Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2010 19:17:30 GMT
Okay, so I getting my first (blunt, as per request from my roomate/ladyfriend, who doesnt want me chopping in the house) longsword, and have more or less narrowed it down to one of three choices: Currently the last of the three, as its more expensive and shorter, the VA AT302Bthe well known and respected Tinker Pearce, most likely choice, as its good, cheep(ish) and i can just buy a blade later for a sharp. and lastly Hanwei Practical Bastard Sword. I don't know how available this one is really, but its nice and long, and I think nicest looking of the three (also cheapest) I have about a year of on and off training in longsword, thus far mostly with wasters, and am about 6" (so a little length is a good thing). So I suppose the question is this: those of you who have handled these swords, or at least their sharp counterparts, which of the three would you recommend to a beginner practitioner of the fencing arts? P.S. I did german longsword up in northern VA, but now live in new Orleans, and have yet to connect with the group down here (as I am carless, and cannot really get to practices) so if any of y'all are in the area, it'd be cool to meet. EDIT: I have read all the reviews for the sharp brothers to these blunts, and the tinker looks the best imho, but I would still like some input from other people who have held the actual swords, as I have held none of em.
|
|
|
Post by YlliwCir on Feb 10, 2010 19:41:57 GMT
Trey, I have the Sharp versions of the VA and H/T. Since you're not looking to do any cutting right away, I'd go with the H/T. I think it's more suited to LS training than the VA (tho it'd do well also) and has the advantage of having a sharp blade available for when you do want it, as you've already stated. I also have the sharp version of the Hanwei Bastard sword and I like it a lot, but I think it's a bit too long and heavy for LS techniques as described in "Fighting with the German Longsword" and "The Swordsman's Companion".
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2010 19:44:51 GMT
have you given any thoughts towards the V-A AT-305b I-Beam?.......
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2010 20:16:33 GMT
Thanks for the response Ric. Billiam, having looked at the I-Beam just now, I can't help but think the thing looks like a thick monster. Although I will prolly have to round out edges on any of these swords, it looks like that one would be a lot more work. Does it perform well compared to the tinker? (my current #1) Also a note, though its not as important, i would prefer something with a scabbard, as its just cooler that way imo. Also this brings up another question: What is a good method to use when rounding out the edges on a blunt sword? I assume just a fine-gritted paper, but if there is some special knowledge out there, I'm sure you guys have it.
|
|
|
Post by ShooterMike on Feb 10, 2010 21:38:28 GMT
treynus, just an FYI:
The Valiant Armoury I-Beam trainer is a dedicated blunt training sword, though not a sparring sword for using with intent. The edges are wide and blunt and the tip is rounded off already, almost squared off in fact. It is light and fast, handling as close as possible to a high-end sharp longsword, but with edges that are 3-5mm wide.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2010 22:34:34 GMT
Thanks Mike,
okay, so now having looked at both the I-Beam and the Tinker, I'm not sure which i prefer. The tinker has the added benefit of changing blades to a sharper one later with ease, and even though the I-Beam seems more durable, if (god forbid) i did kill the blade in training, i could always buy another for the tinker. (I haven't seen anywhere to buy replacement blades for the I-Beam, but I may very well have simply missed em)
Both seem like it would be more than easy to throw custom furniture on later, and both seem to be very well portioned and balanced.
So now to revise my original question:
To those of you who have had the pleasure of working / playing with both of these fine blunts, which did you prefer, and why?
Also, hopefully the cost shouldn't be too huge an issue by the time I feel the need to buy a sharp, is the tinker sharp as good as I've heard, or is there another in the same range that basically outperforms it in every way?
Thanks in advanced for all your continued help, I want to make sure to get something that will last a while, and you guys all have such helpful wells of knowledge on the subject.
EDIT: fixed my crappy coding...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2010 23:11:43 GMT
What does the sharpness of the blade have to do with owning the blade? No one in their right mind would swing a sword in the house, sharp or dull. Get it sharp and keep it sharp. The best safety feature is the organ between your ears. Just joking, as for my sword I still like my first love, the Gen 2 Irish hand and a half.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2010 23:21:27 GMT
What does the sharpness of the blade have to do with owning the blade? No one in their right mind would swing a sword in the house, sharp or dull. Get it sharp and keep it sharp. The best safety feature is the organ between your ears. As for my sword I still like my first love, The Gen 2 Irish hand and a half. Sorry for any misunderstanding, in addition to my girlfriend being uncomfortable with even more sharp things around the house (as this is not my first sword,) the sword is also meant to be used in light to moderate sparring. Where it just got solo practice, I would definitely get myself a sharp. Although I'm sure SOMEONE in the world can spar well enough with a live blade to not kill themselves/their opponent, that person isn't me. And perhaps I'm NOT in my right mind, as I am commonly found swinging away with my wasters in the house, though not the ones big enough for longsword (nice New Orleans apartment, 13 ft ceilings!) ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2010 23:34:02 GMT
You do have thourough safety equipment for this sparring, right? Not generally a good idea to spar with steel swords without armor.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2010 0:50:32 GMT
Yeah, we got gloves, fencing masks, and all the SCA rapier stuff (hood, chest protector, underarm guard, blah blah blah)
Also have some nice wool army watch sweaters that take away some of the sting. All and all, I can't imagine it being to manageable in the new Orleans summers though...
Thanks for the concern though, always good to have a community that wants to try to make sure I'm not going to kill myself!
Overall I think I'm going to go with the Tinker, though I will have to wait a week or too for appropriate funding, so there is still plenty of time for me to be dissuaded.
|
|
|
Post by ShooterMike on Feb 11, 2010 1:23:27 GMT
treynus, it's not an over-concern for your safety (well... maybe that too), just trying to make sure you understand that both the Tinker blunt and the VA I-Beam are not designed to be full force sparring swords.
For controlled drills with a partner they are great, as long as you have the protection. Where they become dangerous is in hard strikes and especially in forceful thrusting. I can't sleak from first hand with the Tinker blunt, but with the I-Beam I think it would be predictable to possibly get 1-3 inches of penetration into the body with an I-Beam given a forceful thrust to even cloth sparring armor.
Just making sure you realize these are not sparring blunts. But that they are drilling blunts, so to speak, that give good steel-on-steel feedback for strikes and winding etc.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2010 4:31:08 GMT
Hmm... Perhaps the eagerness with which I posted has misrepresented my experience. I'm not new to German longsword fencing, and though I'm hardly a master, I have been over the past year learning and sparring with a group out of Manassas in northern VA. For all the full contact sparing we used padded custom sword-like foam things that the instructor made, until he eventually upgraded to a shinai modification. The wooden swords where used to practice binds and other drills when we where newer to the art, and only at slower speeds. Later some of us (myself included) had the opportunity to use some Hanwei hand and a halfs, but only for slow motion work, and really light, slow sparring. Perhaps I was a little misleading when I said I would do "light to moderate sparring" with it, hope this clears things up. Back to the original question (sort or) though: Is the I-Beam drastically better than the Tinker, enough so to balance out the fact that the tinker has the option of buying the sharp blade (an option i would utilize) in the future, and not only looks better, but has a scabbard? (Yes, I know a blunt doesn't need a scabbard, but they are cool, and you know it.) EDIT: always with the spelling and grammar issues... always catch them after I post them.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2010 8:00:05 GMT
I only asked because there was a guy here a while ago asking if it was "safe to practice with a sharp sword" and we all said yes, then he clarified that by "practice" he meant sparring by completely inexperienced people, and we had to explain why this was a bad idea.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2010 11:52:17 GMT
I teach Italian Longsword and would currently recommend the H/T Longsword blunt for drilling and bamboo shinais with Euro hilts for sparring. Steel, hardwood, and poly wasters will still cause a great deal of physical injury without complete armor; we stick with the shinais for any sparring activity because they really only need the 3W mask, gloves, and a gambeson to protect you well.
Good luck in your search!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2010 12:05:29 GMT
I teach Italian Longsword and would currently recommend the H/T Longsword blunt for drilling and bamboo shinais with Euro hilts for sparring. Steel, hardwood, and poly wasters will still cause a great deal of physical injury without complete armor; we stick with the shinais for any sparring activity because they really only need the 3W mask, gloves, and a gambeson to protect you well. Good luck in your search! Boy, wish you lived a little farther south. I'm in Fort Myers Fl., and there is nothing here that I have found. We do have a fencing club. However, I don't think anyone there does longsword. It's been a while since I last contacted them. Maybe I'll try the fencing.
|
|
|
Post by brotherbanzai on Feb 12, 2010 14:21:57 GMT
Hey marcus, if you care to drive an hour or two north and would be open to German rather than Italian, we have a small longsword group in Sarasota that gets together every week.
|
|