The Armour Archive

I'm trying to get a few of the local sca fighters to do some non sca fighting, but alot of them think I'm crazy for even considering rebated steel. I've talked to some of them about it and aluminum swords dont seem to worry them too much. What I plan to do is buy some aluminum flat bar from home depot, 1 1/8 x 1/8 in size, leaving almost a full tang, and putting a simple steel cross guard on it. For a handle either I will fit a two piece wooden grip or just wrap it in leather and sew it on. I already caste two generipommels for them, large enough not to go through helm grills, but made of pewter so the weight is proportional to the aluminum blade. I like the idea of using aluminum with the type of armour most people wear here, because if you get hit too hard, the blade is soft enough to bend before anything is broken on the fighter. Does this sound like a reasonably safe and feasable contruction before I waste two $8 pieces of aluminum?

One point to consider is that if the Home Depot stuff is a soft Aluminum alloy and the swords are fairly long the may bend much more easily than you'd want. On a safty note will you be using the same armour standards as far as face openings that the rebate steel guys do?

You might find something of interest here:
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8253

It talks about the use of aluminum practice swords in the WMA community.

Squatch

The group I'm currently in uses "Aircraft Aluminum Performance Swords" They're light, flashy and makes a nice clanking sound when bashed together! I snapped a few pics of mine and left the link to the place to get them!

[img]http://ca.photos.yahoo.com/bc/maniacalmedievalman/vwp?.dir=/My+Photos&.dnm=AluPerSwo+002.jpg&.src=ph&.view=t&.hires=t[/img]

[img]http://ca.photos.yahoo.com/bc/maniacalmedievalman/vwp?.dir=/My+Photos&.dnm=AluPerSwo+003.jpg&.src=ph&.view=t&.hires=t[/img]

[img]http://ca.photos.yahoo.com/bc/maniacalmedievalman/vwp?.dir=/My+Photos&.dnm=AluPerSwo+003.jpg&.src=ph&.view=t&.hires=t[/img]

http://www.varmouries.com/weapons/practice.html

Notice the nice backround mess of me cleaning my armour, I should really finish that!

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Roscoe,
(Remember children, There are no stupid questions, Just stupid people!)

[This message has been edited by Roscoe (edited 09-01-2002).]

I just checked the price of T-6061 aluminum bar in 2 and 3 inch width, 1/4 inch thick and 6 feet long. $21 and $26 dollars each and a much better choice for sparring weapons. Thats enough material for a bastard sword and a dagger. Oh, from McMaster Carr.

I am in total agreement with cet on the safety issue. Most sca bargrill openings are far too large for use in rebated combat. In my group, the maximum opening allowed anywhere on your helm is 3/4" but most people use perforated plate. You really don't want to take chances with your eyes. Helmets also must be minimum 14 ga. construction, but I recomend 12 ga. top & 14 ga. face & sides. (That is for steel though, I guess if you're using an aluminum blade you could get away with a thinner ga.) You can get perforated steel from mcmaster-carr as well, prices aren't too bad & it totally protects your eyes & face. You could probably bend it to roughly the shape of your bargrill & hold it in place with zip ties so it would be easily removeable for rattan fighting.

Grimmwar

I made one just like you describe but eith a wood pommel out of the home depot stuff about 18" long and my 6yo bent it.

Aelric