[Regia-NA] Swordplay
mik lawson
list-regia-na@lig.net
Mon, 16 Jun 2003 08:53:59 +0100 (BST)
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Douglas wrote,
There was a vendor’s table displaying many handmade aluminum swords. Many of the swordsmanship groups are starting to move to aluminum for sword simulators. The craftsman in question had made a number of Hastings-era swords. He also displayed a brace for fine axes. I believe there was recently a conversation on the weight of re-enactment axes. The weight of re-enactment steel swords is also a concern; the blades must have a certain thickness of edge for safety’s sake, but this also adds to the weight of the weapon (whether sword or axe) and this might decrease safety! I have found in using an aluminum weapon that such a blade can be very easy to use safely, with realistic-looking blows. With heavier steel swords, I believe that when you pull blows, or “slam on the brakes”, this might be visible to the viewing public, while aluminum swords are easier to deliver a safe, dangerous-looking blow. Hollywood, after all, us es aluminum swords almost exclusively. Now I know that with steel
and aluminum both on the field, the two metals are bound to clash (particularly with swords), the softer metal can turn into a dangerous saw! I am simply interested in raising the topic for discussion.
Douglas/Osweald
In the Regia style of fighting we deliver a blow with a sword from the wrist,this is an unrealistic style of fighting because blows would have been delivered from a full draw & then attacking over hand giving a devastating blow if it landed.The overhand,over the head blow might also cause broken bones through armour which is one of the reasons that Regia doesn't use such a combat style.We fight from the wrist because it can deliver a telling blow that looks ok to the untrained eye & the shot can be controled.If we were to use a realistic combat style it would involve lots of standing around staring at your opponent because thats what would have happened in a Viking,Saxon fight exploding into an extremely violent round of violence where once comitted to the fight it would have to be brought to a conclusion.Check out two drunks fighting on any Saturday night in a town centre near you?
As for the weight of the weapons invovled,the swords we use are pretty close to the weight of some of the originals despite being blunt,generally if you added 1/4 inch to the width on either side of the blade,that would give you your sharp cutting edge & an approximate width mesurement of an original sword so if anything there a little less weight involved.
People who have used aluminium swords in film work say that they burr up worse than a spring steel sword & are still just as capable of causing an injury.The swords we use are made of tempered & hardened spring steel which tend to dent & work harden the edges causing very little burring in the better blades but if they do burr then they can be dressed with a needle file.This is one of our weapon safty checks before going on the battlefield.
As for the weight of a sword & combat style,live action role players suffer from injuries with foam & fibreglass weapons because they are so light they use them at full force in some cases in an unrealistic repeating chopping action & have been known to break bones.Regias fighting style & training regime enable the fighter to deliver a blow to an armoured man/woman or an unarmoured person with out injury & with just enough force for either combatant to register the shot.It's not realistic but the combat displays are meant as entertainment for public & warrior alike & not the realistic blood bath that would have occured?
Sorry for the long winded reply & i hope that what i have written gives food for thought?As a side note,would you still have the steel weapons to demonstrate to the public?I have a full set of sharps because i got fed up pointing out that the weapons would have in fact been sharp.This stops the public holding the weapons because they are sharp but then i have the re-enactment weaponry for the public to hold to get an idea of the feel of a real sword/axe/knife/spear & so on?
Regards,
Mik
To kill & to kill again ; just to make sure!
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<DIV>Douglas wrote,<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=2> </FONT><FONT size=2>There was a vendor’s table displaying many handmade aluminum swords. Many of the swordsmanship groups are starting to move to aluminum for sword simulators. The craftsman in question had made a number of Hastings-era swords. He also displayed a brace for fine axes. I believe there was recently a conversation on the weight of re-enactment axes. The weight of re-enactment steel swords is also a concern; the blades must have a certain thickness of edge for safety’s sake, but this also adds to the weight of the weapon (whether sword or axe) and this might decrease safety! I have found in using an aluminum weapon that such a blade can be very easy to use safely, with realistic-looking blows. With heavier steel swords, I believe that when you pull blows, or “slam on the brakes”, this might be visible to the viewing public, while aluminum swords are easier to deliver a safe, dangerous-looking blow.
Hollywood, after all, us es aluminum swords almost exclusively. Now I know that with steel and aluminum both on the field, the two metals are bound to clash (particularly with swords), the softer metal can turn into a dangerous saw! I am simply interested in raising the topic for discussion.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=2>Douglas/Osweald</FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<P><BR clear=all>In the Regia style of fighting we deliver a blow with a sword from the wrist,this is an unrealistic style of fighting because blows would have been delivered from a full draw & then attacking over hand giving a devastating blow if it landed.The overhand,over the head blow might also cause broken bones through armour which is one of the reasons that Regia doesn't use such a combat style.We fight from the wrist because it can deliver a telling blow that looks ok to the untrained eye & the shot can be controled.If we were to use a realistic combat style it would involve lots of standing around staring at your opponent because thats what would have happened in a Viking,Saxon fight exploding into an extremely violent round of violence where once comitted to the fight it would have to be brought to a conclusion.Check out two drunks fighting on any Saturday night in a town centre near you?</P>
<P>As for the weight of the weapons invovled,the swords we use are pretty close to the weight of some of the originals despite being blunt,generally if you added 1/4 inch to the width on either side of the blade,that would give you your sharp cutting edge & an approximate width mesurement of an original sword so if anything there a little less weight involved.</P>
<P>People who have used aluminium swords in film work say that they burr up worse than a spring steel sword & are still just as capable of causing an injury.The swords we use are made of tempered & hardened spring steel which tend to dent & work harden the edges causing very little burring in the better blades but if they do burr then they can be dressed with a needle file.This is one of our weapon safty checks before going on the battlefield.</P>
<P>As for the weight of a sword & combat style,live action role players suffer from injuries with foam & fibreglass weapons because they are so light they use them at full force in some cases in an unrealistic repeating chopping action & have been known to break bones.Regias fighting style & training regime enable the fighter to deliver a blow to an armoured man/woman or an unarmoured person with out injury & with just enough force for either combatant to register the shot.It's not realistic but the combat displays are meant as entertainment for public & warrior alike & not the realistic blood bath that would have occured?</P>
<P>Sorry for the long winded reply & i hope that what i have written gives food for thought?As a side note,would you still have the steel weapons to demonstrate to the public?I have a full set of sharps because i got fed up pointing out that the weapons would have in fact been sharp.This stops the public holding the weapons because they are sharp but then i have the re-enactment weaponry for the public to hold to get an idea of the feel of a real sword/axe/knife/spear & so on?</P>
<P>Regards,</P>
<P>Mik</P></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR>To kill & to kill again ; just to make sure!<p><p><br><hr size=1><a href="http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/evt=8613/*http://uk.yahoo.com/mail/tagline_plus/?http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/yplus/yoffer.html"><b><font face="Arial" size="2">Yahoo! Plus - For a better Internet experience</font></b></a><br>
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