|
|
Post by Federico on Apr 7, 2011 18:37:10 GMT
Hey guys,
We've been using the Purpleheart wooden wasters for some time at my fencing school where I practice longsword, and although we're really happy with the durability of the product, we're having some problems with some other issues. Basically, we find that the Purpleheart wooden longswords have terrible balance, kind of like a baseball bat. The P.O.B. is at more or less 9-10 inches from the guard, and it's difficult to stop the sword midswing. It slows down our fencing and makes some techniques difficult. Also, there's some safety concerns, since the waster can pretty much cause the same damage as a baseball bat! We are now shopping around for replacements.
My question is, are there any worthy alternatives that combine the Purpleheart durability with more historically plausible handling?
|
|
|
|
Post by Elheru Aran on Apr 7, 2011 19:01:16 GMT
Depends on what you want. If you want a fairly durable hardwood, it shouldn't be too difficult to make one out of maple or oak for yourself. In fact, I think I'll see about pasting a tutorial for wasters today or tomorrow...
As far as handling goes, not sure what exactly you can do other than putting some metal into the pommel. Drill a hole up through the grip and slip in a large crown bolt?
|
|
Talon
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,554
|
Post by Talon on Apr 7, 2011 19:13:07 GMT
yup,you should be able to correct the balance issue by drilling into the pommel,and pouring lead into it (well hopefully anyway,ive not had any hands on experience with purple heart wasters,so im not certain if you could drill enough wood through the pommel to give it the correct balance) definately worth a try though  i do keep meaning to buy one of the purple heart longswords  |
|
Razor
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,883 
|
Post by Razor on Apr 8, 2011 1:44:09 GMT
New Stirling Arms is what you are looking for. Jim is an engineer who started making wasters, he desinged them to function like a real sword, and he did an awesome job doing it. His swords are lively an well balanced and they do not feel like a piece of dead wood like other wasters do. They even have a COP. His swords are a piece of art you almost don't want to use them.....almost www.newstirlingarms.com/shop/cat ... px?catid=3 I have three of his swords longsword, sidesword, and cutlass and I also have two daggers. My longsword POB 5 COP 23 from the guard. I have had my longsword and sidesword since Dec 2007 and they are sill going strong. I have handled some of Purpleheart Armoury wasters and they didn't handle well at all like holding a stick. One guy even made a metal pommel for his and it still felt like a piece of dead wood. Here is a thread of them in use. sbgswordforum.proboards.com/inde ... read=16707 |
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on Apr 8, 2011 1:55:20 GMT
Actually, if you are looking for a product that mimics steel, I'd suggest a waster that our very own BrotherB makes: www.bronzebyjeffreyjrobinson.com/longsword.htmlHe makes this:  The run down is they weigh about 3lbs, handle like a longsword, vibrate like a longsword, and I'd imagine that they last quite a long time. All for around $110 |
|
|
|
Post by keltic on Apr 8, 2011 4:17:22 GMT
new stirling arms swords are amazing well balanced and as strong as u will ever need a waster to be  been sparring /fighting with them for about 5 years now long swords /hand in halfs never had any problems with any of the 5 swords i have if u are looking for a a work of art that is hands down the best woodin wasters in the shire look up JIM AT NEW STIRLING ARMS SIR TEAGE SCOTT SEATON |
|
Razor
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,883
|
Post by Razor on Apr 8, 2011 4:19:11 GMT
My NSA waster is 3.2lbs. and it also vibrate like a sword when I strike the pommel. that how I got the COP. What is the POB and COP on your synthetic waster? How does it mimic steel? does the blade flex like a steel trainer? Actually this waster mimics steel better than any other waster. get the proline blade, the forte is stiff and the foible flexes like a steel sword would. I have trained with the longsword with the standard blade. www.woodenswords.com/WMA/Synthet ... htshop.htm Here is the thread for them. forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=98895 |
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on Apr 8, 2011 6:56:08 GMT
Slow your roll there holmes, I was just relaying the information I saw on Brother B's site. I had remembered seeing these a few years back and they came to mind as an alternative to a classic wooden waster.
But I read a little further down on the link that I posted and the PoB is 5". Didn't mention the CoP.
However, he said he had a few left, and who knows how long ago that was. So I'm not sure that he even has the capacity to fill an order of more then 2-3.
Carry on.
|
|
Razor
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,883
|
Post by Razor on Apr 8, 2011 8:01:38 GMT
I never handled one of BB wasters. When you suggested them I thought you had one and I was curious to how they handle and how they mimic steel. A lot of waster feel dead in your hands.What you wrote about BB's wasters sounds like they might feel lively in your hands.
To bad you were just relaying the information and not telling us about the wasters from your own personal experience with them.
|
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on Apr 8, 2011 14:23:18 GMT
Ah, I'm sorry if my wording was misleading.
I really WISH I had someone to train with, then perhaps I'd move on from just a backyard cutter.
|
|
|
|
Post by Elheru Aran on Apr 8, 2011 17:40:12 GMT
And here's that tutorial I said I'd do! viewtopic.php?f=18&t=3801Hope that helps if you decide to go the DIY route... I may see about doing a two-hander next. |
|
|
|
Post by Federico on Apr 8, 2011 19:20:11 GMT
Well, I wasn't expecting this much feedback. Thanks guys!
We're not really looking for synthetic options though. The problem with those is that we'd have to force everyone to switch, since I doubt we can spar with wood vs. synthetic.
|
|
|
|
Post by HouShe on Apr 9, 2011 0:28:33 GMT
Well, first of all, I will state that I haven't ever trained in WMA.
However, what I have trained in is CMA, with mujian. In fact, when I first read this post last night, I was knocking in my brand new mujian from Tony Mosen.
This makes two I own, of a rather decent sized sample that I've handled.
My other mujian is hickory. My older one (the hickory) handles almost exactly like my high end custom jian.
The new one handles like a few other jian I've played with and is excellently balanced.
So, with a good carpenter/woodworker, I'd recommend either Oak, hickory or jarrah as alternative woods. Hickory however is by far the more robust wood. Especially if it is made of heartwood. Heartwood is nearly impossible to dent in normal swordplay unless the other person is wearing metal armour.
|
|
|
|
Post by MEversbergII on Apr 11, 2011 10:54:50 GMT
Some months (years?) back I recall someone at Sword Forum International announcing synthetics (first longswords, then many other forms like saber and messer) but I don't recall what happened to them. Apparently they were trying to get Windlass to market them, but again I didn't keep up and don't even remember what was going on there anymore.
M.
|
|
Razor
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,883
|
Post by Razor on Apr 11, 2011 18:27:34 GMT
Yeah finding someone to train with can be really hard. But you can always do solo training untill you find someone or a group. We are all backyard cutters, just some people are serious about swordsmanship and want to cut properly according to their art while others don't care they just want to have fun cutting.
|
|
Razor
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,883
|
Post by Razor on Apr 11, 2011 18:30:38 GMT
I agree wood should vs. wood, synthetic vs. synthetic, and steel vs. steel.
If you stick with wood, people in your group can slowly get better wasters.
|
|
|
|
Post by MOK on Apr 12, 2011 9:28:06 GMT
Yeah, always use matching wasters, otherwise you're just asking for something to break. Of course, unless all you do is mass battles, you don't actually need to have everybody switch over right away - a group can use several types of wasters at a time, no problem, just make sure to use kind against kind. Wasters aren't all that expensive, as a general thing, so unless you have a number of interested people to start with, the best way to start switching to a new type, IMO, is for someone to buy/make a pair rather than a single solitary one. You're not wasting any money, either, because this way you actually get to use them, other people also get to actually try them out and see what they're like, and if they catch on you can always sell the other one on, or keep it as a spare (if you're training regularly, you will need a spare sooner or later). And even if they don't catch on, you can still use your's because you have two! Win-win!  |
|
i do keep meaning to buy one of the purple heart longswords 
been sparring /fighting with them for about 5 years now long swords /hand in halfs
