The Armour Archive

So at Gulf I fought all the melees with a two handed ax. There were several times I definitely wished I had a back up for it and the one time I tried it failed miserably (did the classic jam the mace in the belt trick, didn't work, was clobbered mercilessly).

How do you carry your back up weapon and what do you use for your back up?

A rondel dagger, in a sheath.

Seax in a more or less horizontal sheath. This is not mine, but I made this one, and I carry mine the same way.
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg22 ... 000532.jpg

I have experimented with numerous methods of carrying a sidearm, including leather sheaths, shoulder holster, etc.

When someone is charging down the warpath at you, you have a split second to get that dagger out and shank him with it, and if it gets stuck, you are hosed.

Ultimately, what works the best for me, and has never 'jammed', is a home depot tool holster (it's basically a large stainless ring on a leather belt loop).

I dyed the leather black, and it has never failed me when I needed to get my dagger out fast.

I also carry a backup arming sword on my left hip, in a leather sword frog. If I get armed or lose my spear in the scrum, I draw the sword (less of a rush in this case). If I need something immediately, I go for the dagger.

There is a thread a few posts down that has some pictures of us wearing secondaries.

Uric

In my other hand. Matches my primary almost exactly

yeah, I fight 2stick

Chained to my wrist.

Kilkenny wrote:In my other hand. Matches my primary almost exactly

yeah, I fight 2stick

Which I kinda miss. I remember one melee, I got stabbed in the right arm, leaving me with my left-hand sword -- and spent another several minutes in the fight, between two shieldmen, turned sideways, finding numerous targets of opportunity to strike out with my left hand. Remarkable what works in different circumstances.

I keep mine tucked in my boot.
Works great. 1 kill with it at Gulf wars and I almost got Sir Conrad but it's hard to get gys to feel a dagger on a breastplate and I missed the facethrust. Just as I was throwing a better facethrust he clobbered me.

Just remember that if you have a "dangle" weapon tied to your wrist then it is armor and if it is struck you lose your arm.
If you wear it, it's armor.
If you hold it, it's a weapon.

like this.

Tried the boot daggger for while, but found that it was getting me killed in the draw process. I think being over 6" made the time spent getting it a liability. Moved to a vitus sheath and couldnt be happier... I drop my hand and it hits the handle, no leg lift, no crouch, nothing. Hand goes down, grabs handle, draw and thrust! But thats just me. Aveloc and Kinto can draw boot daggers deadly fast....

Use the tool ring /frog technuique for my longswordsword (untill the scabbard I want to build is ready that is) or axe.

Really the main thing is a clean draw at speed. Whatever you do, thats what you want to have. Clean and FAST.

I find that the behind that back sheath hung from my belt makes for a great quick draw, but it sucks to try and put your back-up away if you live!

arg wrote:Tried the boot daggger for while, but found that it was getting me killed in the draw process. I think being over 6" made the time spent getting it a liability. Moved to a vitus sheath and couldnt be happier... I drop my hand and it hits the handle, no leg lift, no crouch, nothing. Hand goes down, grabs handle, draw and thrust! But thats just me. Aveloc and Kinto can draw boot daggers deadly fast....

Use the tool ring /frog technuique for my longswordsword (untill the scabbard I want to build is ready that is) or axe.

Really the main thing is a clean draw at speed. Whatever you do, thats what you want to have. Clean and FAST.

My boot dagger is about 16-18" in length.
no quillions. minimum rattan with contoured handle.
I usually reach down and lift the leg a bit and thrust up from that position.

Syr Anton wrote:I find that the behind that back sheath hung from my belt makes for a great quick draw, but it sucks to try and put your back-up away if you live!

agreed.

I'll carry either a dagger or katzbalgar. For a dagger, I tend to wear it horizontally on the left side of my pelvis, lashed to my belt. My katz is slung on my left hip, angled back. I found that in melee, wearing in the front and back both have their weaknesses. Sometimes in a hard press, it's hard to draw the weapon across your front if you have a shield pressed against you. I also found myself getting 'caught' against people when my weapon was slung along my back. I'd say try a few different ways, practice drawing so you can find what is most comfortable for you.

I wear my seax like Heath does.

While I can't attach a weapon to my shield here in Trimaris, I was wondering if anyone else does where it is legal? I mean a sheathed dagger that needs to be drawn before use.

Bjorn

Dagger on my right hip, in my belt. The handle points up to my face.

When I let go of my spear with my right that same motion grabs the dagger and the draw out of the belt, and is the cocking for the strike. This leaves you with the point right at the opponent's face, where he is most likely to see/feel a good stab. Combining the two motions into one has allowed me to kill so many people with the dagger it almost trumps the spear at times. Against shields the spear goes vertical to block anything, or vs spears, it gets dropped so I can grab the opponent's spear. The dagger lets you get up so close to shield-men they have a tough time hitting you back if you time it right, or pin your vertical spear against their sword arm. You can wade through groups of spear men if you get the right angle- you are just too fast for them to adjust.

Plus people just get all jazzzed up when you run through several people with a dagger... it boosts morale!

I love the dagger as a back up.

What suspension system works best for folks?

I'd want to make sure that when I go for my dagger, its actually there, and not sliding around somewhere else on my hips, or twisted at an odd angle, or gone because it dumped out somewhere and I didn't notice.

I'm doing 14th C. English. What works well?

Tomburr wrote:What suspension system works best for folks?

I'd want to make sure that when I go for my dagger, its actually there, and not sliding around somewhere else on my hips, or twisted at an odd angle, or gone because it dumped out somewhere and I didn't notice.

I'm doing 14th C. English. What works well?

Buy a Vitus rig.

Yep.

Tomburr wrote:What suspension system works best for folks?

I'd want to make sure that when I go for my dagger, its actually there, and not sliding around somewhere else on my hips, or twisted at an odd angle, or gone because it dumped out somewhere and I didn't notice.

I'm doing 14th C. English. What works well?

I have a fancy scabard for my dagger but I put the weapon in my belt before I fight. It is higher up for an easier draw, and pinched in tightly against my body so it does not move much. That is how I can count on it. You don't need fancy set ups if you tie your belt tightly.

i have seen a sword frog with snaps that hold the loop closed around the sword. When in a big hurry just pull directly to the side and the snap pops open and you have your sword ready to go. Kinda cheesy but i guess it works.

I see a guy at GWW every year who has a bastard sword on his back, held there by a cross section of PVC pipethat allows him to just reach back and swing it out rather than draw it up. I think that is GWW.

I've got a Sir Vitus rig and he even made the dagger for me. It rocks. I'll use it this weekend. I'm enjoying fighter practice a lot.

Nissan Maxima wrote:

Tomburr wrote:What suspension system works best for folks?

I'd want to make sure that when I go for my dagger, its actually there, and not sliding around somewhere else on my hips, or twisted at an odd angle, or gone because it dumped out somewhere and I didn't notice.

I'm doing 14th C. English. What works well?

Buy a Vitus rig.

Pretty much spot on ... make sure you have it slung where you are trained to reach and you'll do well. I snatch out mine as well as I used to go for my Sig 228 ...

On my hip in a sheath with the handle facing up and forward;

Iain, that kit is superb.

Iain Ruadh wrote:

Nissan Maxima wrote:

Tomburr wrote:What suspension system works best for folks?

I'd want to make sure that when I go for my dagger, its actually there, and not sliding around somewhere else on my hips, or twisted at an odd angle, or gone because it dumped out somewhere and I didn't notice.

I'm doing 14th C. English. What works well?

Buy a Vitus rig.

Pretty much spot on ... make sure you have it slung where you are trained to reach and you'll do well. I snatch out mine as well as I used to go for my Sig 228 ...

Awesome kit man.