Latest Sparring Weapons

[Matthew_Anderson]

In our continuing effort to make sparring weapons that perform well and are safe and durable, I have recently had some limited success. Based on the designs Jeanry Chandler has generously shared with us, I finally made a couple of longswords with sch. 80 PVC cores. I couldn't find 3/4" tubing so I used 1/2''. The 1/2'' stuff seemed a little too light and flexy for a 48" weapon, so I inserted a hardwood dowel, wrapped completely with strapping tape to stiffen the core. Shane and I played with them a bit last weekend and they worked pretty well. They have epough flex to prevent serious injury on really hard blows and thrusts, but still are stiff enough for some realistic blade on blade play. I would estimate their weight to be around 2.5 to 3 pounds and balance about 5'' from the cross. And best of all, THEY DIDN'T BREAK!!! I have recently obtained some 3/4'' PVC and am going to keep experimenting, but so far, so good.

[JeanryChandler]

Hi Matt!

Glad to hear of your success, though the dowel in the core will probably make them break eventually.

The half inch diameter pvc is ok for weapons up to about 44", without any stiffener. Up to that length it will flex only a little bit, but even a few inches longer and it will flex badly, some wierd aspect of physics i dont grasp.

The 3/4" is good for weapons from 45" to about 52". Any longer than that and you probably have to go up to 1" diameter.

I would also add that the strong, thin orthopedic foam is another very useful component for the flats, it helps stiffen the weapons somewhat while making them safer, more realistic in handling and less likely to break.

Jeanry

[Matthew_Anderson]

Jeanry,

I know you posted it before, but I lost track, where do you get that microcell orthopedic foam? I've seen a few places on the web, but they all seemd like wholesalers, not really set up to do retail business at all.

[JeanryChandler]

Matt,

The company I have been getting it from is Acor Orthopoedic (spelled that funny way) their number is 800-237-2267. Their website is www.acor.com

I think they are basically wholesale but they will ship retail.

I usually order a 3' or 6' section of their "microcell puff" foam at 1/8" thickness. I think a 3' section is about $17 (with shipping to New Orleans), and thats enough to make 4 -6 swords depending how you cut it.

There is probably better stuff out there but this is the best I have been able to find so far. It's firm but very compressible making for very nice flats while protecting the core well against breaking.

Jeanry

[JeanryChandler]

I really hate to shoot myself in the foot with regard to my "perpetually on the verge of success" padded sword dynasty, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried these weapons from woodensword.com

http://[disallowed link]/WMA/padded.htm

Some kids brought some of these to one of our weekend training sessions one time and they were pretty nice weapons, not overly flexible, pretty well padded, reasonably accurate weight if I remember correctly, and best of all they have a rubberised coating instead of duct tape.

I guess I'm doomed to be poor forever,

Jeanry

[Aaron Pynenberg]

We have tried them in the past and they are all those things you mentioned.....but they break as the core is not strong enough to withstand repeated use.

[JeanryChandler]

Oh, good news for me then i guess. How are your longswords holding up? And the daggers?

J

[Matthew_Anderson]

That's awesome Jeanry, thanks.

[Matthew_Anderson]

Here's a tip I'll share about durability of padded weapons: I now cover all the ones I make with stapping tape (the kind that's clear with nylon threads running through it) over the duct tape. It makes the outside of the weapon about 100 times more tear and puncture resistant that the average duct tape alone.

[JeffGentry]

Hey Jeanry

Jaron Berstien has a set of these and we use them frequently, We thought they were stiff enough, and then we saw them on video, When you try a strong displacment to a counter cut they flex sideway's when using the flat you won't notice it unless you see it on video you just might get hit before you displace bcause the blade lag's behind.

The gaurd is just thick foam and will flex letting thing's blow past it and hit your arm's.


Jeff

[Matthew_Anderson]

Jeff said: "The gaurd is just thick foam and will flex letting thing's blow past it and hit your arm's"

I really like the firm crossguard of Jeanry's design, they are allowing us to do a lot of stuff we would never even try with soft, squishy ones. They bend on really hard impacts, but we just bend them back and I find I can still trap and bind with them and perform techniques like the kron.

[Stacy Clifford]

Please take note that the maker of these is Purpleheart Armory, which is officially boycotted by ARMA due to past history which will not be repeated here because it's all been said before. If you want to know more, please ask any of the older members in private regarding this subject or do a search for one of the older threads.

[Aaron Pynenberg]

Jeanry, Your padded swords are the s__t! They have held up really well and are almost impossible to break. They are still in heavy use and I feel as though I have used them enough to justify the modest expense.

Great design I hope you continue to improve on them. I would like to order some more are you taking order?

As an aside we have not ordered any of the Purpleheart ones since hearing about the boycott, but in reality they look nice and will last about a week then they will break right where the blade meets the guard, and will be useless. -Aaron

[Matt_Bruskotter]

I thought those black padded swords were a little heavy or not very balanced. I feel slow when using them. Plus the swords tend to stick together when winding a bit unlike real swords which will slide easily along each other.

[JeanryChandler]

For anyone interested in swords, I am back in town from a very nice three week vacation in Europe. Met some nice folks from a large WMA (strictly harnischfechten) group in the Bohemia in the Czech republic, who also do re-enactment events. This is a photo from one of their annual battles...



Email me or PM me if you need to get in touch...

Jeanry