From: vnend@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (D. W. James)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: almost live steel.
Date: 15 Sep 92 21:45:24 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@nimaster

In article <1992Aug25.034258.4258@egf-bbs.uucp> aboz@egf-bbs.uucp (Aboz the Untidy) writes:
) He has suggested that for _demos_ we use theatrical steel blades.  Our
)other fighter (yes, the tall one, we only have 2) thinks this is a really
)stupid idea.  My senechale and I are aghast at the thought, but figured
)that before we tell him he's full of it, we should get some support.  The
)reasons against it are myriad, the liability factor springs immediately to
)mind, as well as the fact that SCA combat is done with rattan, and why
)should we pretend otherwise at demos.  The only reason advanced in favor is
)that to the general public, rattan looks kind of hokey.  (Give 'em a shot
)to the helm and see if they still think that.)
 
)Berwynn Aethelbryght

	Two things you could try.  One, as a part of the demo, have someone
(one of the SCA people with the demo, though if experimentation shows that
an average person will break a board with a rattan sword, perhaps use someone
from the audience (I'll see about doing some testing tonight on this, I admit
I don't know the answer...)) whack a 2x4 with it, ideally breaking the board.  
Go ahead and point out that since we aren't out to really hurt each other, 
the level of force isn't the same as needed in combat, but it would show that 
the weapons are not toys, even if they aren't steel.

	Second, make lots of noise during the fight.  Throw blows so that
they slap the shield, making a lot of noise.  This is especially nice
since a) it is done full speed or faster, making it obvious that it
isn't 'fake' and b) the noise serves to draw folks, and c) it isn't 
particularly hard on weapons or shields (definately less so than edge
shots.)  And it is easy to do.  Just throw your shot where your opponent's
shield *is*. :-)

	If you can find a period reference to someone dieing in a tourney
where wooden or whalebone weapons were used, that would also provide an
interesting footnote to the demonstration (telling the audience both that
they didn't always use steel in the middle ages, and that it was dangerous
then too.)

	Lastly, and a little off the thread, there are several comments in
the sagas on the (generally poor) quality of the iron swords used in 
the early middle ages, particularly in Scandinavia, Iceland, and England.
Given that something like one of these swords, other than the minimum
helm slot problem, would be a lot like using a period weapon, has anyone
ever tried making an iron sword that matched the description of weapons in
the sagas?  (Dulls easily, bends so bad in combat that you have to take a
break to straighten it out by stomping on it, etc...)

Kwellend-Njal
-- 
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