A discussion of SCA fighting of all sorts.

33 responses total.

What sort of background do the people who teach SCA sword have?

Most of them (the local ones anyway) are either Knights in the Society,
fighters that have authorized and have been fighting for quite a while, or
Knights' Marshalls.  Some have had mundane fencing training, but not all,
probably not even most.

SCA sword fighting is different than mundane fencing.  You have to be all
to judge your blows, both those you receive and those you give.  In most
cases on the list field you are on your honor to fairly judge the blows that
you have received, and that you 'become injured or die' when they are of the
proper weight.  You can get a very bad reputation if you don't take blows (as
the fighter giving them usually knows whether they were good or not).  You
can also get a bad rep for always saying that someone is not taking your blows.
Fighters train hard and long to accomplish this and must 'authorize' in their
weapon of choice.  If he/she changes weapons he/she must authorize in the new
one as well.  You cannot fight in an Event list field if you do not hold a
current authorization card.

Are there any SCA fencers out here, too, or is it just stick-jocks?

There are fencers.  Most of the kingdoms are in the process of putting
together rules and regs for authorization and beginning to add fencing/rapier
tracks to tourney events.

I meant specifically in Ann Arbor.  I did some fencing in Myrkfaelynn but
never actually got around to qualifying.

There are some fencers in Cynnabar.  One of our members teaches fencing
at the Y.  They were working on getting tourney fencing rules in place
before Dag's cornation (he's also a member of Cynnabar).  I haven't been
to a meeting in a while, so I'm not sure whether it actually happened or
not.

Regular Fighting practice is being held on Sunday Afternoons now in Ann Arbor.
People who'd like to learn to fight are welcome to attend. Let me know
if you'd like more details.

        Pattie

I want details!  I'm interested in coming.  Post where it meets and if
ya hafta pay anything and what time.

Mike,

There's no fee. Fighter Practice is Sunday afternoons at 3pm. Normally,
fighting practice is held in West Park here in Ann Arbor. West Park
is at Huron and Miller Rds in Ann Arbor, near Seventh.

However, this Sunday, fighting practice is being held at a person's home.
The regular meeting place should be back online, or I'll post again before
next week.

        Pattie

Will equipment be made available for peple to use?

Not really. If you're going to fight, you're expected to make your own,
tho for those just starting out, you can probably borrow from others.

        Pattie

Actually, there is a supply of Shire armour that is available for beginning 
fighters.  Whether enough of it will fit you is another question; but it 
usually is a good start; so you don't have to borrow as much.

RE

I'm interested in aquiring some to purchase, or patterns, email me the details
on whose selling it and how much and how I can aquire it.  :-)  I need some
starting armor so I can get off and fighting and that sounds good.  

First I suggest you go to a fighting practice or two.  I think you will still
want to fight (even more actually) but it will give you a better idea of the 
types of armour you want.  Depending on what you want the armour made of and
what time period will help decide which armourer you should use and how much 
it will cost.

Arm armour can run anywhere from $20 for just elbow cops to $300 for a nice
pair of full arms.

Oscad

I went to one fighter practice and watched for three hours, I'm also fencing
at schoolcraft college.  And into the martial arts stuff, it looks like lots
of fun.  I'm very interested in purchasing armor, or aquiring patterns.  
But, I need to know exactly whats available, whose selling and how to get
it.  :-)  So if someones selling lemme know.  I don't have any, my ideal
plan is to buy some of the tricky parts and make some of the leather stuff
that isn't too hard, and purchase a helm from someone, maybe Sal, I dunno.
I basically want to piece together a workable beginning set of armor and
get off and running, and then worry about making it better as I learn more
about what I want and stuff.  

You aren't by chance heading to Pennsic??

I don't have the addresses with me (sorry) but there are a ton of 
people making everything.  You pick a year and a piece and someone is making
it. The best way is to go to an event or two and see the armourers there.

Long distance suggestions.
If you are looking for a bascinet, Talon armoury out of Calontir has a very
nice quality and is the best buy I have found.  illusion Armoury out of 
Pheonix AZ has a $65 bascinet.  Its an earlier period model, but the price
is excellent.  (Talon's is 150 and up)

For local Hawk(e) is in Jackson and does good work, but it can be a bit 
expensive.  Nial is part of Ironwolf and is now in Ohio and does good 
quality  yet cheap work.

Will you be at practice Sun?
Is there practice Sun?

Oscad

Well, I talked to Dave whose at my fencing class at Schoolcraft, and
bought a Known World Handbook 'n got myself a copy of that book Arms
& Armor of the Medieval knight and put in an order for that book 'The
Armorer And His Craft'.  Basically my plan is to piece some armor together
that meets the specifications then go to fighter practice again when I can
actually participate in things a little staid of just watchin. :-)
     Great ya sayin names of people, but I don't see the name Ironwolf
in the yellow pages, and don't have any idea how to contact em.   Got some
more direct means of contacting em or the other people?  Re Sunday practice
Its my understanding it meets at noon in a park and stuff.  (Which was
where I was planning to go to the next one I go to once I finish making
the armor & rattan swords and a shield and all that)
     Also, anyone know some good addresses for places to buy suitable metal
and rattan and all that?  I wouldn't mind knowing a few more places.. already
got the Tandy place for leather supplies naturally..
     I heard theres a Cane and Reed store that sells lotsa nice rattan as
well as some mail order places I don't have telephone numbers/addresses for..

Oh yeah re Pennsic, I don't think thats feasible for me to go.  If I was gonna
go I'd sorta want to be competant and all that and I'm not yet at fighting
or anything obviously not having started yet.  Sidez I won't be able to get
time offa my current job for it, though I will be able to go to next one 
more 'n likely.

The rattan place I've heard about is in Plymouth, but I wasn't told a store
name.

Practice this Sunday is in front of the Power Center in Ann Arbor. If you
come up US-23 to Washtenaw, and follow Washtenaw until it turns in to Huron
Ave in Downtown Ann Arbor, you'll be right near the Power Center. There is
a road called Fletcher that comes off to the left from Huron Ave. The Power
Center is right on Fletcher. Parking on Sundays is free.

        Pattie

For rattan, it is Plymouth Reed and Cane.  I can sell you a sheild, either 
just a blank or with hardware. Just need to know what size you want.

I don't have addresses for these people.  I think I can get a number for 
Talon, you can call Pheonix info for Illusion, as for nial, I will see what
I can do.  There is an event this weekend you may want to attend; both to 
see what happens and look for armour.

more later,
Oscad

Its later.. :-)

I know you can get metal at Schlinkers hardware in A2, but it will be a bit
expensive expensive.  You could try the yellow pages.

As for Pennsic,  No one has ever said competency is necessary for Pennsic.
I authorized on the last possible day and went, and had a blast.  The same
is true for many people I know.
Also, the fighting is not even the best part of Pennsic. (And y'all thought
I was just a stick jock) The merchant area will put most downtown shopping
districts to shame, the atmosphere and parties are hard to top.  Even if you
are not able to fight at all, Pennsic is worth going to. (If you are able
that is)

Also, there is a selection of shire armour for you to use.  My household
also has some extra armour which you could probably use to get started.
You may not want to wait until *all* of your armour is done before you 
start practicing. 

Oscad

Well that sounds great, could ya email me what ya got available and gimme
a phone number and some price ideas?  :-)
Re my size, I'm 5'11 and about 194 pounds.   I sent away for some mail order
armor catalogs, like Tengu's Forge/Get 'em on the Field Armory
(602)747-9862, and Red Falcon Armories (706)547-0178 but my cataloges haven't
arrived as of yet.  :-)  I found out my fencing class isn't going to be meeting
again until (gasp) september after this friday so I wanna step up my armoring
and get into the gist of things relatively soon.  :-)  
Anywayz Friday is payday so if ya got somethin I could buy offa ya, ideally
leave me email before if possible :-) 
     re shire armor, I don't know who to see over it or who to call or anything
and wouldn't mind that info either actually.  :-)
ThanX for the help..

Mike,

Contact Sal or Jerry. They're listed in the front of the Citadels I sent 
you. They'd be happy to help!

        Pattie

Yeah I got Sal's number already.  I wanna shop around.  Met sal actually,
he was pretty good at fighting with Dave it seemed.  :-)  ALso worked with
him on a temp job once..
     Anyways I got a Red Falcon Armories catalog which was my first idea of
sca armor type prices.  Good god, no wonder most of you make your own stuff.
Most of the pieces were $175+, I was thinking it would be around 200-300 for
a full set mail order, guess I'll hafta put some more time in the shop than
I thought.  They did have some nice pictures of different sorts of armor though
which was nice as well as being a mail order source of rattan which were 
somewhat acceptable prices.
(to the untrained eye of course)

I think rattan was about 2.00 a foot at Plymouth R&C.  $175 for a piece of
armour could be a good price, it depends on which piece.  As far as 
household armour or shire armour- shire is usually brought to each practice,
and call me if you are going to fight and I will try and get my house armour
to practice.  As of now, neither is for sale.
Get'em on the Field may be what you are looking for, legal but not high
quality.  Tengu Forge does some good work; that is where I am buying my
gauntlets from. Never heard of Red Falcon (No big surprise) and I have never
seen anything Sal has made.

Oscad

I saw his roman garb, it looked pretty nice, to my untrained eye, had lots
of rivets, looked polished up nice and all that.  Btw, wheres a good place
to buy foam for padding stuff like helms?  (and what type should I ask for)

Fabric stores have lots of foam, used for making cushions.  You might also
try a serious sporting goods place?

Beware, most foam is called "open cell" foam and is very soft.  You are looking
for "closed cell" foam, which will be stiffer.  Another good place would be 
a teacher supply store. Look in the yellow pages; they usually have it really
cheap.

Are there any workshops re armor making?
Also hows that stuff with light weapons fighters going? 

 weve always just made what we needed among ourselves..
 of course, we dont exactly have to put on a face
 wothy of the Pennsic Reign..

Hey, does anyone know when there'll be another Youth List fighter practice
in Cinnabar, or within reasonable driving distance?

Ugh...I have the info somewhere...  check www.cynnabar.com.  It'll be in the
meeting minutes.

Oops- missed it last Sunday- Michael and the boys were on a 40 mile bike ride
instead. Oh well, next month.

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