Musings on HEMA

Some thoughts from a Cambridge Fool.

[armthearmour]

I got to try out my new Black Armoury poleaxe in sparring yesterday. The thing’s a beast, and a ton of fun to fight with.

This bout begins with me in a slight variation of Fiore’s Middle Iron Gate and with some light testing of each other’s guards, then quickly closes when lock the spear with the shaft if the poleaxe. I step in to try and hook the spear with the queue of the axe, which fails, so I step back and strike down with the head. I’m too close, so I hit with the shaft, but manage to drop the head onto my opponent’s shoulder and cut him there.

After the cut, you can see the head comes off. This is a problem we’ve had repeatedly in sparring with this weapon, so I’ll probably have to find a way to secure it. Other than that, the thing has been flawless and nothing but fun.

[pteappic]

A couple of my folks had these at my last club. They just screwed into the wooden haft through the langets - it conveniently has fake screw heads to mark where to do it. That holds it in place pretty securely, as long as you make sure it’s properly set before you do any permanent fixing.

[pteappic]

Effective training gear

It’s very common in the HEMA world to see statements like “Training in low gear means that you learn to protect yourself with your sword better”. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. Behaviours practiced in low gear (and consequently at lower intensity) do not necessarily translate to higher intensity fencing - and can actually be unhelpful!

One of the best illustrations of this is hand sniping: the clubs which train using strong gloves to protect their hands tend to be far better at preventing hand snipes than the clubs which train using thin gloves to motivate correct hand placement. Why? Because the former group are constantly receiving direct feedback on how their technique functions against fully determined attacks. I’ve personally experienced this, in fact - as soon as I put on proper gloves and fenced someone who would target the hands at high intensity, I discovered that the clever little movements I had thought were perfectly protective actually weren’t sufficient.

Even if you’re uninterested in competition, a lot of effective training exercises require proper protective gear. One great example are competitive drills - e.g. one fencer attacks with an oberhaw, other tries to break it with a zorn, whoever does their action better wins. The defender gets a significant advantage in this exercise when both parties are wearing light gear and have to use less commitment to prevent injury. If both parties put on proper kit, the timing and structure required to make the technique work both become a lot more demanding.

(This hit was clean, by the way)

[historicalfightingguide]

This is not to say low gear drills and fencing have no place, just that they’re not the be all end all and gear should be used appropriately.

[rannulfr]

I can’t imagine feeling like I’ve given someone a proper education without doing both.

I mean, if you never learn to fence without heavy gear, your gloves are going to shape the muscle memory of your hand placement and you haven’t actually learned the thing have you?

At the same time… Maybe I’m just a geezer from the goalee glove days, but I’ve seen too many injuries. “We’re going to spar at hand breaking intensity, but I’m relying on your intermediate skills to not get injured.” Seems a remarkably irresponsible sentiment for an instructor to have.

Another related problem is insurance. We’ve grown huge as a community, and Martial Arts insurance has been a thing for decades, but with HEMA, class sizes keep increasing, but many instructors, for a host of reasons prefer to keep their backyard club status, even after the probability of serious injury due to numbers alone becomes inevitable.

You have to balance intensity / protection with what you can monitor, and if you’ve got a permanent space and more than 7 people or so, buy insurance.

[pteappic]

Yep, both are important. 

This was originally a comment in a discussion somewhere (I’ve genuinely forgotten where now, I talk about HEMA a lot), in response to some of the usual “oh you don’t need proper gear, just use The Arte correctly” nonsense, so it’s focused mostly on why protective gear is good. My main goal was to unpack a couple of the aspects of this which people often miss when comparing heavy vs light gear training. 

I do also find people sometimes over-emphasise the restrictiveness of gear. A lot of the actions which are prevented by our fencing gear aren’t actions which are necessarily a good idea to use in (longsword) fencing - they may work in low-gear fighting (where the intensity is necessarily low) but they often collapse mechanically or prove to be overly complex at high intensity. I’ll be teaching a class exploring this at Festival of the Sword.

[pteappic]

Tea Kew: Cutting with a sword and what to do first

There are two main types of HEMA teachers – the ones I like and the ones I don’t. British instructor Tea Kew is firmly in the first group. Founder of Cambridge HEMA, but now training at…

I was interviewed by HEMA Digest on the topic of test-cutting and cutting training. 

Test-cutting is one of the most important activities to incorporate into your HEMA training for anyone who wants to learn to use a sword not a (sword-shaped) stick, but there are a lot of misconceptions about it and about how it fits into a good training regime - hopefully we managed to dispel a few of them in the article!

[pteappic]

Effective training gear

It’s very common in the HEMA world to see statements like “Training in low gear means that you learn to protect yourself with your sword better”. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. Behaviours practiced in low gear (and consequently at lower intensity) do not necessarily translate to higher intensity fencing - and can actually be unhelpful!

One of the best illustrations of this is hand sniping: the clubs which train using strong gloves to protect their hands tend to be far better at preventing hand snipes than the clubs which train using thin gloves to motivate correct hand placement. Why? Because the former group are constantly receiving direct feedback on how their technique functions against fully determined attacks. I've personally experienced this, in fact - as soon as I put on proper gloves and fenced someone who would target the hands at high intensity, I discovered that the clever little movements I had thought were perfectly protective actually weren't sufficient.

Even if you're uninterested in competition, a lot of effective training exercises require proper protective gear. One great example are competitive drills - e.g. one fencer attacks with an oberhaw, other tries to break it with a zorn, whoever does their action better wins. The defender gets a significant advantage in this exercise when both parties are wearing light gear and have to use less commitment to prevent injury. If both parties put on proper kit, the timing and structure required to make the technique work both become a lot more demanding.

(This hit was clean, by the way)

[armthearmour]

Do you know good places to get good gloves (fingers covered for live steel demonstrations + regular HEMA)? Many main online retailers has failed me one too many times.

Purpleheart Armoury is a great place to find HEMA equipment if you live in the US, and the carry what are probably the most popular gloves for doing longsword, the SPES Heavies.

If you live in the UK, The Knight Shop also carries the SPES Heavies.

A couple of other gloves used in longsword and carried by Purpleheart Armoury are the Koning gloves,

(somewhat less protective, but way more stylish)

and the Absolute Force gloves.

It should be noted that, while I have seen all of these used for sparring with longsword, the most advisable are the SPES Heavies. They offer the greatest protection, and the loss of mobility is really not that great, especially when compared to the loss of mobility from a cast after a broken hand.

[pteappic]

Generally I’d recommend none of these. Instead, look at the original “Sparring Gloves” from Barbara Chlebowska

They’re lighter, lower profile, and basically as protective as SPES Heavies (you’ll feel hits to the back of the hands more, but the thumb coverage is much improved). Here’s [the website](http://sparringglove.com). Buy the mitten or hoof model, not the fingered ‘special’ one. 

In the US, you can get them from Scott at [HEMA Supplies](https://hemasupplies.com/product-category/gloves/)

[armthearmour]

I had considered recommending the Sparring Gloves, but I have no experience with them and I’ve heard some things about them not providing adequate protection. You’ve had different experiences?

[pteappic]

They’re very standard in Europe, including extremely hard hitting tournaments. Occasionally you get freak injuries, but that’s true with every glove design. By and large they’re good enough. Because the material has some flex to it, you can feel a hit more than in SPES heavies, but fingers and hands still tend to survive well. The thumb protection is a particular improvement. 

This doesn’t apply (for longsword, at least) to the five fingered variant. Those are inadequate and you can have broken fingers through them. 

[armthearmour]

Do you know good places to get good gloves (fingers covered for live steel demonstrations + regular HEMA)? Many main online retailers has failed me one too many times.

Purpleheart Armoury is a great place to find HEMA equipment if you live in the US, and the carry what are probably the most popular gloves for doing longsword, the SPES Heavies.

If you live in the UK, The Knight Shop also carries the SPES Heavies.

A couple of other gloves used in longsword and carried by Purpleheart Armoury are the Koning gloves,

(somewhat less protective, but way more stylish)

and the Absolute Force gloves.

It should be noted that, while I have seen all of these used for sparring with longsword, the most advisable are the SPES Heavies. They offer the greatest protection, and the loss of mobility is really not that great, especially when compared to the loss of mobility from a cast after a broken hand.

[pteappic]

Generally I’d recommend none of these. Instead, look at the original “Sparring Gloves” from Barbara Chlebowska

They’re lighter, lower profile, and basically as protective as SPES Heavies (you’ll feel hits to the back of the hands more, but the thumb coverage is much improved). Here’s the website. Buy the mitten or hoof model, not the fingered ‘special’ one. 

In the US, you can get them from Scott at HEMA Supplies.

[prince-mar-mar]

Sword Slash Saturday: The 4 German Stances

In part 2 of “Crossing the Distance” I discussed the Lichtenauer method, which is the German longsword fight manual method. Lichtenauer, works in fours: Four bodily quadradrants for attack and defense, and four basic stances. Today’s sword slash saturday I will go over the basic stances/positions which a sword is held during a sword fight. This is excellent for you artists and writers who wish to depict sword fighters!

1) Vom Tag (pronounced VAHM TOHG): this is the basic for holding a sword. this is a guard where you ready yourself. From here you engage your first attack or defense. the sword is shouldered and the feet are shoulder width apart diagnolly with the left foot in front, and the feet slightly angled out. The hips and torso are faced forward toward the opponent. The right hand is near the crossguard relaxed near the breast and the left hand rests on the pommel. This is often used as a reset or beginning position.

Though there are some depictions and practices (below) which place the Vom Tag above the shoulder and even the head, this can put your body open for a quick stab by the opponent and also end up swinging your whole sword around with your body and making you to slow to parry or react afterwards.

2) Pflug (pronounced FLOOG): This guard is great for blocking and relatively simple. For the right handed version, the left foot is pulled back and you step aside, and the sword is pulled down so the crossguard is at the left hip (the feet and side switch for the left/opposite side). the pommel is brought back and the end of the sword is pointed at the opponents face. Keep the knees relaxed and slightly bent for stabilization/shock absorbing when collecting the impact of the attacker.

You don’t actually need to step so widely, this risks falling over which makes you prone and you ded.

3) Ochs or Ox: Yes, like the animal, Ox, because it is like having defending horns on the head. This is one of the more complicated stances, it’s my favorite because you can use it as a defensive and offensive move, and it works against a lot of your opponent. For this stance, from fluge, pull the the pommel at the side and above your head. Your right hand at the crossguard will be at a slight angle with your inner wrist is up at the sky. The quillons should line up with your knuckles for protection. You can have the point at your opponents chest or head depending on their move or their height. For the “left” version (the sword will be on your right side), your arms will cross over halfway between your wrist and elbow. The right angle of your front arm for both sides and the bending of the other arm makes a great springy “cushion” for catching really powerful downward blows from your oponent, which as a tiny person like me I love to use often….

4) Tailguard - This is more of an Italian Fiore guard but also has a german version which splits the left and right sides into two different stances since tailguard is only a right hand stance. This stance the sword is dropped to the right side,with the pommel just above or at the hip, as if you were to drag the sword behind you (pls don’t!). Make sure your sword is up away from the ground! The right hand stance is known as Nebenhut or “near”. This position is used for rising cuts. Rising cuts go through the lower part of the torso when the opponent blocks high (like in Ox) or cut off the hands. The left side version, which is rarely used is known as Alber  or “the fool”. Pretty much the sword is dropped in front of you, pointed down, between the legs and the pommel at the hip. Like Ox, the wrist is pointed up and the knuckles align with the quillons. This is used for quick counter attacks or rising cuts to approaching opponents. who might block in a fluge or even ox. This stance is not commonly used, but to throw off opponents.

Anyway that concludes my comphrehensive list of German Longsword stances. I like the German longsword stances because there’s really only four (mostly three), and the Italian longsword breaks it down even further to like 16? idk off the top of my head different stances, which can be basically broken back down to these four. Sheesh Italians trying to complicate things XD

Anyway stances are great for illustration, or writing; for actions scenes stances make you can imagine what the person would throw next based on how they prep themselves with a stance!

[pteappic]

Oh dear. Where to even start.

1. Vom Tag with the hands by the waist is a terrible hangover from the early bad days of HEMA. This version of the position is extremely structurally weak for cutting, parrying, etc. It’s also not attested in the glosses (all translations from Wiktenauer):

MS 3227a:

The fourth guard, from-the-roof, is the long-point. Whoever commands it with extended arms, one may not hit them well with hews nor with stabs. Also, it may well be called the hanging over the head.

Ringeck:

Item. The fourth guard is called from-the-roof; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the left foot forwards and hold your sword upon your right shoulder (as stands pictured hereafter next to this), or hold it with outstretched arms over your head; and how you shall fence from the guards, you find it all written in this book.

Pseudo Peter von Danzig/Branch B:

Mark, the guard is called From the Day, therein position yourself thus: stand with your left foot before and hold your sword on your right shoulder, or with up-stretched arms high over your head, and stand thus in the guard.

Jud Lew/Branch A:

Item, the fourth guard is called From the Day. Position yourself with it thus: set the left foot in front and hold your sword high over your head with outstretched arms, and turn the long edge in front, and let the point hang backward a little, and stand thus in the guard, etc.

There’s a couple of key details to note here. Firstly, only two of the four early glosses even admit to a shoulder-level version of tag at all. However, all four include the overhead version, which also persists right throughout the tradition to Joachim Meyer. That version should therefore be considered the archetypal ‘vom tag’. It’s specifically described with outstretched arms well over the head. Secondly, the idea that “swinging your whole sword around with your body“ is a bad thing is just ludicrous. One of the very first pieces of advice in every Liechtenauer gloss is that the sword needs to be swung with the full power of the body. By using the full power of your body your strikes become faster and further reaching, the opponent has to commit much more to their defence, and you control the fight much more effectively. 

2. The low guard is alber (or pflug, if you prefer 3227a). The name ‘tail guard’ is just not used in any ‘German’ sources. The only early source to use the term nebenhut is one of the copies of Ringeck (MS Dresd.C.487), which says explicitly that it is best to execute these techniques from the left side, not the right.

Please - if you're going to lecture about fencing, at least get it right. 

[pteappic]

Crecy Scabbard by Jeff Kim

HEMA Gear Reviews, 1/n?

Last year I picked up an Albion Crecy. Since then, I've been aware of the need to get a scabbard it can live in, for safe transport and so on. A few months ago I commissioned one from Jeff Kim of NYHFA NYC, so this is a quick review of the product and service.

TL;DR: Decent scabbard, great value. I'd happily buy another and probably will for my next sharp. You should as well - it'll be $150 well spent.

Order process: we had a quick and easy conversation through Facebook, I made some simple decisions about colour and fittings and we arranged when I'd collect it. The scabbard was ready for me to pick up at IGX as intended.

Construction: It's a wood-cored scabbard. It looks like it's been made by fitting two pieces of thin wood over the blade of a sword while they're pliable and then holding them in place with fabric while they dry. Then that's been glued over with leather and fitted with a simple leather chape. It's solid and lightweight.

Function: When I received it I'd left my sword in the UK, so it spent a few days just sitting around with nothing in it. As a result it was a very tight fit at first. However, a quick application of ballistol sorted that right out, and it's now a snug but comfortable fit on the blade. This wouldn't be a great quickdraw scabbard. It's a great transport scabbard.

Style: This is where the value shows - it's cleanly executed, but not super pretty. In particular, the seam up the back is just folded and glued - it could likely be sewn but presumably at additional cost. The same applies for the plain leather chape, which can be upgraded for a small charge. In this case, I was looking for pure function and the plain appearance is fine.

[historicalfightingguide]

Steel Legacy

👍 @Regran_ed from @swordfishsabaton

[pteappic]

This is in the Kelvingrove in Glasgow, if I recall correctly.

[armthearmour]

An absolutely stunning Oakeshott type XVa Longsword with remarkable preservation, German, ca. 1475-1525, housed at the Musée de Cluny.

I believe this is the sword Albion’s Cluny is based off of.

[petermorwood]

It’s more than just based off it; the Albion website goes into some detail about how they were able to make side-by-side comparisons with the original while working on their reproduction.

Albion’s Cluny is over four feet (almost 1.25 m) from point to pommel but weighs only 2½ lbs (1.14 kg). I can only imagine how that would handle.

I don’t collect swords any more - fountain pens need less dusting, get more use and are a lot easier to carry in public - but if I was ever invited to choose between a free Cluny or a free Albion Munich - especially one that’s been given custom hilt alterations like these examples by Josh Davis of Davis Reproductions…

…I think my decision-making facility would strip its gears.

[mllemusketeer]

4ft and 2.5 pounds?! And it’s gorgeous. WANT. (Can this be used for practice or is this one of the super expensive/wonderful ones you want to guard with your life?)

[armthearmour]

This is an Albion, so it’s sharp, and at $2,530, it’s not their most expensive reproduction, but certainly not their cheapest.

People (like Skallagrim) do use Albions for test cutting, and the wonderful thing about having such a high quality sword is, while you may want to guard it from all harm, they are robust enough to take real punishment.

So buy an Albion and go chop down a tree with it.

[pteappic]

I’ve cut with Albions up to and including the Brescia Spadona ($2000, amazing blade but the grip is a bit meh). They’re great to use for what they’re intended for — but just like an original sword, they will take damage from abuse.

The Cluny has been in a fight or two. There are deep scars in the blade and a cut in the handle that quite possibly removed one of the wielder’s fingers. I’d cut tatami with one no question, but I’d be hesitant to put it up against a tree — that really isn’t in the design spec for a sword.

[pteappic]

Iron Gate Exhibition

So I flew out to Iron Gate Exhibition last week and taught three classes (along with judging a bunch, competing in the cutting tournament and hanging out with friends). The notes from all three are now available here. Please download, read, share, use, ask questions, etc with them if you want:

Friday class - Sparring Games: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u4gv4zgswxh…/Sparring%20games.pdf… Saturday class - Pressure with Zorn and Krump: https://www.dropbox.com/…/Pressure%20with%20zorn%20and%20kr… Sunday class - Fencing from the Sweeps: https://www.dropbox.com/…/Fencing%20from%20the%20sweeps.pdf…

(Photograph by Harvey Jelis for IGX)

[pteappic]

A fun double-cut from IGX 2018. Done using Tristan Zukowski’s Albion Viceroy, which is basically cheating.

Test-cutting is a vital activity for any historical fencer who studies a system with cutting as an action. Cutting feats like this are not directly representative of fencing, but isolate skills which are important for effective cuts in free fencing.

[armthearmour]

Some thoughts on classification

It’s been well stated, and I think now it is well known, that most terms we use to refer to specific kinds of sword are modern ones, and that for the vast majority of history, people simply referred to a sword as ”sword” perhaps with a descriptor or two to differentiate form other swords.

Some purists may state that this means that all modern terms are therefore invalid, however I think most people would disagree, as I do. More words to allow for clearer and more concise communication is no bad thing. It’s good to be able to say “Longsword,” and have you immediately know I’m referring to something like this,

rather than another sword which may be unusually long, like a rapier or zweihander.

There is, however, one distinction that I don’t quite get, and I don’t view as necessary, and i’ts that of the rapier versus the side sword.

Sure, with some classic side swords you think “how could you ever call that a rapier?”

But there are others which may be just a little too short, and just a little too thick in the blade,

and you think, “well, maybe…” Then you get swords like this, 

The blade is a little thicker than you might expect of a classic rapier, but no so thick that it you could never consider calling it a rapier.

What complicates matters further is that there was no distinction made between the two in the era they were used, despite the fact that clear distinctions between sword types was beginning to emerge. George Silver makes it abundantly clear that the rapier is something distinct from other swords.

Rapiers are said to have first been made in Spain, and the first ones looked like this, very much what I would call a side sword not a rapier.

They were called Espada Ropera, a term that would survive to refer to weapons like this,

which are very, very much not side swords.

The term side sword itself comes from the Italian term, spada da lato. The funny thing is, I have never seen this term used in Italian treatises. From Achille Marozzo,

 to Giacomo DiGrassi, 

to Capo Ferro,

the Italian masters all seem to universally refer to the weapons they teach simply as spada, sword. Perhaps someone more experienced with a wider variety of Italian manuals can tell precisely where the term comes from.

Regardless, the sort of techniques which are typically applied to what is either termed a side sword or a rapier from these Italian treatises realistically can be applied to either, and I have seen it done so and have done so myself. 

Stylistically, there is little difference between the two weapons, and from a technical use standpoint, there is virtually none. Therefore, I pose that the two terms do not refer to different sorts of weapons, but rather may be used interchangeably, for all intents and purposes.

I freely invite anyone with thoughts on the subject to add your piece, and I know there are a few HEMA and historical swords people out there I would like to hear from. @elsegno @victoriansword @peashooter85 @pteappic @cossack-armiger @historicalfightingguide @short-swords @swordlesbianism @longswordsinlondon @sirobvious, I know some of these blogs are more active than others, but I would like to hear the thoughts of all of you (there are some others that come to mind, but they are either not very active, or I’m unsure if they would like to be called attention to like this.

So, let’s have at it!

[pteappic]

There’s a frustratingly blurry line that runs from the ‘arming sword’ through to the ‘smallsword’, via the ‘sidesword’ and the ‘rapier’. The middle ground of each category is relatively clearly defined, but at the edges they blur into each other hopelessly. Paraphrasing Michael Chidester, in the late sixteenth century swords could be narrow or wide bladed, with a simple or complex hilt and a long or short grip – in any combination.

I tend to think that how to use the terms ‘rapier’ and ‘sidesword’ depends on the goal of the discussion. For the purpose of historical fencing, I mostly lean towards using ‘rapier’ for 'rational’ systems - Agrippa descended or Verdadera Destreza. The ideal weapon for practicing these tends to be a bit longer and a bit more protective in the guard. ‘Sidesword’ comes out for the other systems – Meyer and Bolognese most obviously – which still use names for everything. 

However, it’s also worth noting I don’t really care about the physical swords themselves in this case. I’m more interested in the relationships between various fencing manuals. 

[historicalfightingguide]

Cambridge HEMA

At Fightcamp last week, Tea Kew taught a class on understanding nachreissen in early Liechtenauer sources. This piece of the system is very commonly misinterpreted, but when used properly it can help...

‘‘ At Fightcamp last week, Tea Kew taught a class on understanding nachreissen in early Liechtenauer sources. This piece of the system is very commonly misinterpreted, but when used properly it can help with the application of most techniques. If you missed the session, or attended it but want a reminder, you can now download the class notes as a PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cvsfbolj7nz0xbs/Understanding%20Nachreissen.pdf?dl=0 (Image used with permission from Valerie HEMA photographer) ‘‘

[pteappic]

I thought I posted this on Tumblr already, but I guess I forgot. 

[armthearmour]

The Cleveland Museum of Art calls this a “Hand-and-a-Half Sword,” however it looks more like a Saxon styled Rapier to me.

German, ca. 1540-1580.

[pteappic]

Looks like a pretty classic ‘reitschwert’ to me. Usable in one hand, or you can grab onto that extended grip/pommel and use it in two. 

[we-are-knight]

Hmm, interesting. Im pretty interested in the armor and weapons used in the modern-Germany geographic locations, swords specifically

Swords in Germany were incredibly diverse: let’s focus on pre-renaissance swords or else things are going to get out of hand.

Early examples of post-migration swords in Germany are based upon Norman design, in which we get early Arming Swords, a good example being the Albion “Ritter”.

Another example from Maciej of Artofswordmaking, this one being a 13th century example.

The Arming Sword is both THE quintessential ‘knightly’ sword, as well as THE most commonly used sword up until the rise of the rapier. But it’s not the ONLY sword out there, because…

MESSER

There’s no single form of a Messer, just as there is no exactly similar Arming Sword (save for a few examples out there that are mass-issued or otherwise commissioned), but the Messer is a distinctly German weapon. Single edged, it is for all purposes a knife made at sword length. Usually, these are single-handed, though some two-handed versions exist too.Contrary to common belief, they are not made and categorised as knives due to an exposed tang, but due to them usually being made by the cutler’s guilds as opposed to typical sword smiths. Medieval trade wars are serious business.

We then transition from one handed swords to the more famous weapon of German fighting arts: Longsword.

The Longsword becomes most prominent from about 1350 to 1500, but did exist as early as about 1200, though early longswords were basically just ever-so-lightly-longer-bladed arming swords with enough space to be gripped in both hands. Another image and product by Maciej best shows an example of this: note if you will, the very small grip, comparatively?

I believe @pteappic has mentioned that, in fact, modern HEMA longswords are too large for practice in the manner of early German fencing, as Ringeck felt that longswords should easily be held in either one or both hands. Certainly, one will notice that later German longswords (at least from 1450) are occasionally found to be nearly reaching Greatsword length.

After this we get to true greatswords and their transitional period longswords, but that’s outside of medieval context.

For armour, from early to high medieval period, we look above all else at maille. An exemplary image would be that of the Knights Teutonic:

This is a stylised image, but rather a good early Medieval caricature. Maille hauberk, sleeves and mittens, and leggings, over which a tabard or surcoat may be worn. Up until about the late 1400s, this isn’t terribly uncommon, and by the 1400′s you move onto the style of Gothic plate:

Transitional between these two is a lot of plate-and-mail gear, along with brigandine gear. The shift from maille to plate has a lot of halfway points.

[pteappic]

There’s a reasonably consistent difference we see between swords that are worn and swords that are transported. 

In the context of earlier sources like ps-Danzig or Ringeck, the sword used probably a weapon that was worn, which tends to mean something reasonably convenient to have on the body. Surviving artefacts often have hilts of 20cm or less and blades that top out at 90cm or so - a very convenient size to wear on your belt all day. In the roßfechten glosses we see the same sword being used in all three ways: one-handed, two-handed (’long’) and half-sworded (’short’). 

Full size HEMA feders, by contrast, tend to be sized for transport, which makes perfect sense for something that’s only used in class or tournaments. But it does make a sword that’s too large for reasonable one-handed use and hopelessly awkward to wear around. I’ve joked before that we’d see an immediate shift towards shorter feders if competitors were required to complete an obstacle course wearing their feder before fencing.

As an aside on armour development, the addition of some plate components to primarily mail armour is pretty standard by the 1200s. The coat of plates shows up around the late 1200s/early 1300s. That process carries on through the ‘transitional’ armours of the late 1300s, which are basically a full mail shirt plus a load of plate - these are contemporary for Fiore, just about. The Churburg armoury has a lot of surviving examples of these. With the rise of the backplate, we start to see a reduction in mail in the 1400s (to save weight).

This is about where my knowledge of specifically ‘German’ armour styles begins. The full Gothic plate shown is very late - 1480s or so. Before then we have a series of fairly identifiable regional styles, starting with the square kastenbrust of around 1420. This is what Jess Finley wears for armoured combat. From 1440 or so they become rounded and start to acquire fluting, as in this 1440s example from the Kelvingrove in Glasgow shows.

This style is very commonly shown in early Liechtenauer glosses and related material - Talhoffer and Peter von Danzig both have it. Then the breastplate slims down and we get to early Gothic forms ca 1460, and finally we move to the super-fluted late/high Gothic shown already by around 1480.

The fully developed brigandine is mostly contemporary with these later Gothic armours, but is a bit more of a western style - there’s lots of accounts of them in Burgundy and so on. 

[elsegno]

Using a rondel dagger to slice through about a half a mat of tatami. This was with a fairly exaggerated cut, but a descending slash was averaging 1/3 to ½. The dagger is a Tod Cutler made to historical specs. Don’t let people tell you rondel daggers can’t cut.

[lame-games]

Someone should try this with a triangle-edged rondel. Everyone knows rondels can cut, Meyer wouldn’t have made it a key part of his dagger otherwise.

[elsegno]

I was told the rationale for disallowing cuts in an east coast (US) dagger tourney was because rondels can’t cut, so not everyone knows this, haha. I don’t think I’ve seen a video of rondel dagger cut tests anywhere (though Boston Armizare should have one up on their channel soon from last night). I think a triangular spike type rondel should still be good for 3 layers of mat. We did one cut (unfilmed) with the dull false edge on the back of my rondel and it made it 2 layers in.

[pteappic]

Try wrapping a piece of linen around your mat and see how your results are then. 

Sure, a rondel has an edge. One of the big reasons to have an edge is to thrust - otherwise it’s very hard to drive it though several layers of fabric (it has to push the fibres aside like an awl and rondels tend to be pretty thick blades). But for hewing they really aren’t very good, especially the quick happy cuts that people tend to throw with them in ‘dagger sparring’.

You might find this bowie cutting an interesting comparison for what a very cutty knife can do: https://youtu.be/Pj-0BqdE2js?t=6m10s