Where To Get Wasters

[Guest]

I'm curious as to where any of you get your wasters from. I ordered some from Wooden Weapons back in December and I haven't heard a word from them since. Got a reciept, but no replies to calls or e-mails concerning the status. Maybe it's the holidays and all.

I'd hate to go elsewhere since it looks like they have good stuff, but I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

matt

[Randall Pleasant]

Matt

ARMA members buy ARMA approved wasters from either Hollow Earth Swordwork and Wooden Weapons.

Please note that there is another vendor with a web site at www.wooden-weapons.com which does <u>NOT</u> produce any ARMA approved weapons.

[John_Clements]

It's Renn Faire season in FL where they're located, so that may explain the delay. Stay patient.

You might also look at New Sterling Arms, listed on our links page. I've used and compared all these brands as well as others as well as ones I've designed myself and others have custom built. So we have a real good ideal of their chracteristics and the reps of the makers.


JC

[Guest]

Atlanta Cutlery has a small selection of wasters. All they have is One-handed, Two-handed, and a dagger, but I've bought weapons from them before, and they seem to be pretty good.

EDIT: I just looked at hollow earth swordworks, and it looks like atlanta cutlery has nothing on them. They've got quite a selection.

[Ray Brunk]

Atlanta Cutlery/Museum Replica wasters are far to light and brittle for proper training. They break far too easily. Try one of the other companies that have been posted. A good waster is of the utmost importance for proper intent and speed.
My first was a mrl waster which did not last 15 minutes.
My 02 cents
Ray

[John_Clements]

Ray's right about getting a solid weapon.

I have several Hollowearth weapons that are 6 years old –that I have actively been using for 6 years! – and they have held up very well. In fact, I have never broken either a Hollowearth or a Woodenweapons.com waster blade. We also gave a vigorous workout to New Sterling Arms’ heavier model and it held up well. But my garage is littered with 5 years worth of broken wasters from a certain “wooden swords” manufacturer here in Houston, whose products we once endorsed but now actively avoid and do not recommend. (Heck, I’ve had numerous of their models even break while teaching at seminars around the country –and some of these were custom design pieces!). But then, that’s what you get when you have cheap machine-made mass-produced ones versus hand-crafted pieces.

ARMA helped pioneer the use of historical wasters for Renaissance fencing practice and my advice is if you are training in a martial manner with intent and using your waster against pells or in energetic two-person drills (as they do with heavy “bokken” in Japanese swordplay), you need a reliable and sturdy weapon, not a mere wood substitute. Go for function over what looks pretty. I advocate a resilient and heavy piece (with a flatter shape) that will help strengthen your arms, but a lighter tapering one is also useful to have for starting out or working more easily.

JC

[GaryGrzybek]

There are sometimes longer waiting periods than expected. I can tell you that the turn around time is just as long, if not longer with the various other vendors.

The wooden weapons wasters are very beefy in construction but in many ways this is better. They will last longer and build strength with heavy drills. My only complaint is the grip area which is very square and thick in the hands but still manageable.

[Tony_Indurante]

When I first recieved my Wooden Weapons waster I was like "whoa this thing is way beefy-er than my other one", but I was comparing it to my "other" company one. The weight and balance on my Wooden Weapons waster is much better- but my favorite part is that he didn't ship me a warped one.
My "other" company waster was shipped warped.
I was a bit dis-satisfied with the finish on the rondel daggers that I ordered, but I am real satisfied with my Wooden Weapons waster.

[Shane Smith]

I will second the bit about overly square grips Gary.I have the same gripe.I also think that some WW crossguards are a bit overly beefy in cross-section and they impede some of the more subtle thumbing grips to a degree in my experience although this need not be over-stated.I have handled both ARMA longsword models and have settled on the tapered model for my own use.This waster suits me pretty well and mine arrived very quickly although I have heard that my wait was shorter than some.

[Eddie Smith]

Havn't been around in a while but what ever happened to Purple heart wasters? I still have a couple and they have been fine, any problems I should know?

[John_Clements]

Plenty, Eddie. But they are persona non grata on this forum for cheating our members, exploiting our club, deceiving our membership, shipping substandard and second rate items to our members, misrepresenting ARMA's product development, abusing our endorsement, taking advantage of their relationship with us, and generally dishonest interaction with several of our Study Groups around the country. I blame myself for covering for them too long and for allowing friendship to interfere with how I should have been looking out for the good of our constituent subscribers. Never again. We no longer rely on a sole vendor for any equipment. And we certainly no longer endorse or recommend any business with them (...which of course, since our doing so we are now on their hit list).

Anyway, end of that topic. [Note: This not an opening for their distributors to come here and praise them or rag on us for having legitimate consumer complaints about their product quality and unethical business practices. Any attempts by their allies to highjack this thread for their commercial marketing will be deleted.]

Re woodenweapons.com handles &amp; stoutness: yes, this is true ---but--- by having these approved models built this way it's easier for each student to custom finish their piece as needed by tapering the blade if they want to (or not) and thinning down or adding to the handle to fit their own personal grip. It’s much cheaper than ordering a more expensive custom piece and waiting longer for it or having to use a one-style-fits all generic design. I think a student's waster should be individualized to suit them. Make sense?

As to the thick guard issue, I agree, yes, that is a problem when trying to use different fingering methods with wasters, but that’s another reason why you should also practice with a steel replica blade as well.

JC

[Craig Peters]

I ordered my wasters sometime in January. Haven't received them yet. I hope they get here soon...

[Jeffrey Hull]

I am sorry to say, but a friend of mine ordered some wasters from WW (the original &amp; legitimate one) back in late September, I think, and they have yet to arrive. I really like the WW wasters that I have handled, and incidentally, I also like the HE waster that I own. My friend has enjoyed working with Bob D, yet this has been quite a long wait. We both hope they get here soon. JH.

[Laurent Marshall]

Has anyone tried making their own wasters? $65 seems like a lot for something that isn't too terribly difficult to make if you have the time, access to suitable woods, and the right tools. I finished my first waster last month, as my first try it didn't come out quite how I'd have liked it though.

If you can make your own wasters you have complete controll of the quality.