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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2008 9:01:40 GMT
I'll comment on it if you want dj?
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Post by swordboy bringer of chaos on Jun 24, 2008 1:15:10 GMT
just so no one thinks I bailed on this little project I was hoping to hear from paul about the final edit before reposting the rules of safe cutting
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Post by Jeff K. ( Jak) on Jun 27, 2008 0:32:22 GMT
here's another one: don't leave your sword lying around out of the scabbard. I had just set one of my sharpened swords against the couch for a couple seconds and my girlfriend came in the room carrying 2 plates of food, tried to step over it and ended up kicking the edge with the top of her big toe. Right to the bone! Peeled it from one knuckle to the next. Lots of blood, lots of stitches. I've had some "gooders" in my time, including losing part of my index and middle fingers....(electric wood planer....don't ask ), but her toe made me a little queasy. So use your head when your handling swords. Better to spend your day with your friends than meeting new ones in the emergency room.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2008 20:22:30 GMT
Jak, I am sorry to hear about your girlfriend's run in with your sword. I am sure you caused quite a stir in the ER. I hope she is healing up fine, and still talking to you. DJM
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2008 20:35:53 GMT
Here is the short list of safety rules that many here have contributed to. Special thanks should go to ShooterMike, Ianflaer, Bloodwraith and Swordboy for being so patient, and reading, commenting on, and adding to many different versions of this list 1. NEVER SWING OR POINT A SWORD AT SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY OR SEVER.Swords are weapons and should always be treated as sharp and dangerous. Their purpose is to sever targets. Make sure anything you swing at or around should and can be severed. 2. ALWAYS HAVE A SAFE CUTTING AREA.Make sure the area is clear of objects you might trip over. Make sure the cutting stand(s) will not damage your sword and are stable. Make sure there are no others (especially children and pets) near the arc of the cut, or where the sword may land if it slips from your grasp. 3. ALL SWORDS ARE ALWAYS SHARP.Though some swords have dull edges, even a dull or unsharpened sword can cut severely. Treat every sword as if it has a keen edge and is capable of dealing a deep cut. 4. KNOW YOUR SWORD AND HOW IT MOVES. Before you cut, train and practice with your weapon so that you know where it will go, and when and how to stop it. Knowledge is power, forewarned is forearmed, proper preparation prevents pain. 5. BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.Know proper First Aid procedures to treat serious cuts. Have a First Aid kit, phone and emergency contact available and easily accessible. You can go into shock very quickly even with smaller cuts, practice so that you will know how to respond faster than shock can set in. Please feel free to comment, we will be happy to add and edit.
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Con
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Post by Con on Jul 21, 2008 14:19:14 GMT
Wow, if I didn't know better i would think I was back taking my hunter safety course. These are basically the same principles. Karma to You!
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Post by salvatore on Jul 21, 2008 14:31:38 GMT
I personally have to say, MIND YOUR FOOTWORK.
I've seen way too many diagonal slices almost ending up in disaster, low cuts with incorrect posture are dangerous. And I have to say, THINK before you cut. If you honestly believe that you can't cut through something, don't do it. If you really want to test your skill and still can't believe you can cut through your target, be confident and breathe, cut calmly. If you are nervous and jittery during a cutting session, you'll most likely screw up.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2008 1:52:02 GMT
All very sound advice, and a couple of things that hadn't occurred to me before.
There is one thing I'd take issue with though, and that's the use of a lanyard. If the sword was tied to the person swinging it (presumably by the wrist) and the person lost their grip, I'd really worry about the way it would flail around whilst held captive by the lanyard. I could see the sword whipping back round and causing a nasty injury.
I think I'd feel a lot safer if the sword flew away from me in a safe direction, ie, prepare for this eventuality and make sure that there is plenty of room around you and adequate backstops etc.
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Post by salvatore on Jul 22, 2008 3:27:58 GMT
All very sound advice, and a couple of things that hadn't occurred to me before. There is one thing I'd take issue with though, and that's the use of a lanyard. If the sword was tied to the person swinging it (presumably by the wrist) and the person lost their grip, I'd really worry about the way it would flail around whilst held captive by the lanyard. I could see the sword whipping back round and causing a nasty injury. I think I'd feel a lot safer if the sword flew away from me in a safe direction, ie, prepare for this eventuality and make sure that there is plenty of room around you and adequate backstops etc. I felt that way too, what if it flys with so much force it breaks something, or twists your wrist or etc.
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Jul 23, 2008 4:24:38 GMT
I'm not sure where the lanyard idea came from but I know there are a some SCA people here other than myself, and I know that lanyards are in common use in the SCA as safety device to protect people from a flying sword that a fighter lost the grip of. we take it as pretty much given that one handed weapons need a lanyard. HOWEVER, we use sticks of rattan instead of swords. I certainly think a sharp sword swinging on a lanyard from an unarmored wrist is VERY dangerous to the wielder and should NOT be used. the exception to this is if your lanyard is designed to hold your sword in your hand, but most of the time this is not the case.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2008 12:35:12 GMT
I am pretty sure that the lanyard was suggested as a safety measure when using weapons with no guard. You loop the lanyard around the thumb to prevent the hand from slipping up onto the blade when thrusting. I think this was originally suggested in the thread started after Salvatore's injury.
Of course, concern for any bystanders is good too. But I am quickly coming to the conclusion that the use of live blades around spectators is only for the VERY experienced person. It seems to me that asking people to gather around and watch a cutting demo is a little like asking them to stand around the targets at a shooting range.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2008 15:18:05 GMT
Yes, the lanyard certainly makes sense in that context.
Also, maybe the use of a lanyard should be encouraged when there are spectators present.
I was thinking from the point of the person using the sword, but maybe if there are spectators in the vicinity, the wielder should be prepared to 'take one for the team' so to speak, so that it injures him/ her rather than a bystander...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2008 17:57:23 GMT
Good Job swordboy Never to much emphasis on safety. You can go to most army surplus places and get trauma kits at a good price, get two put one in your car. Also, for cutting bottles, get some of that blue builders foam or the stuff they put under docks to make them float. Cut it so it's 6x6" and about a foot long. Pop that on your cutting stand,and put your bottles on that. Never swing for the bleaches, better to not make the cut, then to have that sword and your self out of control. Know where the sword is going to be after the cut. If you use your shirt to clean your blade be careful, never use your pants leg.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2008 18:37:11 GMT
always use proper signage to alert others of the dangers at hand......
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2008 2:38:56 GMT
I made a mention in my Welcome Wagon post that I had years of experience hacking at my own body parts (which I hope was received in the humor implied and not found offensive or reckless); but cutting trails with a new blade, I did lay my leg open once next to knee and shin in a way I would have thought not possible. Another time, one of my fellows at our gatherings was standing posed with his sword unsheathed, and his wife bolted up to say something in his ear - cutting herself on the exposed blade.
Oh - and my first sword (an overpriced Excalibur) snapped off at the welded tang while working out on nothing but air, sending the blade sailing to the other end of the backyard (shudder).
I look upon weapons as if they have a life and spirit of their own - and must be managed at all times to avoid the unthinkable; whether it be a sword or a kitchen knife.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2008 7:35:59 GMT
From my traditional background and observations from iai...drawing and sheathing are where most injuries do occur and they can be nasty. If you can, clove oil / choji is definitely a good idea for oiling your sword...not only does it protect the blade, but it is also an antiseptic for the small cuts/nicks that invariably happen. I'll give a +1 on practising the technique...it's like 2-person live blade kata: you don't start there for a good reason...practise first, then work up to it (goes for cutting too )
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Post by sparky on Nov 16, 2008 18:49:49 GMT
I appreciate all of these stories, and I am reading them with my kids. After all aren't swords fun? So the stories about accidents have made them think.
Thanks again, Sparky
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2009 17:44:58 GMT
EXCELENT Thread guys, thank you. I'm a former SCA member (remembering some horror stories even with that gear), and an NRA Firearms instructor, so I really appreciate this thread. I just ordered Windlass' Oakeshott Type XIV Medieval Arming Sword, and plan on doing some cutting. So this discussion is a great help. Might I add a suggestion of my own? Humility was a knightly virtue for a reason. Caution, awareness of what might go wrong, and controlled enthusiasm are all outgrowths (in part) of humility. Anyway, thanks for the primer: I'll be taking heed of this when my sword arrives!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2009 6:33:48 GMT
You guys should also put the organized post in one of the first few posts in this sticky.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2009 14:02:16 GMT
Hello. This is my first post and is a question. The answers you give can probably be added as safety recommendations. Many companies that sell industrial safety products now offer gloves and sleeves made of kevlar. While these items were orginally very thick and bulky, you can now find gloves that, while made of kevlar, are quite thin and offer good grip and tactile feedback. Have any of you had any experience using that type of thing and would you recommend it?
By way of background, I've been a martial artist for years but have never had a live blade that could be used for cutting. I'm thinking of purchasing one now. Still, despite being a military veteran and owning many firearms, I'm, for some reason, less comfortable about owning such a sharp weapon. Consequently, I'm exploring safety options to put in place while learning.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
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