Manmori Wood Species; Each wood has its own character, balance, and way of supporting practice.
White Ash — a wood for practice
Ash is at the heart of Manmori wooden weapons. This wood has long been appreciated for its mechanical qualities: it offers a balanced combination of strength, flexibility, and moderate weight, making it particularly suitable for regular martial arts practice. The pieces used in the workshop are carefully selected to obtain stable wood with consistent grain, capable of withstanding the demands of repeated training. Ash allows the creation of reliable, well-balanced weapons that are comfortable to use over time. Its naturally light color is also appreciated for its simplicity and for the clarity it brings to the lines of the weapon in movement. Today, it is the main wood used for bokken, jo, and other training weapons intended for dojo practice.
Olive Ash — a rare expression of ash
Olive ash is a rarer variation of ash typically found in the inner parts of certain trees. It shares the same mechanical qualities as white ash, while offering a very distinctive appearance.
Its pronounced grain and warm tones, sometimes reminiscent of olive wood, give each weapon a unique character.
To highlight this particular wood, weapons made from olive ash are entirely shaped and finished with hand planes, without sanding, following the spirit of traditional craftsmanship. This method reveals the natural fibers of the wood and preserves the richness of its grain.
Like service tree wood, olive ash weapons are offered only when suitable boards are available, and are therefore added to the site as they are produced.
Service Tree — a remarkable wood
Service tree is a remarkable French hardwood. Rare and often regarded as a precious wood, it is dense, hard, and highly resistant to impact. In the past, it was traditionally used to make tools and components subjected to heavy mechanical stress.
Its fine and compact structure produces particularly solid weapons, offering a distinctive feeling in the hands and a noticeably present inertia during movement.
Each piece of service tree also carries its own aesthetic character, with warm tones and a subtle grain that evolves over time. Most often brown, it can sometimes be interwoven with lighter cream-colored bands.
Because of its limited availability, weapons made from service tree are crafted when suitable boards become available in the workshop. They are therefore offered in small batches or as available stock, depending on the wood that can be sourced.
