Best Weapon to Start With?

[Trei_Feske]

Due to the fact I live in apartments, I'm unable to use a forge on the grounds. However, I can purchase and keep a melee weapon. So I'm wondering whats the best one to start with, I have no weapon training what so ever, except with the staff in Eastern style combat. A friend of mine suggested the dagger. Although I am more interested in the claymore, I realize like in any martial art, you need to start some where. A lot of the pricing for the weapons are out of my means, and I'm incapable of using a forge. My price limit can not exceed $100, for armor and weapons "I know I'm cheap, but I have to spread my funds out for college."

So, should I use the $100 for a decent weapon or training weapon? Or start with collecting my armor?

And finally, what weapon should I start with?

Thank You
Trei Feske

[KatherineJohnson]

A good waster will get you far. If i had a limited budget and was serious about training, I'd get a waster.

[JeffGentry]

Hey Trei

I'm with Katherine i would get a waster, and join ARMA there are alot of good drill's in the member's area that will help in individual practice.

Jeff

[Mike Chidester]

The recommended weapon for beginners is a longsword, and I'd definitely recommend a waster. Most ARMA members I know will recommend the New Stirling Arms "perfect" waster, which will run you $80 (plus shipping).

Although I'm quite fond of my old-school Purple Heart. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Aaron Pynenberg]

Hey man-Thats not much for funds stretch it for now, make your own waster and spend it on some books- and joining ARMA, Jeff is right there is tons of cool stuff in the members area- Good Luck, Aaron Pynenberg

[Jaron Bernstein]

Well, I my NSA waster handles very well and closest to an actual sword (Jeff the younger's cottage industry ones aside) as I have used. But it is is delicate and the pommel likes glue to stay on. The purpleheart ones are far more durable, but they handle more like a club by comparison. IMO at least.

[GeorgeHill]

Just MAKE a waster for whatever you like.

Personally I prefer the shortsword, but there is more material avalible on how to use the longsword. Here is a nice little peice on making a waster, and it doesn't have to be that nice.

http://www.arma-ogden.org/content/view/7/30/

[GaryGrzybek]

Start with a wooden training weapon of choice and a book to study from. There's very little out there for $100 unless you want pure junk. Browse the links area for recommended training tools and check out our long list of resources to begin.

Have fun!

[Chris Readle]

I'll throw in a suggestion for a Raven Studios waster from www.littl-raven.com . They run about $74 plus shipping are are quite nice. There's another thread about that has some pic of the ones they sent John to evaluate.

crr

[Shane Smith]

I'm with Chris,
Get a good waster and go to work. Raven and NSA both make good products at a good price and either will serve you well although I myself have settled on Raven. Spend another few bucks on a copy of "Medieval Swordsmanship" and you'll have enough to keep you progressing for some time.

[Chris Readle]

I definitely agree with Shane, with one caveat. Make sure you intersperse your reading of "Medieval Swordsmanship" with liberal reading of the ARMA website. It's a great, and even ground-breaking book, but some of the interpretations in there have changed over time, particularly with regards to the guards.

All that said, it's still the best general grounding in how to move and cut with this new and somewhat awkward (til you get the hang of it!) object. Once you've started getting that down (and assuming you don't live near a study group) I can recommend Guy Windsors "Swordsmans Companion". I take issue with some of the interpretations in there, (as do my fellow ARMA-VAB members) but it some of the things going for it are: 1) it teaches from an Italian perspective, whereas a good portion of the ARMA material is taught from a German one, and 2) it lays out a nice schedule for solo training, which is good for the solitary practitioner.

Once you've gotten down the basics (such as the 8 cut exercise, 10 cut exercises, guards, etc), and by getting down I mean have them smooth (In this hobby of ours, it's best not to worry about being "fast", smooth is better to worry about. Fast comes later as a result of being smooth) then I would look at getting a translation of a manual or two. My personal recommendation for first is the translation of Sigmund Ringeck's "Knightly Art of the Long Sword" by Peter Svard and David Lindholm. I have some issues with a couple of their interpretations, but they really lay things out well, and present them in a clear manner.

Whew! That was longer than anticipated. Hopefully at this point you also have at least a practice partner, since working the figures in the books (particularly the manuals) and some topics such as Winden (Winding) and Versetzen (setting aside) are difficult to work out solo.

Thanks for listening and good luck!

crr

[M Wallgren]

As others has stated, make/buy a waster, cut the top end of your or your neighbours broom as a dagger-waister, join the ARMA and get on training. Hope you enjoy it!!

Martin