Research and Discussion Forums

I'm sure it's the old, "Do you think that would have gotten through?" dilemma. Not at all. That's an SCAism, where the core assumption is that the sword must penetrate the armour, which holds up neither in practice, nor testing, nor in our source material. It is extremely difficult to spa...

I, like many of us here, have extensive practice at using the halfswording techniques from our source material with a variety of sharp blade forms, and I can attest, as can they, that it works just fine (that is not to say that you shouldn't be careful when trying it for the first time). As for grab...

One question though: Do armor pieces really fall off so easily like that? I had the impression that each piece in a suit was strapped pretty sturdily. Well, it's not supposed to, and it's a fault not found in antique armour. The pieces that came off were all secured by spring pin latches that turne...

One question: Why do you fellas not wear any hand protection? I know that in unarmored free play there's a safety hazard with wearing plated gauntlets, but it seems like that hazard is greatly reduced since you're wearing full harness. When you're fully armed, gauntlets are not an issue as far as t...

Here's a quick story that I shared with our Director this weekend at the Iron Door Studio that he thought I should relate here. So, draw what you will from it. A while back, I was sparring a meeker student with longsword wasters. I said something in a joking fashion rather like "This is my chi ...

That's a question that may have more bearing on the core of what we do than many may give it credit for. I don't like to bring in asian terms or sayings into this, but there is one I recall reading in the hagakure once that pertains directly to us when we use armour. I can't quote it word for word f...

I'll try not to be overly to the point. Yes, this event was the best so far and it looks like they'll keep getting better. All of the classes and lectures were very well done and often enlightening, and it was great to see real justice being done to some of the previously little represented subjects...

There are many examples of rondel daggers with only a rondel at the blade, and the pommel side being either a flared grip or some other pommel or cap, not vice versa.

The smallsword wasn't to be invented for some time when Master Silver wrote his works, but I'm sure he would've despised it as much as the rapier. He also dislikes compound hilts, complaining about their frequency on rapiers and states several details on the disadvantages of having them, which would...

You'll probably have to read more than this forum thread for that. If you're looking for their accomplishments, then all the exceptions being brought up are beside the point. In fact, in regards to what started this thread, the accomplishments of the crusades are also besides the point. This was abo...

I don't want to get involved here, but the cannibalism material is commonly available in published excerpts from the chronicles of the time. Some Franks were starving, and they were forced to cook and eat one or two of the dead. They heard that the Saracens got wind of this, and began to boil the de...

Thanks for the reply. As regards the SCA: Do you think that they would evolve more historically-accurate combat tactics if the changes you mentioned in your articles (the Limping-Leg Rule and allowing knees-and-below strikes) were implemented? Would such a game/sport be fairly accurate, in your opi...

At least four of those are circulating among fencers in the ogden-slc area since they went on sale. We've been using them as sharps and solo training tools. I've moderately abused mine, and we've had no failures yet. Another example of the hit and miss MRL gambles. Last fall I I broke an MRL longswo...

In the diagram at the beginning of his longsword section, he shows what side and level each guard is at, approximately. Combine that with the pictures, and it helps figure out just what he's showing. I think Master Vadi shows some similar stances slightly more literally, though not entirely un-probl...

If it's longer that its target is thick, it'll come out the other side if you stick it through. So yeah, there will be an exit wound. It's a very pointy, non-deforming sub-sonic weapon, so the exit wound will not likely leave a catastrophic blowout like a hollow point bullet, if that's what you're w...