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Simply, yes. You will be reducing the compressive strength of the wood by taking away fibers that would make it more resistive. The integrity loss from engravings could be compensated for by using a slightly thicker piece of wood (the compressive strength then being equal to or greater than the deepest groove – if none were greater than say 1/16", then ...

I've used wood burning tools as a way to mark my rattan, hardwood, and waxwood weapons. I've never seen any negative impact on structural integrity, they stand out great (IMO), and the work can be as simple, complex, or elegant as desired. IMO it's one of the best ways to mark gear, and it can be pretty. I've also used tape, but the complexity of a mark ...

Century Martial Arts advertises their smallest bamboo toothpick starting at 12 oz. That would be the 50" (4' 2") variety. The lightest fiberglass I could find in a non-exhaustive search was still 1 lb. 5 oz. If that's too heavy, the student should train so it is not too heavy. Lifting weights with proper form and properly trained supervision can be a safe ...

I wouldnt worry about it too much. Any wooden weapon used in practice where it will be struck by other weapons, will eventually need to be replaced. Some woods will last longer than others. But in the end they all take a beating and will need to be replaced. Will carving it make it more likely to break? Maybe a little. But not nearly as much as bashing it ...

Sounds to me like you might do something wrong when switching grip on the staff that makes your hands wonder of towards one end. Another useful tip is to keep your elbows in with your body (tie your belt around your arms and waist) to force yourself to use your body rather than your arms to spin the bo. This also restricts movement of the hands/arms and ...