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Post by kristoferjaemz on Jul 16, 2012 7:10:06 GMT
I have been teaching my daughter, now 11, to use a sword. We use polypropylene gladius as well as a couple of "bastard" type wooden trainers (going to get polypropylene bastard trainers soon, I don't like using the wood with my sweet little fighter). We do some light sparring, but I have had a heck of a time finding any type of armor, even just some vambraces and gloves, that will fit her. She currently wears a bike helmet, hockey gloves from my youth, and a padded martial arts body/shoulder piece that I got from a guy at work, which she swims in. She hates it because it restricts her movement, but I force her to wear it if she wants to anything other than a walk-through.
Does anyone make children's armor? I looked into football gear and lacrosse gear, but that seems to be pretty pricy, and she wanted something a bit more historic. I don't mean accurate for any specific period, but we both like prefer padded leather to padded plastic. Everything I seem to find seems like it's either hundreds of dollars or only fit for trick-or-treating.
My daughter is a bit like Arya from GoT, she's small and wiry, but strong, quick and certainly fierce for her age. I have avoided using armor myself because I feel that it's unfair to spar with her all decked out while she wears scrounged garb from garages and basements, but the bruises on my arms and legs tell me I need to find a solution for this soon. Soccer doesn't start again for a couple of months, and I can't take much more of this!
I won't make any promises because I am about as computer savvy as wooden stool, but hopefully we can post some short videos of our training on here in the near future (with her help, of course.)
Thanks a lot, forumites. Cheers.
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Post by Neil G. on Jul 16, 2012 13:42:04 GMT
www.motorcycle-superstore.com/4/ ... Protection Try looking for youth sized motocross gear, bmx gear, street hockey, lacrosse etc. I think if you do a bit of shopping around you should be able to find something that will offer decent coverage and protection. That being said, until your daughter reaches about 16-17 I would probably hold off on doing any serious training. I mean it's one thing to be dry handling and doing very basic drills, but I'd probably seriously reconsider sparring and contact drills. Most schools will have a minimum age (I think ours is 15+ for German longsword, although we have a youth program for olympic fencing). But you're the parent, you know your child better than anybody else and are a better judge of what she's ready for than anybody else... So I'm not gonna belabour that point.
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Post by kristoferjaemz on Jul 16, 2012 22:41:11 GMT
Thanks a lot. Those prices look much more reasonable than the ones I was finding in the lacrosse/hockey department. I know what you are saying about full contact sparring, and I would be very apprehensive about letting her do it with anyone other than me. I know I will control my force with her, and I wouldn't trust anyone else to do the same. If she remains interested in HEMA type activities into her teenage years, I will look into serious competition for her. Until then, it's just a good way for us to enjoy each other. Have some karma for the link. Thanks again.
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Post by johnwalter on Jul 16, 2012 22:52:05 GMT
Not sure if its what you are looking for but LancelotChan(RSW realistic sparring weapons) May be able to help you out.They wear some pretty interesting gear for thier tourneys,looks custom made.Hes a vendor/slash member here.He posts alot in the cutting and mfgs section.
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Taran
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Post by Taran on Jul 17, 2012 4:03:38 GMT
A padded jerkin isn't hard to make and then some hard protection for the vitals (joints, head, neck, kidneys, and the center of the torso), should really be all you need for light sparring with wood or plastic trainers. In the SCA, we require padded "boffers" for full power youth sparring.
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Post by kristoferjaemz on Jul 19, 2012 1:25:46 GMT
I don't "make" anything with leather. I have many skill sets, but leatherworking is not going to be added to those. My first attempt was frustrating enough to be my last, and I have that much more respect for those craftsmen/women as a result. Anything I wear will be purchased, and I'm not too proud to admit it! Where does might one acquire these "padded boffers?" I don't recall the name. KoA or Dark Knight Armory have anything like that?
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Taran
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Post by Taran on Jul 20, 2012 11:38:00 GMT
You don't need any leather, really. Some denim in a quilt stitch will do quite nicely.
Padded boffers are easy to make. Some close-cell foam wrapped around a rattan stick and duct-taped in place. The foam is easy to come by and cheap: foam sleeping mats. Or you can use strips of leather just wrapped over the stick vertically, again, held in place by duct tape.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Jul 20, 2012 15:49:22 GMT
Amusingly enough, NERF (same company as makes the little foam dart guns) make some padded swords that you can find in most big-box stores' toy section... they even have shields and maces now... could check those out. They aren't terribly realistic-- kind of a cheap sci-fi aesthetic and very light-- but they might do for playing around.
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Post by kristoferjaemz on Jul 23, 2012 0:37:15 GMT
Thanks Taran, we will give that a try. EA, my cousin bought the kids some foam-type weapons, maces and axes and swords, and before the day was over they were destroyed. I just looked at some of the ones that nerf has though, and they seem to be much more substantial than the ones my cousin brought over. I will certainly give them a try. The younger four will be more than happy with them, but I am afraid the oldest will still want some more... well, realism, as is her wont. If only she was a twin  |
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demonskull
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Post by demonskull on Jul 23, 2012 1:59:33 GMT
You can also make some quilted armor out of moving blankets. Use a pattern for a jerkin, add sleeves and a high collar, use some kids hockey gloves and a helmet and you will have a serviceable set.
Moving blankets can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes for about $15.
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Taran
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Post by Taran on Jul 23, 2012 9:43:00 GMT
A popular thing in the SCA is barrel plastic or carpet remnant for armour. Pretty inexpensive and easy to make. Though it looks pretty bad. Of course, if you toss a surcoat on over it, no one will know or care.
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Paul
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Post by Paul on Sept 14, 2012 10:17:21 GMT
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Post by cmwilliams94 on Sept 14, 2012 11:40:01 GMT
I'm not sure if it would be particularly into your tastes or hers, and it's probably going to cost a bit more than you want to, but I had a thought of chain mail. I only have a basic knowledge of how it's made, but sizes should be able to grow as she does. I had a friend who made it in his spare time when I was a little younger. It seems like it is fairly easy to make, but materials are expensive and so is hiring someone to make it for you.
And this one is a bit out of the ordinary but sounds interesting. One day my mom was crocheting. She noticed some of my paracord that I make into cobra stitch bracelets and daisy chains. She started using it to crochet with. Turns out crocheting is just a form of daisy chain. Point is, what if a sweater or anything really was crocheted using paracord? I'd imagine it'd be pretty tough.
These may seem a bit to the extreme but they would make cool projects for those with extra time and money on their hands.
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