Author Topic: The Sword Thread  (Read 12526 times)

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Offline JohnE

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #45 on: April 27, 2013, 09:09:48 pm »
I head to www.woodenswords.com for my practice blades.

You practice with a wooden sword?  Why not practice with the weapon you're going to use?
Because you don't want to skewer your training partner.

Even practicing solo can be dangerous. One of the folks on Sword Buyer's Guide (fairly experienced) once cut his calf muscle in half when he lost control of a cut with his gladius.

Offline chitoryu12

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #46 on: April 28, 2013, 01:10:14 am »
I have a bokken of matching length to my katana. Along with being much safer to use (since my katana, even when dull, is sturdy enough that it could potentially kill someone with a hard stab), it provides a good club to whack things with if you don't want to break out a blade or gun.
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Offline Cerim Treascair

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #47 on: April 28, 2013, 01:15:57 am »
I head to www.woodenswords.com for my practice blades.

You practice with a wooden sword?  Why not practice with the weapon you're going to use?

To my credit, I concussed my ex-boyfriend and cracked the ribs of two others when I used to be part of a fencing class.  That's where I found I had intrinsic skill with swords.  They HATED me because I was so unpredictable.  I wasn't afraid to drop my sword in order to kick them in the face.
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Offline Scotsgit

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #48 on: April 28, 2013, 09:55:33 am »
I head to www.woodenswords.com for my practice blades.

You practice with a wooden sword?  Why not practice with the weapon you're going to use?
Because you don't want to skewer your training partner.

Even practicing solo can be dangerous. One of the folks on Sword Buyer's Guide (fairly experienced) once cut his calf muscle in half when he lost control of a cut with his gladius.

Really?  I've been using swords for 27 years.  I've never skewered anyone, including myself.  If you use a wooden sword, all that you're going to do is learn how to use that, if you use the weapons you intend to use, you'll get used to them and it'll help prevent accidents.

Quote
To my credit, I concussed my ex-boyfriend and cracked the ribs of two others when I used to be part of a fencing class.  That's where I found I had intrinsic skill with swords.  They HATED me because I was so unpredictable.  I wasn't afraid to drop my sword in order to kick them in the face.

Ah, a man after me own heart.  In UK reenactment, there is this strange belief that when two bill lines come together, they then stand a small distance apart and try and poke at each other with their bills/spears.  My group has a different take:  Form up and squeeze up against each other nice and tight, then have the entire unit go from walking to an all our run and smash that directly into the opposing bill line.  At Tewkesbury, about 3 or 4 years ago, we tried this for the first time:  By the end of the battle (about two hours later) the Commanders on our side were pointing us at different units and saying "Punch a hole through that". 8)
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Offline JohnE

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #49 on: April 28, 2013, 11:46:35 am »
We'll just have to agree to disagree. I prefer to err on the side of safety.

Although it occurs to me you might be talking about practicing with blunt steel swords, in which case, that can be done pretty safely. In fact, a purpose built steel practice sword with a rebatted tip and a good amount of flex is actually safer than wood in some respects.

Offline Askold

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #50 on: April 28, 2013, 02:26:19 pm »
A proper metal sword will flex and bend out of shape when a wooden sword would crack and splinter into sharp edges, which can have horrible results if you are using it in a mock fight.

SCA uses rattan weapons (well, we also use steel weapons, but mostly in single combat)  because a rattan stick will break in a clean way. It starts going to "mush" and when it breaks it looks like its been sawed in half, so no threat of piercing your friends eyeball if your sword breaks during a fight.

And I prefer safety in these kinds of things. If you want to see what happens when you minimize safety take a look at Russian steel combat or this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Nations_%28Medieval_Tournament%29

I'd rather be the pussy who does things safely. I mean I know people over 50 who can still do armoured combat or fencing because they haven't broken themselves. I totally understand why re-enactment combat using steel weapons rarely if ever has charges against shield walls, or stabbing. SCA does both of those with rattan weapons (The most fun I've had in SCA armoured combat has involved shield walls and charges, wether charging or being in the receiving end.) but that is a bit safer.

And since I mentioned BOTN I must include a video, here Team USA vs Team Poland from 2012:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Su_D9VFBao" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Su_D9VFBao</a>

For the record, the people chanting "USA! USA!" are from the Russian team since they thought it wasn't right that the US team was the only one without fans. (This was their first time and not many people came as a spectator from overseas.) Also for the record, although some of that is cool I will never ever try to enter that tournament or anything like it since those rules are insane.
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Offline chitoryu12

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #51 on: April 28, 2013, 02:57:33 pm »
I should point out that I don't actually use my weapons in mock combat (the closest I come is airsoft, though I have some vague interest in steel-on-steel reenactment). Any swinging I do is recreational or using it against a burglar. That's why I prefer any reproduction weapons I purchase to be functional for actual home defense use (and also why I haven't really purchased any blades lately).
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Offline Scotsgit

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Re: The Sword Thread
« Reply #52 on: April 28, 2013, 04:48:11 pm »
A proper metal sword will flex and bend out of shape when a wooden sword would crack and splinter into sharp edges, which can have horrible results if you are using it in a mock fight.

SCA uses rattan weapons (well, we also use steel weapons, but mostly in single combat)  because a rattan stick will break in a clean way. It starts going to "mush" and when it breaks it looks like its been sawed in half, so no threat of piercing your friends eyeball if your sword breaks during a fight.

And I prefer safety in these kinds of things. If you want to see what happens when you minimize safety take a look at Russian steel combat or this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Nations_%28Medieval_Tournament%29

I'd rather be the pussy who does things safely. I mean I know people over 50 who can still do armoured combat or fencing because they haven't broken themselves. I totally understand why re-enactment combat using steel weapons rarely if ever has charges against shield walls, or stabbing. SCA does both of those with rattan weapons (The most fun I've had in SCA armoured combat has involved shield walls and charges, wether charging or being in the receiving end.) but that is a bit safer.

And since I mentioned BOTN I must include a video, here Team USA vs Team Poland from 2012:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Su_D9VFBao" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Su_D9VFBao</a>

For the record, the people chanting "USA! USA!" are from the Russian team since they thought it wasn't right that the US team was the only one without fans. (This was their first time and not many people came as a spectator from overseas.) Also for the record, although some of that is cool I will never ever try to enter that tournament or anything like it since those rules are insane.

I won't do BOTN until they sort out who gets in and who doesn't:  At present, anyone can turn up claiming to represent one nation, even though other reenactors in those nations haven't had any chance to join the teams.  What they need to do is organise it like UEFA organises the European Champions League, with  each time from each country having already played against the others to ensure that it's fairer who gets to represent their own nation.
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