The Armour Archive

Hi,

Is it possible to be a Samurai "fencer" in the SCA?

How would you do it?

Could kendo clothing and equipment be adapted for that purpose?

With respect,

-Aaron

Curved blade, learn to close quickly and be prepared to do a lot of draw cuts.

Or go play C&T where you can get away with almost all of it.

I know of one, though I'm sure there are more. Kenji (sp?) fights in such a manner if I recall correctly. Alejandro knows him I'm sure.

Aaron,

I see you live in Maryland. If he starts coming out to play again regularly, you'll be sure to notice Kenji on the rapier field-- in full Japanese garb with a Darkwood Armory custom katana. If he's any indication, it can be done very well. I'm not sure where he got his garb, or if he made it, but he looks the part in both dress and combat.

If he's the same fellow I'm thinking of, he's usually at Tuesday night practice. Not in his full samurai gear, obviously, but I've seen him with his katana.

Hi Todd,

My concern is that Maureen isn't fighting. The last couple of bouts she had gave her headaches, and the helm she bought from you is excellent.

I'm looking for other routes to suggest for her.

With regret,

-Aaron

Aaron,

Obviously, you know your wife and I only know what I've read here, but I've got to ask. Does she even want to fight? Does she actually want to or is she doing it because she thinks you want her to or because she wants to spend time with you? I really think that a serious conversation should be had about it. Thinking back through your posts, she seems to have a lot more reasons not to fight than to fight.

Can't/won't fight unless the armor is exactly what she wants
the kids
the headaches
seems like there are more but that's what comes to mind.

It seems from across the country like getting this worked out, might decrease dread and increase the number of events you actually get to go to.

Then again, I could be flat out wrong.

Master Kobiyashi in the East has ordered a cut and thrust katana.

Clearly he thinks it is possible - though this is the man who successfully used a spear with a suction cup at the end, after all.

Vladimir wrote:I know of one, though I'm sure there are more. Kenji (sp?) fights in such a manner if I recall correctly. Alejandro knows him I'm sure.

I do. He's in Bright Hills, local to you Aaron. Ask anyone at an Atlantian practice wearing a yellow scarf on their left arm to point him out to you.

Toshikagie does it here in CAM

Murdock wrote:Toshikagie does it here in CAM

Kinda.

He has a Japanese persona, and his rapier garb is Japanese in style, but he fights using rapier techniques and using a normal rapier. Also, no samurai type armor, more of a martial arts Gi.

Same for HRM Raito, 'cept he uses a pair of long rapier blades with big simple crosshilts.

Hi Ingvarr,

You could be right. I think the desire is still there, but she doesn't have the drive I've got. She was fighting in the SCA before I was (in fact, she introduced me to it...I thought it was crazy ).

The trill might be trickling away for her, but if I can restart the fire with fencing...

It was there once. Maybe it can come back.

I have faith.

I've also had the conversation with her about IF she still wants to fight before I buy her a new suit of armour. We're talking a day-long, serious conversation before I spend another $2K on her armour.

With my sewing machine and leather working skills, I can make tailored fencing suits for her that should look good, work well and be quite fashionable. But first we need to talk with the fencers on Tuesday.

With respect,

-Aaron

Dauyd wrote:He has a Japanese persona, and his rapier garb is Japanese in style, but he fights using rapier techniques and using a normal rapier. Also, no samurai type armor, more of a martial arts Gi.

Same for HRM Raito, 'cept he uses a pair of long rapier blades with big simple crosshilts.

Actually, Toshikage wears civilian court clothing. The round collar makes it a lot easier to close op the neck opening.

I don't wear Japanese when fencing, for a number of reasons. When the blow standard is drawing blood with a sharp against civilian clothing, there's no way I'd go in with a correctly-sized Japanese blade against one of those long rapiers. I'd be down a foot of reach, and doing rapier-acceptable drawcuts requires abominable Japanese form. And armour is an invitation to miss scoring blows. There's also only one curved blade currently allowed for rapier.

Cut and thrust might be different, but again, with really only a touch required, the rules make it very difficult to do anything sylistically Japanese.