All of our arms are made of a material called rattan. Rattan is a very spongy form of bamboo which has the attribute of bending readily. Though very solid and weighty enough to simulate a real sword it will not cause a crippling blow when struck on armor. Unless, of course, you happen to get hit in one of those scantily armored spots which everyone seems to have or your opponent has herculean strength. Our armor is made from a myriad of materials.
Some fighters are able to make their own from whatever materials are available.
Plastic, aluminum, and steel are the best ingredients to making a good suit of armor. Some people choose to purchase their armor from professional armorers though this can get expensive and is not nearly as much fun as making one's own armor. Many people get scared when they see a whole bunch of people in armor delivering great crashing blows to one another and think that it must hurt quite a bit. People like this usually forgo trying it on the basis that it looks painful. That's why we wear armor.