# Communities > Scottish Fighting Traditions > Modern Scottish Martial Art Practice >  Cold Steel Waster

## Javan M.

One of the things that was a bit of a challenge for me in starting up Broadsword Academy Manitoba was finding a waster that was decent, cheap and would last. Although some of us preordered the Rawlings Synthetic baskethilt waster, they still won't be in for a while. After a while I decided on getting the single hand cold steel waster.

The problem with them is that they come with edges and a point (quite ridiculous when you think about it). They are also very blade heavy. I ended up using a belt sander to round off the edges, and cut about an inch off of the point.  Two of my students helped me make boiled leather baskets for all of them which although they're ugly, do the job and weren't hard to put on.

The combination of sanding some weight off the blade and adding basket brought back the point of balance a lot. In the end turned out pretty decent.

Here's a video of my student and I bouting with them. After using singlesticks almost exclusively for the past few months it's a bit of a change in pace, but I've found that they surprisingly hurt less than the singlesticks, I guess because of speed. You'll see me target the legs a fair bit to test my student's slips, and he does a nice job catching a couple of them. They grow up so fast....  :Wink: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYTAGbd0Is

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## Keith P. Myers

Hey Javan!

That was a good idea!  I have a pair of the Rawling's single-hand swords with the regular cruciform hilt.  I have considered making leather basket hilts for them when I get home, if it looks like it will be awhile to get the ready-made version.  Have you worked with Christian Darce's Broadsword waster?  How does your Cold Steel version compare?  Do you have a close up pic of it you can post?  Thanks!

Keith

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## Javan M.

I don't have one of Christian's wasters and haven't tried them yet so I can't really compare, but my guess would be that those are better. The cold steel ones are a little bulky. They were really just a way for me to get a bunch of loaner wasters for my school without breaking the bank. They ended up turning out ok, and could be better with a little extra weight added to the pommel, but you basically get what you pay for with these, and it takes a fair bit of work just to get them usable. 

I'll try to take a pic of them soon. 

The one thing I really like about them is how tough they are. They'll last us a long time.

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## Heiko G.

So you used the CS Single-handed Sword and fit it with a self-made Leather-Basket? Not a bad idea, looks good.

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## Javan M.

One of the things I've started to notice is that the boiled leather has become softer due to the recent rain and humidity in my area. I'm going to try either using varnish or wax to give it a better hardening. Hopefully soon we'll be sent the rawlings ones we've pre ordered... but until then I've got to fix this problem because we've been having a problem of getting hands hurt during bouting.

I guess this is mostly because we are training outdoors.

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## Ben Kerr

Hey,
  The Academy of Historical Arts had the same problem for a while. We then got in touch with a carpenter who specialises in wasters and designed a wooden blade specifically to take the leather baskets we make. We have found this has drastically helped in our practising, although we have had the same problem with leather getting slightly softer over time (Scotland is very wet so that may be the problem) I seem to remember somewhere hearing that varnishing can stop it or coating it with acrylic like what artists use on canvas can help. I will be experimenting with ours before taking them to camp and will let you know what I find out. I did try it with one of the Rawlings synthetics instead of wood but I have been quite disappointed with them as a whole (granted I am using an earlier edition and I have been told the later editions are better) but I just prefer the wood all round, perhaps I am just a traditionalist. 

BTW has anyone found a good small sword waster or practise weapon that accommodates larger hands?

~B

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## Javan M.

I'm actually just starting to look for one myself. I've seen that a lot of people use double wide epee blades AKA "Musketeer" blades.

I know that these court swords can be ordered with this type of blade and provide ample space for large hands:

http://www.zenwarriorarmory.com/catalog.php?category=70

But I don't know what shipping would be like to you.

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## Keith P. Myers

> BTW has anyone found a good small sword waster or practise weapon that accommodates larger hands?
> 
> ~B


I haven't tried it myself, but this may be what you are looking for:

http://www.martinez-destreza.com/shop/weapons.php

Keith

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