#Sword and Buckler

[mockingnerd]

Another one for the HEMA folks, or SCA or LARP or other collections of capital letters! It is available here if you are inclined to wear clothes or stick things on other things

If my clubmates would stop saying banger things like this I would be able to stop drawing piles of weapons and twisty banners. But for now it's a pretty fun challenge for my art so I'll allow it

[mactiir]

So you want to learn to swordfight.

The most common question I see in historical fencing forums and on social media is "how do you get into HEMA?"

If you're like "what's HEMA?" -- that's Historical European Martial Arts -- it's the study and recreation of historical martial arts through weapons manuals written at the time! Many people take a scholarly approach to it -- focused on reading and recreating martial systems -- but many take a sport approach, because martial techniques are designed to be used martially! This means we're fencing -- swordfighting! Think Olympic fencing with bigger swords and slightly different rules, and more colorful gear. In this post, I will be more focused on how to get into the sporty, competition-focused side of the hobby.

Historical Fencing is a martial art! This is a really common confusion from folks who are more familiar with more well-known sword-loving communities. It's not LARPING (though I love a good LARP) -- we aren't playing characters or scenarios, and we don't dress up (usually-- rapier fencers love poofy pants, lol). It's not stage combat or SCA (although there's some community overlap)-- most of us are less interested in recreating periods or aesthetics from history than we are in learning to fence, and compete, with our weapons of choice. Although LARPing, SCA, and stage combat are all cousin hobbies to WMA, the closest analogue to Historical Fencing as a hobby is... Modern Fencing! Kendo and blade-focused Eastern Martial arts, like Kenjutsu, are also much more like historical fencing than SCA is.

Whether you're considering starting longsword fencing because your favorite author uses it as a reference, rapier fencing because it's the coolest weapon in your favorite video game, or just because you think it'd be sick as hell (it is), here's a (noncomprehensive) FAQ for becoming your very own sword lesbian/broadsword bisexual/greatsword gay/spear queer.

I don't know if there are any classes near me, where do I look?

The best place to start is the Hema Alliance Club Finder. You can use it to look up classes and sparring groups in your immediate geographic area.

2. The Club closest to me doesn't offer the weapon I'm interested in. Should I still go?

Yes. Most clubs are "longsword" clubs, but it’s really rare to find a historical fencer that exclusively fences a single system or weapon. Even if nobody at the club fences the system you're interested in, you can 1) probably talk them into it and 2)fencing not-your-weapon will still make you better at your-weapon. My club is a "longsword" club, but we have fencers who regularly do saber, rapier, rapier and dagger, messer, messer and buckler, side sword and buckler, katana, broadsword, spear, and even montante (greatsword). Just ask!

3) The nearest club is too far away. Can I learn just by studying manuals online?

Yes and no. I don’t recommend doing lots of solo practice without having attended a class. It's a good way to engrain bad habits, as well as avoid fencing altogether ("i cant spar yet, my form isn't perfect/ive learned bad habits" or worse, "i don’t need to spar, i know all the manuals inside and out"). This is a really important point: LEARNING TO MOVE A SPECIFIC WEAPON IS LESS THAN 30% OF FENCING, and you will be moving through guards and forms like a pro with only a few months of intentional practice. Your cut form can be picture-perfect and you will still get wrecked in a bout if you don't have experience. Most of fencing is understanding timing, distance, your psychology and your opponent's, and knowing from experience which positions you can get to from what other positions. You can only learn to fence by... fencing. Now, if your thing is studying arms manuals and replicating them picture-perfect, which some people are into, more power to you! But it won't be winning you any tournaments, and I am writing this assuming you want to do the sporty/swordfighty side of things.

4) wait, there are books on swordfighting?

Yes. Check Wiktenauer. Most of them are free. My club does Joachim Meyer; Fiore and Lichtenauer are also fairly common for longsword.

5) I really can't get to classes, though. Am I just out of luck?

Is there an Olympic fencing group nearby? How about lightsaber fencing? No, seriously. Kendo? Boxing? All of these things train the exact skills that are difficult to learn in HEMA fencing -- distance, timing, reaction speed, fight psychology. Some of the best beginners I've ever sparred came from lightsaber, or kendo. If there is no group nearby at all, pick up a copy of Meyer's art of combat and a 12-inch length of steel pipe (it's the same weight as a longsword) to learn how to move the sword (do NOT hit people with this, oh my god), go to kendo for a few months, and you'll be in decent shape for WMA sparring when you can get to a group.

The reason HEMA is fun is because of the community! Even if it's a really intense commute, try to make it to class at least once or twice. You will enjoy it more, you will learn more, and you will fence better. Don't just do it all on your own! Most of the people in these groups have fallen into the common mistakes so YOU don't have to. Utilize them!

6) What do I do if there are no people to spar with nearby?

Why don't you start a group? Purpleheart armory sells foam swords for like $50 each. Get some friends, get everybody a mask and a boffer and get to it! This is how HEMA as a hobby started -- people messing around with foam trainers and a copy of a 16th century arms manual.

6.5) I'm sparring outside of a club -- should we use synthetics, wood, or steel?

Dude, just use foam until you can get a complete steel kit. Keep in mind: synthetics can be as dangerous as steel, wood is MORE dangerous than steel, and steel requires full safety kit for full speed sparring. Don't break your fingers because you wanted to look cool. These things HURT, and can cause serious injury unless used with intention.

7) should I buy a sword?

If you're with a HEMA school, they will have their own cadence for buying gear, and the sword is usually the last thing you get. You should only buy a federschwert (training sword) once you know your style and sword preference. If you're not following a club cadence or planning to attend a tournament, Do Not buy a steel weapon. A full steel spar kit costs like $800 dollars, and without a full safety kit all you have is a $300 wall ornament nobody can use.

And don't buy a blunt, please. Beginners love blunts because they look like "real swords". They also break bones. Federschwerts are standard in the community and nobody is going to think you’re cool for showing up with a weapon designed to snap someone's humerus in half. If you're that twisted about it, Sigi forge sells schiltless feders that look like "real" swords (a feder is a real sword, but I digress).

8) what safety gear should I buy?

Every club and tournament has its own recommendations. Look at the Mid-Continental HEMA Open rules for a very standard list of gear reqs for a reputable tournament. Generally, in this order, it's:

-mask (don't point a sword at anyone without one of these on)

-chest plastron (for preventing unfortunate accidents that might send shards through the lungs)

-gorget (rigid or semi-rigid)

-hardshell gloves (don't do lacrosse gloves or other soft gloves for longsword, you'll break your fingers)

-puncture-resistant jacket

-forearms/elbows

-shins/knees

-back of head protector (concussions bad)

-pants/skirt

-sword

I probably missed something but these are the most common questions-- fellow HEMAists or interested parties, lmk if I missed anything! Happy fencing!

[vidilpoge]

FFS I've being denied access to the iron tournament AND being explicitally said that I cant use my fencing jacket because I've put a colorful patch on it. I have to take it off. I don't really care for the tournament because I had an inkling they would not let me take part in it, but my plan for the patch was feingning ignorance about them not being permitted

Please tell me, fencers wolrdwide, are you allowed to personalize your equipment in your club or you have to stick to certain colors, models and brands?

I am talking of esthetical stuff, like painting the mesh of the mask, putting patches on the pants, embroider the back of your jacket, choosing some bright color or fancy pattern for your socks, so on and so fort.

Reblog for bigger sample size etc.

We have to wear all black, stick to a small hadfull of approved models and get scolded for anything out of place. The only free for all are the shoes.

[loathsome-little-creature]

Arab science arguably informed the European fencing theory of the early fourteenth century, we may in part have the mathematical progress of the Islamic golden age to thank for the beginnings of the medieval traditions of geometric fencing. It would take me a long ass post to fully explain it but I highly recommend looking into geometry and stuff in high and late medieval (circa 1260-1340) fencing and sword design if it at all interests you

[gayboss-too-close-to-the-sun]

My HEMA club: *beginning a sword and buckler unit*

My brain: we shot him in zee legs because his shield is the size of a dinner plate-

[mactiir]

Legit a good point, as something of an adjunct sword and buckler instructor I can say: metal pot lids are what we use for new folks who haven't purchased their own bucklers yet and they work. fine. Idk how much I'd trust one against a sharp tho.

[auslenderman]

For all you sword and buckler heads out there:

I'm designing custom bucklers rn

[wearemercs]

gave zelda some armor so she can go find link herself by pikatl

[mockingnerd]

A silly little design I made for my historical fencing club! We’d been discussing mental health in HEMA and my clubmate said this banger of a quote and I had to immortalize it. You can get it on stuff here!

Turns out I do love drawing swords

[mactiir]

ADHD HEMA life is like: I'm teaching sword and buckler tomorrow. I put off figuring out my lesson until the last second. I also promised my girlfriend I'd help out with this holiday clothing drive tonight which she's been putting together for weeks. Anticipated Result: tonight, me, in a holiday sweater, standing in the corner of a room piled with thrifted clothes which strangers are actively shopping for, miming stabbing motions with an invisible sword and buckler to figure out which drills I'm teaching while "Santa Baby" plays in the background. I'll let you all know how this goes.

[vidilpoge]

About yesterday's meet

I took part in the two handed sword and in the sword and buckler tournaments, and did bad in both of them.

They are structured so there are round-robins and then the two partecipant with most wins (breaking ties with points earned) go on to the direct elimination bracket. I stopped at the round-robins both times.

I can't quite put my finger on how I feel about it. I liked how I fenced in the two handed sword even if I took more losses than wins. I think I've done well enough. Against my first opponent, a guy on the smaller side that played it more on the technique and mindgames side, I almost pulled off a parry in hengen with thrust to the throat in indes. It slid by the neck. Play was so good people from the sidelines gasped, play was so good the referee adwarding the points said "congratulation on the action, but it didn't go thru, I'm sorry".

Then I had two opponents in the ring, the fencer and the frigging sun blasting in my face if I tried to position myself in the centre. The blinding effect of sunrays hitting the mask mesh, IYKYK. In retrospect, it messed me up a lot more than I gave it merit for.

So like, I was happy on how I fenced but I did not really win. It bums me out.

On the sword and buckler side, this was what I was working with:

I have not trained it for a long time

The weapon provided was a sidesword, with finger rings and a knuckleguard

Everyone else was used to sideswords and reinassance sword and buckler

The I.33 system I studied sorta of expect the opponent to fight you using the same style

I haven't even seen a buckler since last May

This meant:

My coordination with two weapons in hand was miserable

The longer blade and the complex hilt made I.33 fencing even more cumbersome

I was not familiar with the guards they went in and the stikes they threw out

I had nothing on them, while they were confidently doing their own thing

You can bet I forgot after years of only longsword sparring that the legs are targets and you have to defend them

But! Newbies where happy with our matches! They told me I had them run for their money. A more advanced fencer told me I was good, not playing into his ruse. I had no idea what he was talking about. I still had the damn sun in my eyes. The outside of my upper left leg is black and blue from at least three hit to the same place. As I said, I don't know how to feel about the whole ordeal, because I don't feel like I was competent but I got positive feedback from the people I fought against.

[loathsome-little-creature]

Studying medieval sword and buckler fencing is great there are no downsides I LOVE moving around like some kind of weird nomadic lunatic and having no consistent way to train!!!!

[m3dieval]

Barry's Photography, Tiffauges 1370 : Le siège.

[krumparrian-portfolio]

Sir Karluf ~ Knightly Armaments

[educationaldm]

A nice sword and buckler demonstration (although the sound isn't great) from the Leeds Armouries Museum.

[wearemercs]

Muraena by Gautier Foucart