The Armour Archive

Alex Baird

What positive effect does forcing someone to train in combat for A have for their performance in combat form B, when the rules are different? Nothing about SCA Rapier teaches calibration for CUTTING. What about training in SCA rapier would have prevented your example above from occurring in a C&...

Alex Baird

Sadly, at least in my Kingdom, you're not allowed to authorize in cut & thrust unless you've already been authorized in rapier for some length of time. Silly-ass rule. Not so silly assed when you've seen an armored authed fighter forget he has a steel sword, and flat snap a crease into a 3 weap...

Alex Baird

Whiners are gonna whine, on both sides of the CA equation. No matter how you jigger the rules in a scenario, it's going to lessen the effectiveness of one or the other, and so they will whine. The only real solution is to run enough of both types of scenarios that the people who don't want to fight ...

Alex Baird

If anyone has any tips for how to do this better, I'd be much obliged as I've got virtually no wood working experience and am making it up as I go along. Try blackening the surface of the wood you are carving into with some graphite. Then, when you carve away, it will reveal the lighter wood beneat...

Alex Baird

Alex, you as well as many others have been misinformed as to the job of the Marshallate. When in doubt, check Corpora: Below is the Earl Marshal job description taken directly from page 18 of the Governing documents of teh SCA. Sir, I am familiar with the Corpora, and realize you are charged with t...

Alex Baird

Okay, everyone who opposes using the office of Marshallate to accomplish this: Why do you have a problem with it? As AwP stated, rules on authenticity currently fall under the Marshallate's authority. If not the Marshallate, who would you have enact this ban? How would you go about it? Because the ...

Alex Baird

I would not at all be opposed to Kingdoms banning such things, but, as it does not touch on the safety aspect of armored fighting, I do have a problem with using the office of the Marshallate to put such a ban in place.

Alex Baird

Well, he got me once.

http://sunspider.smugmug.com/Other/Great-Western-War-2010/14143347_QxXAt#1043578530_T6RQb

Alex Baird

Hey, Brother!

I've had good success with using rattan wedges. Space at least three around the hole, tapping in each a little at a time, then paring off the excess.

Alex Baird

For a treasure trove of such, check out the Bodleian Library, in Oxford. Here is a link to their site for their early manuscripts, including some hi-rez full showings of some of their treasures. For example, here is: fols. 3r-208r) The Romance of Alexander in French verse, with miniatures illustrati...

Alex Baird

Depends on the footwork you're taught, which is what I was getting at. Period footwork for "fencing" is very different from strip fencing footwork once you get beyond advance and retreat. The steps are a lot smaller, to boot, and a period fencing lunge is,a t best, a strip fencing demi-lu...

Alex Baird

As always, any tips would be appreciated. One thing I'm having particular trouble with is making miniscule e's... If I do not make the eye large enough, I end up blotting the entire section - it is very difficult to cross under it! Try using just a corner of your nib to drag a bit of wet ink across...

Alex Baird

Hey Gregory, the next time you are in the SoCal area, hit up the Getty or the Huntington Library. You can see some of the Real Deal.

Alex Baird

Lienhart Fischer wrote:they make an even tougher spray glue too
hi strength 90

And 75, which is a repositionable low tack. Good for putting a paper pattern on something you want to cut and being able to get it off again easily.

Alex Baird

As someone who does both forms frequently, I'd suggest the following for someone crossing forms into armored: Start with footwork, since both forms have sense for distance and timing that are slightly different. Use a gripped defensive, such as a center grip round or heater, as opposed to a strapped...

Alex Baird

James B. wrote:I picked up one of Hjalmr's helmets for the Hastings battle and I need to put a chin strap in it tonight so it will be ready for Pennsic. Anyone have suggestions on a quick and easy method?

I suppose duct tape wrapped under the chin and up over the top is out of the question?

Alex Baird

Most great weapon videos I have seen, the hands are again very exposed throughout. I particularly remember one where both fighters stood with the sword in the middle, and vertical. hands outstretched. That guard looks a lot like what I though of from the original post. I am sure this guard is excel...

Alex Baird

However, in an actual sword fight I would be loath to hide my blade as it provides a great defense! And completely exposes your hand. Woks in the SCA, doesn't work when hands are one of the primary targets, like in an "actual" sword fight. This is the reason the sword is denied, covered w...

Alex Baird

Gustav,

You may want to contact the Sons of Lorelei, who are a Caidan Landsknecht-based household. I believe most of them are ion the SGV/San Bernadino area. Sir Brut and Sir Basil are members.

Alex Baird

Don't forego a good stretch out and warm up before you fight. Bruises are one thing, too achy to move the next day is something else. Wish I had gotten into the warm up habit when I was young and indestructible.

Alex Baird

Caid's auths expire every 4 years, on your birthday. If you are an active fighter, the re-auth is a formality, but if you haven't been fighting enough to be a relatively known quantity, you'll have to do a full authorization. This will consist of a test of the rules, followed by a sparring bout in t...

Alex Baird

Alexander's idea of it being "all about winning" or not is very Caidan- there is a core of Caidan fighters who make it a point to do everything that they can to make SCA fighting "not be a sport," or literally not try their hardest to win. That's an interesting way of characteri...

Alex Baird

So your perception is based on a dated example with no involvement. Yep. I freely admit it. The last time I played collegiate was in college. Before period fence took off out here, I checked out the local fencing scene, and came away with a bad impression. Glad to hear that some of the problems are...

Alex Baird

When's the last time you went to a USFA tournament? Not for a long while, and that was spectating. Everyone was using the "flick" to score. And, the directors seemed to not be aware of what an insufficient parry was, since merest contact seemed to be enough to award right of way, whether ...

Alex Baird

Broadway wrote:Alex, you're a genius. A super genius.

Heh. Here's a t-shirt my Mom bought me:

Alex Baird

Officials in those sports ensure that rules are followed; they award points based on the result of a performance, <i>as earned by the athletes</i>. That's not 'active marshaling'. Like the guy that had his no-hitter screwed up by a bad call? Or a tossed flag that calls back a TD? We insure the rule...

Alex Baird

DukeAlaric (George S.) wrote:The SCA doesn't use active refereeing, but is is that necessarily good?

Yes. Yes, it is.

The calling of our own blows is an essential part of the flavor of our combat system. If I wanted to have officials calling my matches, I'd do modern electric fence, or play rugby.

Alex Baird

I believe it's usually the middle of June. I'd like to make it myself, one year, as my family is up in that area.

Alex Baird

InsaneIrish wrote:we are finding that those medieval guys knew what they were talking about so everyone leans toward the manuals at some point.

Yeah, funny that . . .

Alex Baird

Broadway wrote:Jess, what did you use to split the hose?

Get a short piece of PVC a little larger inside dia. than the outside dia. of the tube. Cut a thin slot in the PVC, and stick a boxcutter blade in it so it protrudes enough to cut one side of the tube. Place cutter jig in a vice. Pull tube thru cutter.

Alex Baird

Konstantin the Red wrote:...as the Episcopalian Jedis say, "May the Force be with you." "And also with you."

Alex Baird

Oakland. No, you missed by a few miles. Berkeley! Actually I found Berkeley to be lovely. Really tasty food and a great chocolatier that the Silver Lady benefitted from. Oakland, however, scared the bejeezus out of me! That's because Oakland's evil is right out in the open, where you can spot it qu...

Alex Baird

SCA combat is a public display of behavior. The outcome is not only dependent upon the skill brought to the list, but to the self-refereed aspect that the combat is built upon. How we handle this second aspect of our game offers the opportunity to show honorable or dishonorable behavior. It is not e...

Alex Baird

Thorvald Weretiger wrote:If your lucky, you get to run with us on "last one dead gets kicked in the nuts" day or in the woods.

So, what happens if your "last guy" doesn't die because he kills all the opposition? Does he still get the krotchpunt?

Alex Baird

In the "edge parry" thread, Frau Hirsh pointed out something I've thought on often: FrauHirsch wrote: Unfortunately duct taped rattan provides too much friction to allow some of the sliding/slipping parries which are natural with steel whether a blade is planed or not. So, has anyone tried...

Re: Thinking of taking up rapier/cut and thrust.

Re: Thinking of taking up rapier/cut and thrust.

Re: Fastest way to get a chin strap for a helmet done?

Something other than duct tape?