[craftsman]

I have been promising to let folks know when I finally got my first book published, so if anyone is interested, here goes: I am ranked in the top 10 in international competitions, #2 in the USA, hold a 6-dan degree, and have been certified as an instructor by Dr. Hironori Higuchi, chairman of the International Fukiyado Association. The book is my training method. it has
258 pages in 4.18" x 6.88" paperback format. Color covers, B&W photos inside. Went with the least expensive print method -

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/prod.aspx?p=meijin.186902864

[JShirley]

Certainly seems reasonably priced. Blowguns can be fun.

[hankdatank1362]

Just bought my first... a clod steel .625 big bore. Love it! Think I might check out your book.

[357wheelgunner]

I killed a bunch of chimpunks at 10 yards or so with an old "gunshow special" 5' blowgun that I had. It was great, amazingly accurate. When I was a teenager I'd sit in my room and shoot it into my bulletin board when I had nothing better to do, I got very good fast.

[craftsman]

I'll be putting up a "cheap" (their binding fees are outrageous!) down
and dirty version - "Blowgunning for Beginners" (I think "For Dummies"
is registered) which should be a lot less expensive, and will focus
solely on the basics. (I'll post the link once it's online) - It's the "Cliff Notes" version of "Fukiyado: The Way of the Sport Blowgun" - just the basics (How to load a dart, hold the barrel, stand, breath, aim and shoot) briefly touches on safety, accessories, care and maintenance, has a basic Glossary of blowgun terms.

[The Deer Hunter]

I had a blowgun years ago. I still have the aluminum tube, but not the darts mouthpiece or quiver thing. I have found that those little plastic pushpins are like $5 for a couple hundred and work just as well as the darts...

Either way the thing was incredibly accurate, and I'm sure deadly in the right hands.

[ETCss Phil McCrackin]

About 10 years ago, when I was single (dating my future wife actually, but I digress) and sharing a house with a couple of Navy buddies, we were grilling out one evening and shooting my 4ft blowgun at denim dog toys. Now these toys were made of many layers of denim compressed into the size of a brick, and we kept having trouble with the darts sticking. Well, as I was running the grill, my buddy Jay (extremely smart but not real swift..) figures that the darts will have an equal amount of difficulty going through my Wranglers. The next thing I know, searing pain erupts on my thigh as I look down and see the plastic end of one of my darts butted up against my pocket. Well, those of you who have seen a blow dart can probably figure out how mad I was, but I couldn't catch him because running was not really working out very well with about 4 inches of needle slowing me down.
Blowguns are definitely one of those things which belong on the "Should not operate while under the influence of alcohol" list.

[craftsman]

Here's what you've been waiting for, in a simple, illustrated "How-To" format. Eight easy-to-follow steps, including loading darts, holding the barrel, finding the proper stance, aiming and shooting. Sections on safety, storage, maintenance, accessories, and terminology complete the work. Easy to read 8.5 in. x 11 in. format finished in a saddle binding, 34 pages, with 30 photographs and illustrations to guide you. "Blowgunning for Beginners" is available online at:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/prod.aspx?p=Meijin2.192351214

It is the "Cliff Notes" version of my teaching technique - "Fukiyado: the Way of the Sport Blowgun".

... oh, and - yes, both books do, in the very start, refer to the "do not use under the influence..."

You can get a one-piece 4 ft. long barrel, 0.40 cal. starter set at BlowgunsNW.com for about $10. Hunting blowguns are usually 0.625 cal., and there are even fishing blowguns available. So those great memories from years back when you had your old blowguns, can now be relived.

[craftsman]

German competiton on TV - check out the video:

http://www.schlag-den-raab.de/videos/videoplayer/47651/