(SCA) How long is your glave?

Morgan Mac Phearson · Fri Apr 26, 2002 12:43 am

Now I know that the standard length is between 6' and 7.5'but what do you like? I find that fighting 2-4 people, by myself or with a buddy I am most comfortable with a six footer.

Secondly, I was wondering if there was a benifit between padded vs. unpadded glaves. I know that there are different rules in differnt kingdoms, but are there any personal preferences? I have both a unpadded glave, and a sort of 6' pole mace. The mace is simular to the glave but slower.(2 nerf footballs for the striking surface)

Any insite or ideas relating to the fighting with or aganst glaves will be appreaciated.

Morgan

theodrik · Post by **theodrik** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 4:41 am

I have an ox-tounge spear that's 7'4" overall, 18" double-sideded spear head, 5" wide, and butt spike. It's on a hefty rattan haft 1 5/8" thick. It's slowish on the cuts, but it's mass handy on the parries (doesn't get bounced) and decivingly fast on the thrusts ( the blade width creates an optical illusion of not thrusting until too close)

My other spear is a 5" boar spear that I use either 1 or 2 handed. handy and fast

------------------
Sir Theodrik of Skane,
West, Mists, Blackwood Company
'Lude Fortier, Lude Juste, Nemini Damnum!'

Rainald · Post by **Rainald** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 6:26 am

I use a 6" paddded glaive. It is made out of the same type high density foam used to make womans platform type shoes. The foam is light, dense and tough as hell. It's based on the "italian bill" design posted by ? a while ago. On top of the high density foam is .5" of neoprene foam rubber for progressive give. The blade is 18" long with a back spike and thrusting tip and butt spike which I rarely use.

As far as "unpadded glaives", never had one, never fought against one, just seems to be scamming the rules to me. Fight with a quarterstaff but say you got wacked by a blade.

Tips?, always point the thrusting tip towards your opponents upper mid section, keeps them from running up on you in some pysco charge.

Vladimir · Post by **Vladimir** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 9:06 am

Insert lewd reference about the length of my glaive here.

sarnac · Post by **sarnac** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 9:11 am

It depends...

I like a small, fast, light 6 foot for tourneys...

but I have a 7 footer that I like for war...that extra 12 inches lets you reach out and touch someone. We dont allow unpadded pole arms here in our Kingdom. We have to have one layer of 1/2 inch foam to differentiate between haft and blade.

Derian le Breton · Post by **Derian le Breton** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 9:21 am

Five and Six inch polearms? You guys truely are brave!

-Donasian.

Stoffel · Post by **Stoffel** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 10:07 am

My main glaive is 6 foot, as tall as I am. I also have a 4 foot pole axe which rarely gets used. Makes no sence to use the weapon in full plate, if a light wrap shot by a "barbarian" in leather is going to kill me as soon as I get within striking range of him.

Owen · Post by **Owen** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 11:33 am

that's rather a personal question, isn't it?

Donasian- 5 1/2" is average...

------------------
Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"

hjalmr · Post by **hjalmr** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 1:03 pm

I have a 6â€™ unpadded polearm for individual combat, and a 7 Â½â€™ polearm for melees. I actually HATE unpadded polearms and think that they are unrealistic (Q-staffs as someone already said) because thrusting someone with a real polearm would be much harder with a large blade in the way. Everyone went to unpadded polearms to make them quicker and more deadly, which I guess makes up for the lack of shield damage that would be I inflicted with a real weapon. Anyway I either had to switch up, or fade awayâ€¦..

I use my greatsword in tournaments where image means something..

(^_^)

Jean Paul de Sens · Post by **Jean Paul de Sens** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 4:44 pm

Bitch bitch bitch. Sheesh. Using bare rattan seems to simulate the appropriate weight of steel for a sword, why is that not sufficient for a glaive, which is simply a sword-on-a-stick?

I've actually felt a couple of repro glaives, and compared them with my real glaives, and I find the disparity not to bad.

But back to the question, I too prefer the 6' weapon for singles, or small melees, but over 3 people and the 7.5' comes out.

I have just finished making a padded polearm (French Pole Axe Style) with clacker edges and it is SWEET!

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 5:26 pm

the pading adds mass and little else except the ocational spot to catch a shield or weapon.

Rainald · Post by **Rainald** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 5:57 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by losthelm:
the pading adds mass and little else except the ocational spot to catch a shield or weapon.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I got to disagree with this one. I think it adds to the realism of the fight when you face an opponent who is actually holding something that looks like a weapon.

Morgan · Post by **Morgan** » Fri Apr 26, 2002 10:11 pm

I'd rather play matched poles with heads, because I think it's more realistic and LOOKS cooler. But I don't like big bulky heads, they're too heavy and unweildy. And that word comes from WEILDING weapons!

The one big advantage a well defined head gives is the ability to get around a defense. People are used to sword/shaft blocking. A head can get around that block if you know how to do it.

Christophe de Frisselle · Sat Apr 27, 2002 12:58 am

I have 7' and 4.5' unpadded polearms. I had a 6' padded pole before the East went to unpadded. People seemed to have recognition problems with it as it didn't make a nice 'clank' sound when it hit. When I made my unpadded pole I wanted something a comfortable and manageable length. I figure the method I was taught to select the correct length cross country skis was good way to go. Basically strech up one arm and measure the height at your finger tips. Turned out to be 7' and works fine. The 4.5' pole was a 6' padded pole that I found broken at an event a few years ago. I have a tendancy to pickup discarded broken weapon and recyle them into new ones. The last 6" was broken clean off. The rattan looked rather old and dry. I was looking over the new unpadded rules and wondered how short could you make a pole? Minimum 18" or 1/3 length for the blade. Well, 3x18' is 4.5", so I cut it to a few inches shorter than that put on a butt spike and blade. Thus mini pole was born.

hjalmr · Post by **hjalmr** » Sat Apr 27, 2002 7:21 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Jean Paul de Sens:
Bitch bitch bitch. Sheesh. Using bare rattan seems to simulate the appropriate weight of steel for a sword, why is that not sufficient for a glaive, which is simply a sword-on-a-stick?

I've actually felt a couple of repro glaives, and compared them with my real glaives, and I find the disparity not to bad.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You kinda answered yourself. I don't care about the wieght -it's the easy thrusting that annoys me. It is not easy to land a thrust when you have this large piece of metal (or foam) blade catching everything on the way in.

Pole arm fighting was once an art form -not it's just a "pool shooting" contest!

(^_^)

Morgan Mac Phearson · Post by **Morgan Mac Phearson** » Sat Apr 27, 2002 9:20 pm

Thanks for all of the insite guys, I really appreciate it. When I fight with my glaves I am more of a hacker than a thruster any way so I like the ease of the unpadded glave, sort of a great sword with more handle and less quillions. Oh yah, and a butspike.
Morgan

Rainald · Post by **Rainald** » Sun Apr 28, 2002 3:33 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Christophe de Friselle:
...I figure the method I was taught to select the correct length cross country skis was good way to go. Basically strech up one arm and measure the height at your finger tips. Turned out to be 7' and works fine. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So using your method I would need a 9'9" chunk of rattan?
Or the same length for skis? Seems kind of an absurd length for skis, but what do I know?, I don't ski.

Jonathon More · Post by **Jonathon More** » Sun Apr 28, 2002 7:34 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Owen:
that's rather a personal question, isn't it?

Donasian- 5 1/2" is average...

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

5.5"????? which one of you bastards is bringin down the average?

IainMcClennan · Post by **IainMcClennan** » Sun Apr 28, 2002 11:24 am

I prefer a poleaxe with a hook and a buttspike, a little taller than I am. I find that if you use both ends of the weapon almost equally, extra length above your own height tends to get in the way and make it harder to quickly switch from one end to the other.

As for unpadded glaives, yes they are basically a quarterstaff with a point. Or in other words, a spear.

Iain

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Sun Apr 28, 2002 1:57 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Johnathon More:
5.5"????? which one of you bastards is bringin down the average? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Uh, I think that would be me.

hmm, just measured. yep, it's my fault.

[This message has been edited by Brent (edited 04-28-2002).]

Owen · Post by **Owen** » Sun Apr 28, 2002 5:22 pm

Iain- That's what I like about unpadded poles; it's a spear I can whack with.

Brent- WAY too much information.

------------------
Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Sun Apr 28, 2002 8:07 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Brent:
 Uh, I think that would be me.

hmm, just measured. yep, it's my fault.

Oh, i guess that joke/comment was in bad taste. sorry

[This message has been edited by Brent (edited 04-28-2002).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

knoch · Post by **knoch** » Mon Apr 29, 2002 12:02 pm

I use A 7 1/2 footer unpaded. I found when I used shorter in wars I was in the Dead man zone way to often. As for padding what are you talking about we dont need no stinken padding...

Froom Knoch

Nope still cant spell....

Owen · Post by **Owen** » Mon Apr 29, 2002 5:00 pm

Brent- I forgot the

also, where do I send your significant other's sympathy card?

bad taste I can handle, really

------------------
Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"