Swords Are Cool

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Infinity Gloves by Sparring Gloves - Review

Infinity Gloves by Sparring Gloves - Review #HEMA

Five finger HEMA gloves that provide good protection? The list of contenders is surprisingly short. With my beloved Koning gloves apparently having gone the way of black lance and armadillo gloves (extinct), there are only a few steel-capable options on the market. Sparring Gloves has two options; the Infinity glove that I am reviewing here and five finger special. There is also the Pro Gauntlet…

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Leather Tipping a Sword

Leather Tipping a Sword

Tipping swords with rubber blunts is a common practice in HEMA to provide added safety when sparring. Rubber blunts can be found cheaply from a number of sources such as the one linked here. While these devices work well, my school is not a fan of the rubber tip option as they tend to stick to the opponent’s mask rather than glancing off as metal does, providing a much harder impact. I prefer to…

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My Sword / HEMA Room

My Sword / HEMA Room

Home practice can make all the difference for advancing HEMA skills. Adding a pell (the thing in the photos with the tire on it) allows me to practice cuts and thrusts in my own time between classes. The downside of a pell is that it takes up a fair amount of space. So, if I am going to dedicate a room to my pell, why not dedicate the whole room to my wonderful HEMA hobby! It took some convincing…

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Messer from Kvetun Armoury

Messer from Kvetun Armoury

If you are looking for a great messer for solo drills and light sparring, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Kvetun Messer. The blade is wide and balanced well with enough heft to flow through techniques smoothly. This sword feels like it wants to cut from the moment you pick it up. Although there is a hollow grind on the blade to reduce weight and add flex, the messer still has…

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Blackfencer Synthetic Kriegsmesser Review

Blackfencer Synthetic Kriegsmesser Review

The Blackfencer synthetic kriegsmesser is a bit of an oddity when it comes to kriegsmesser training tools. Compared to the other available training options of this weapon type, the Blackfencer is balanced much more closely to what I believe to be typical original weapon specs. When you pick it up, you immediately feel how forward weighted this weapon is and how much it wants to cut. The wide…

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Online HEMA Resources for Training at Home

Online HEMA Resources for Training at Home

COVD-19 has impacted the ability of many HEMA clubs (including my own) to meet in person. In the interests of in-home training, here are some online resources I have used to continue my studies. While I have found that there is no true replacement for in-person practice and instruction, it can be helpful to get different perspectives on interpretations or to learn about a weapon or system your…

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SF Training Hoodie, a hidden gem for low cost HEMA jackets?

SF Training Hoodie, a hidden gem for low cost HEMA jackets #HEMA

A few months ago, my club put in an order with Superior Fencing to build up our loaner gear. I decided to order the training hoodie for myself as a light jacket for synthetic sparring. The product far exceeded my expectations and contains features that they do not advertise on the website for reasons that I cannot fathom.

The sweatshirt is well made with a breathable inner liner and a…

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English Longsword for German / Italian Longsword HEMA Students

English Longsword for German / Italian Longsword HEMA Students #HEMA, #WMA

English longsword is a separate branch to the more established Italian and German traditions. The source material is very limited so there are far more holes that need to be filled with speculation than the aforementioned traditions. The goal of this document is to provide a helpful key for students of the German or Italian schools to understand English longsword terms and concepts through the…

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Joachim Meyer, Getting the Point

Joachim Meyer, Getting the Point

At my club, we practice a mixture of Fiore and Liechtenauer traditions with a slight emphasis on Liechtenauer. As I progressed through the program and achieved my apprentice rank, I needed to pick a treatise for independent study in order to move to the rank of scholar. I decided to go with Joachim Meyer’s 1570 “Art of Combat” for a number of reasons:

The other scholars in my school had not…

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Weighted Indoor Sidesword Trainer

Weighted Indoor Sidesword Trainer

Found this item while browsing Etsy and decided to try it out. Indoor trainers are great for practicing when space is limited or getting in some drills while traveling. This particular trainer is a sidesword, but you could use it for just about any one handed sword given the adjustable weights.

The design is simple, but very effective. The product is 3D printed and feels solid in the hand.…

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Impressions of VB Swords, Viktor Berbekucz

Impressions of VB Swords, Viktor Berbekucz

For those looking for low cost HEMA steel swords, the VB products made by Viktor Berbekucz present a tempting option. The prices are generally low and availability is good, two qualities that are hard to find in HEMA equipment. I have a number of their products and some trends have presented themselves that I wanted to share. I will be using the Shortsword VB Feder, Oakshott Type 14, I.33 from wo…

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