Sword and Buckler in Kuwait

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:47 am

Hi,

This is for those military members who are in SWA.

If you get the chance, please e-mail me at aaron.miaullis@us.army.mil and we might be able to hook up if you get to come down to Kuwait.

I've got karate helmets with grill (laced up for protection), soft-swords from Noe (simulations from Hong Kong), elbow pads & knee pads.

The cups and bucklers are on the way and will be here soon. If you get here before they do, we can find a way to make do with sword & towel with simulated cups of something protective stuffed in our pants.

Alright everyone...I know that last bit was a bit odd, but restrain yourselves if you can.

I've got extra ACUs that you can use as the "fight suit" and we can pad the mandarin collar they come with to make a goret of sorts.

If you'd like to have some fun fighting, we can use one of the 24 hour gyms around here. Sword and buckler can be great fun. It's even more fun if you can't get to your regular armour, and it transports easily.

And if anyone has a source of LARGE athletic cups, please let me know. The local PX only has SMALL athletic cups on a post that is almost 90% male and all seventeen years old or older.

It's a weird world sometimes, but it can be funny.

You never know what you miss until it's gone. I miss being able to just bop out somewhere and get an athletic cup.

Combatives five days a week is really fun, but it doesn't have the soul-filling experience of sword&buckler or SCA heavy fighting. I've also got transportation and crash space if you need it.

Thanks!

-Aaron

Rev. George · Post by **Rev. George** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:52 pm

The cups or the jocks?

Most maunfacturers only offer "youth" and "adult" Cups. The largest standard cup I've been able to find is the Bike Martial arts cup. My newest cup (and the one with the most room I've ever seen) is a Fairtex Steel Muay Thai Cup.

I reviewed it here: http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=57392

The site I ordered from is gone now. However one can order straight from Fairtex - http://www.fairtex.com/product_info.php ... l-Cup.html

If you arent worried about the fairtex name, http://tigerstrike-martial-arts.stores. ... steel.html

-+G

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 4:33 pm

Rev. George wrote:My newest cup (and the one with the most room I've ever seen) is a Fairtex Steel Muay Thai Cup.
-+G

Next time you are lounging on the beach and order a Mai Tai, make sure it doesn't come in a Muay Thai Cup!

- Scott, in a goofy mood

Jonathon More · Post by **Jonathon More** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 7:36 pm

this is too funny to pass up. If you can't find an appropriate pair of jocks in the sandbox, PM me and I will send you a pair just so I can say I sent a pair of nutlockers to Kuwait. Too funny. Besides, wouldn't want you to miss out on any action you can get sword-wise while you're there.

Duke Icefalcon · Post by **Duke Icefalcon** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 9:11 am

"And if anyone has a source of LARGE athletic cups, please let me know"

Aaron- You must have found some Marines to fight with eh?

If you need me to, I will ship you the cups. Just email me and let me know how many you need.

Stay safe!

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:49 am

Good Morrow Your Grace,

Johanathan already volunteered to send some cups, but I'll PM you an address if you'd like to volunteer anything.

Yeah we got Marines here too.

-Aaron

freiman the minstrel · Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:24 pm

Aaron,

Welcome to Drachenwald (at least officially). (I mean, technically, Kuwait is in Drachenwald)

I got ya covered.

Please PM me. I have two spun domes that I acquired specifically to give to other groups as loaner helmets. I bought a dozen old buckets, and these are the last two. I was wondering why they were still on my shelf. Now I know why. It's fate, dude.

It's even MPS to send them to you. Karate headgear really isn't adequate. I am pretty sure that I could just slap a mailing label on the outside of the bucket and it will get to you.

In addition, I think that I can come up with some other generic stuff. Not two full suits, but at least something, I hope. I don't have rattan for two swords, but I can come up with something.

In addition, if you get the PM to me before (saturday) morning, I will sleaze around tomorrows event (I am just going in hopes of taking a picture) and see if there is anybody else that has orphan gear that needs a home.

I have been worried about these two helms. I bought them from folks who were selling me helms to use as loaner gear, and I had two that I hadn't given out. That is perilously close to using false pretenses to get a discount. You saved my butt.

Thanks,
freiman

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:20 am

Hi Friedman,

These are the soft swords that Noe gave me. They aren't SCA legal rattan swords.

Hitting metal damages them.

That's why I hired Dan at House of Wolf Leather to send two bucklers over to me made out of leather. My steel ones would bust the swords.

This is classic sword-and-buckler work stuff in a way. It's litterally "a touch I do confess". It's not the good solid hits we talk about in the SCA but rather two friends playing to "first blood" with a full-body target.

No body armour, and only minimal padding is involved in this. Mostly dodging and weaving involved here.

It's not part of the SCA game but rather part of ARMA or other such organization. Even though I'm not an official member of ARMA, I'd like to be.

In regards to the style, think fencing and think Hamlet.

I thank you deeply for the offer of the helmets, but they won't be necessary.

I regret that I've never heard your music played. If possible, could you record something and send it to me at miaullis@yahoo.com. I would like to hear the legendary minstrel. That would bring me great joy.

Thank you,

-Aaron

freiman the minstrel · Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:59 am

Well, Poop.

What do you suggest I do with these helmets then? I can still pack them off downrange if you like. They need to go for loaner gear somewhere in Drachenwald.

I have plans to be in the studio in the next two weeks. I will send you one of the new demo/give me a gig CD's. Probably really short, but also (because I am in a different economic bracket now) probably better recording quality than ever before.

freiman

Jehan de Pelham · Post by **Jehan de Pelham** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:14 pm

"Aaron- You must have found some Marines to fight with eh?"

:lol:

John
Jehan de Pelham, esquire and servant of Sir Vitus
www.thecompaignyestore.com

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 12:24 am

Aaron wrote:Good Morrow Your Grace,

Johanathan already volunteered to send some cups, but I'll PM you an address if you'd like to volunteer anything.

Yeah we got Marines here too.

-Aaron

As someone who has no military service in his background, I don't have the chops to make a comment here..... but I can't be the only one who sees a straight line just begging.. begging...

:lol:

Gavin

Destichado · Post by **Destichado** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:22 am

Just watch which direction you go with your line. :wink:

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 4:16 am

freiman the minstrel wrote:Well, Poop.

What do you suggest I do with these helmets then? I can still pack them off downrange if you like. They need to go for loaner gear somewhere in Drachenwald.

I have plans to be in the studio in the next two weeks. I will send you one of the new demo/give me a gig CD's. Probably really short, but also (because I am in a different economic bracket now) probably better recording quality than ever before.

freiman

I wouldn't bat an eye at paying $20 for a CD of yours.

Where do I send the money order?

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:50 am

BUMP!

McTavish and I fenced a bit on Sunday night. It was fun. We're both rusty and laughed a lot. It was a series of good fights, even if we were both a bit silly at times.

Anyone else in Kuwait?

The buckers are still enroute.

-Aaron

Alcyoneus · Post by **Alcyoneus** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:50 am

Destichado wrote:Just watch which direction you go with your line.

I won't ask the question.

freiman the minstrel · Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:05 pm

Aaron wrote:BUMP!

McTavish and I fenced a bit on Sunday night. It was fun. We're both rusty and laughed a lot. It was a series of good fights, even if we were both a bit silly at times.

Anyone else in Kuwait?

The buckers are still enroute.

-Aaron

Yes.

The Drachenwald Kingdom Newsletter (the Dragon's Tale) lists a contact point for "faraway places" for Iraq and Kuwait as

Lord Kenwyn McMichael
MKA Daniel Meeker
24 Ordnance company
Camp Arifjan Kuwait

email: Autumnwind71 (at) hotmail.com

It's published in the Kingdom newsletter, so I don't think that I am causing a security breach here. I would really appreciate it if you would ask him about the two helms too. I did get them just for Loaner helms in Drachenwald. The idea was to buy inexpensive helms and make sure that they were available for loaners. I still have two of them (both spun domes, and only one came from the program) but keeping them here is "iffy". I actually bought the helms, so if they don't actually find homes, it isn't an honor violation, but I actually have to TRY to find them homes, in good faith. So, you have one more guy in Kuwait (which isn't small) but maybe you guys can use a couple of helms.

And if anybody knew anybody else in the Kuwait area, they could pass that info on to Aaron too, that would help. Three folks is a fighter practice. Seven is a recruiting opportunity, and good training.

And since you asked

The CD wont be ready for at least a month. I have five tracks done, two more that might work, and I am going this week or next week to shoot the cover art. Then five to seven more tracks the following pay period (they are two weeks long) and then layout and production decisions, like dupication.

But two of the tracks are available on line :wink:

I'm sorry to anybody who is offended by the cheesiness of this (this stuff was already on "off topics"), but some folks avoid the off topics board.

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... sc&start=0

Did nobody email you the copies of the song?

freiman

dukelogan · Post by **dukelogan** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:11 pm

i run a yahoogroups list for soldiers and their families in the sandbox. its a resource for sca folk to hook up and for their families to discuss things. anyway, to subscribe you email:

SCAsandbox2003-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

here is the blurb for the group:
This site is dedicated to the SCA members who are also serving the US military during the recent Middle East conflict. It is hoped that through this site, Scadians can hook up with each other and share that bond only another SCA member can provide in these remote locations. It is requested that no one include information that will jeopardize the security of our armed forces or create identity theft on an individual. Please keep contact information brief if you are an individual logging into site, ex Pvt Smith, USMC, Camp Alphabet aka Scadian name, Kingdom. Those logging into the site from various kingdoms can contact their members in those areas via email and snail mail to have them go thru normal camp procedures to locate that individual, thus ensuring privacy for all. It is also hoped that this site will provide support. Please everyone out there, know we truly appreciate what our SCA members are doing for us and that we are very proud of each of them. We want you home quickly and back on the list fields in one piece. Be safe...

regards
logan

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:35 am

freiman the minstrel wrote: I would really appreciate it if you would ask him about the two helms too. I did get them just for Loaner helms in Drachenwald. The idea was to buy inexpensive helms and make sure that they were available for loaners. I still have two of them (both spun domes, and only one came from the program) but keeping them here is "iffy". I actually bought the helms, so if they don't actually find homes, it isn't an honor violation, but I actually have to TRY to find them homes, in good faith. So, you have one more guy in Kuwait (which isn't small) but maybe you guys can use a couple of helms.

And if anybody knew anybody else in the Kuwait area, they could pass that info on to Aaron too, that would help. Three folks is a fighter practice. Seven is a recruiting opportunity, and good training.

When McTavish showed up I started thinking along the same lines you are. Before I thought that there was just nobody out here and my simple "soft sword" kit would be OK if I could find a stawart soul to practice with. And then I found we really do have SCA members here.

But from talking, we have a chance to use some scrap metal to make cheezy loaner armour...and then two helms from you...make shields...get rattan... This might be good.

Two is a good recruiting opprotunity... :lol:

We could just park the gear at the MWR when we leave if there isn't anyone local to take the program over. It would just be in a big box with a lock waiting for the next SCA member. Or MPS it to the nearest member in the AO. I know Verbrand is south of me by a bit.

Elbows and knees will be hard, but we could make the rest from scrap canvas and scrap metal. We've got some metalworking equipment around here and could refurbish them on the "off time". Tabards would be nice too so we don't look too ratty...

I can ask my wife to send two rattan swords with basket hilts. For that matter I bet there is someone in the SCA who has an extra sword or two.

Friedman has offered to send helms.

We have padding.

We have scrap steel and aluminum

We even have round shield blanks cut out in my shed! They're "Duke Paul" style shields (sort of).

This could work!

freiman the minstrel wrote:The CD wont be ready for at least a month. I have five tracks done, two more that might work, and I am going this week or next week to shoot the cover art. Then five to seven more tracks the following pay period (they are two weeks long) and then layout and production decisions, like dupication.

I was able to download both songs. I especially like "Gallahad". It was truly professional work. I'd see if AFN could play it a bit, because it feeds into the GI hero-complex that most of us embrace with open arms.

Thanks!

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:41 am

Good Morrow Your Grace,

I'm in the process of signing up. Thanks!

Your servant,

Will

ThorvaldR Skegglauss · Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:58 am

Frieman,

How about bringing those loaner helms to Nebelwald practice, we have a couple of guys showing up who are interested and we could use them.

Thorvaldr

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:11 am

Thorald Skegglauss wrote:Frieman,

How about bringing those loaner helms to Nebelwald practice, we have a couple of guys showing up who are interested and we could use them.

Thorvaldr

Frieman,

Thorvaldr has some good points. You might want to support the local practice. If you think some kingdoms get too hot to fight in, "southern" Drachenwald would prove to be the worst.

In summer, average daily high temperatures range from 42Â° C to 46Â° C; the highest recorded temperature is 51.5Â° C. The summers are relentlessly long, punctuated mainly by dramatic dust storms in June and July when northwesterly winds cover the cities in sand. In late summer, which is more humid, there are occasional sharp, brief thunderstorms.

This will make the warmest day at Pennsic look like parka weather. They say that the highest temperture recorded is 125 Â°F, but I've heard of stories of 140 Â°F, with humidity.

We might want to stay with our basic sword-n-buckler bit where we can dump bottles of water on ourselves to cool off. I just got over enthusastic. Please send the helms to the local practice.

-Aaron

B. Fulton · Post by **B. Fulton** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:33 pm

People from our deployment team recently back from Kuwait said their digital thermometer read 150 on at least three days.

AND they were in full armor/helmet outdoors... and the wussies in the A/C buildings and no armor were complaining "it's hot".