, or trap an opponent’s weapon while the other tonfa counterattacks. Alternately, the tonfa can be flipped and held from the long end, and the handle can be used as a hook to trap or parry weapons. Avoid hand blocks with the handle itself, since it is secured to the shaft by a single wooden pin.
Tonfa are simple weapons, which can be used by students of any skill level. We typically reserve the tonfa for advanced students, but only because we feel that it's more important for beginner, novice, and intermediate students to focus on developing skills with the bō and sai.
Kata
We will not make an in-depth or rigorous study of tonfajutsu; we will only explain how the tonfa is used within Goshin-Jutsu. Our weapons training serves as a supplement and teaching aid to our empty-hands training, and it primarily consists of practicing the and analyzing the bunkai of the following kata:
For more information on tonfajutsu, please consult Fumio Demura's Karate Weapons of Self-Defense: The Complete Edition, or a used copy of his earlier book, Tonfa: Karate Weapon of Self-Defense. (Though this might seem like a cop-out, no one can do a decent job of teaching tonfajutsu without blatantly plagiarizing that book in some way.)
Tips on selecting tonfa
Tonfa are easily obtained; they are a standard item in martial arts supply stores, websites, and catalogs. The no-frills base-model tonfa will suit your needs; avoid any bladed licensed movie replicas or anything with the “mall ninja” aesthetic.
The tonfa must cover the entire forearm. Ideally, the body of the tonfa extends past your elbow, to add extra power to rear and outside elbow strikes. To prevent the tonfa from sliding off your forearm, look for tonfa with flat inner edges.
Tonfa should be made of a quality hardwood which can withstand sword cuts (e.g., oak, cherry, or hickory).
