TEST CUTTING EVENT

[kyle cook]

On February 7th at 10am here in Magnolia, TX there will be an ARMA Test Cutting / Members Study Day. This will be held at my home. Houston Class Members and ARMA Members are encouraged to attend.

Truvey Fielder is supplying a FRESHLY KILLED DEER for the test cutting. If there is anything else you would like to test cut on, feel free to bring it with you. Also don't forget to bring your wasters and sparring gear, after lunch there will be time for that too. There is even a large field next to the house for mass combat. ARMA Uniform will be the dress for the day.

Please bring $10.00 for lunch that will be delivered to the house. Bottled water/cokes will be provided too. Please RSVP ASAP to allow for a headcount for final preparations. E-mail me at cookfamily@houston.rr.com for directions. Just let me know where you are starting from. See you all here on Saturday, February 7th at 10am.

Kyle Cook
ARMA Houston

[John_Clements]

Test-Cutting Study Day

In Magnolia, Texas on the weekend of the 7th & 8th of February, we had another opportunity to do some test-cutting and sword destruction-tests. About twelve ARMA members and a few others from around the Houston area got together for the day. Kyle Cook also unveiled his new enclosed fighting pen, patterned after the one from Talhoffer’s manual. Using this square ring a good deal of free-play with wasters and contact-weapons was indulged in before the cutting. For the day Truvey Fielder volunteered a fresh deer carcass culled from his ranch that morning (which afterwards was made into gourmet venison sausage). Wooden 2x4 beams were test cut on (achieving some interesting results), as well as used along with a concrete block for blade destruction. This was followed by some edge-on-edge tests.

When it comes to evaluating the cutting capacity of different sword types, the power and effect of different strikes, or the quality of a swordsman’s cutting technique (edge placement, focus, follow-though, etc.), there is surely nothing that surpasses fresh raw meat and bone as a realistic practice target. In our opinion, lack of substantial experience in striking at resistant materials with sharp swords is a prime reason for the misunderstandings many enthusiasts have concerning the brutality and intensity of personal combat.

As with any such occasion of “forensic archaeology” mixed with martial arts practice, the experiment of test-cutting is revealing of the subtleties of employing historical swords. The importance for a swordsman to develop good aim in the impacting of the edge and sufficient force in the delivery of blows is continually emphasized. As with each occasion we conduct this kind of experiment, it refines our conceptions and reiterates for us the importance of using sharp steel to perform the actions they were actually designed for: cutting at things. By comparing their performance with our wood, padded, and blunt steel practice versions, it continually reemphasizes for us how edged swords really function. As always, it improves the understanding of beginners as they realize how subtle the skill of cutting effectively can be.

A full report on the results will be presented in the Member’s area.

Here are some pics. More to follow.

Check out the cool motto sign on the pen

[Craig Peters]

What exactly is the value of using a concrete block for blade destruction? I can understand destroying a sword against targets it might reasonably face, but why a concrete block? How relevent is that to the study of swordsmanship?

[Shane Smith]

I too am interested in the reasoning behind using a concrete block. Armour I can certainly understand as that could have and almost certainly would have occured in period,at least incidentally, but a concrete block seems a bit much unless you were simply trying to observe the mechanics of the resultant breakage. I truly am not following the reasoning on this one.Need more info <img src="/forum/images/icons/confused.gif" alt="" />

[John_Clements]

A destruction test works backward, starting down from what you reasonably expect will break a sword and then on from there to softer targets. By working with a known object of familiar strength, observing the result on blade and target, that will give us a worst case experience by which to judge others (that may break a sword later). Surprisingly, I still run into people who just don't understand the nature of sharp tempered steel and what it can and can't do. This way, there's no question. When you understand what forces will break one, it helps in understanding what they are capable of. Make more sense? Besides, accidental strikes against solid objects surely must have occured and we've got swords to spare to experiment with.

JC

[TimSheetz]

I think concrete is a reasonable surface given the likelihood that you could easily be fighting near stone fortifications in that age.

[Matthew_Anderson]

Looks like you guys had a great day! I'm gonna have to build one of those dueling pens in my back yard. "Two men enter, one man leaves". <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />