A Sword Thread

[Owen]

I fenced foil/epee for about 2 years, before I moved from SC.

Every few months, we would break from the modern sport fencing, and play with period stuff.

Going from the amazing fast foil, to a rapier was disgusting. Circular blade work was almost useless, because it was so slow, the opponent could see it coming.

Weapons are a product of their times. People began to realize that thrusting was much faster, and harder to defend against, but you still needed to defend yourself from street thugs with clubs, hand-and a half swords, pikes, etc, leading to a heavier than necessary blade for all thrusting work.

As everyone moved to the rapier, it made the small sword work for gentlemen.

CWL, the blade length for London was 42", IIRC

 

[JShirley]

People began to realize that thrusting was much faster, and harder to defend against

Half the reason why spears are so effective. The second half is the second part of your sentence! Spears are heavy enough to also be useful against heavier weapons.

 

[Nolo]

I don't fence, but I boffer fight, It's a different world, sure, with lighter-than-normal weapons, but it's fun.
I honestly wouldn't use anything lighter than a rapier in a fight. That seems to be my bare minimum, but then again, I focus on hard, fast strikes that are difficult for an unskilled fighter to block. One of the most rewarding things is when you get somebody who knows how to fight, and you knock his shield out of his hand because he wasn't expecting such a heavy blow.
I could never do fencing. It's not my style at all.

 

[Souris]

I tried to fence. I had an Olympian as the instructor. Problem is, he was Chinese and could only speak about twenty words of English. We were also doing it in an un air conditioned gym in the Alabama summer with fencing gear on.
I didn't get very far.
I like swords though. Particulary more medieval swords.

I see you have had an experience with the Birmingham Fencers Club. I am sorry.

I have fenced foil, epee and Saber for fun and I teach Elizabethan and/or SCA style Italian rapier.
I also know a couple of guys that are learning German Longsword techniques.

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

I see you have had an experience with the Birmingham Fencers Club. I am sorry

Yeah, that seems to be the name.
Once I get back er, never really was in very good shape, I might take up fencing or SCA. Shooting, however, is what I focus on these days.

 

[Mike OTDP]

I fenced saber and epee for about 12 years...wound up running a small class for anout five of them. If I had the time, I'd get back into it.

 

[GunTech]

I just outfitted my daughter with the full epée rig, after spending a good chunk at AFS. We've actually been discussing forming a club in Helena.

I like shooting, but fencing is more of a workout. You don't have to be particularly fit to be a good shot.

 

[Nolo]

One thing you get from boffer fighting (the particular type I'm in is Dagorhir, but I'm not much for the role-playing part, I just kinda like hitting people) that you tend not to get in the others (especially fencing, not so sure about SCA) is the enormous amounts of people involved. Boffer fighting is much less intimidating, both monetarily and physically, so more people do it. That means bigger battles to participate in, and a brief look at real medieval tactics (i.e., in some cases at least, very little).
I just went to Dag's big annual event, Ragnarok, and there were 1,100 people on the field at any given time. You can actually do real line fighting with real ranks when you have that many people. And your choice of equipment is far less limited. You see spearmen, "sword-and-board"men (I happen to be a shield-user), archers, javelineers, even peasants throwing rocks. One group, the aptly-named "Rome" uses real Roman linefighting tactics such as the wedge and the kill-hole. They all use period-style Roman armor and they all use Roman weaponry (in boffer form, of course).
That and it's a little less serious than the others, which I like. Downsides are that you lose realism and seeing elves on the field will really put a damper on that. Though killing anyone dumb enough to walk on the field with pointy ears is rather amusing.

 

[JShirley]

Nolo, if we ever get together, I'll give you a fukero shinai and some eye pro, and we can play together.

It's possible you'll find it fun, but more likely it'll just be painful.

John

 

[Nolo]

It's possible you'll find it fun, but more likely it'll just be painful.

It can't be too much worse than full-contact with bokken and wasters...
That... hurt.
Hence why I do boffer now.