Purpleheart "basic simulators"

[Thearos]

Has anyone any experience with these white plastic slabs ?

http://www.woodenswords.com/category_s/2068.htm

A lot of different offerings-- including sideswords and a rather impressive Oakeshotte XIV

[StoneDog]

Not used anything that isn't metal or wood so I can't comment

However, now thanks to you, I now have a craving for a Smatchet

[Thearos]

Ha ha

They took down their Oakshott XIV, which was a bit overpriced compared to the rest. I wonder if the weight is realistic (a mite under 900 g-- perhaps a bit light ?)

[Thearos]

I wonder if this

http://www.woodenswords.com/Espada_Anch ... rainer.htm

would work to simulate a spadroon, a cutlass or a klewang. I'm not trying to peddle, just that I'm quite well set up right now (I own 2 smallsword trainers, 2 synthetic backswords, 2 steel gymnasium trainers, 2 boffer longswords, 2 boffer backswords, and 2 singlesticks, so the family frowns on more swords) but I'd really be curious to hear from anyone who's used these.


I also note this thing

http://www.woodenswords.com/Venetian_In ... rainer.htm

maybe for Sainct-Didier (which I started studying but found incredibly boring) or Bolognese sidesword.

[Thearos]

In fact, these "espadas anchas" might be suitable as simulators of cutlasses as used by C19th police
http://www.oldpolicecellsmuseum.org.uk/ ... _1173.aspx

-- which could be suitable for a Bartitsu group. E.g. one could train a pretty simple, British-flavoured system, with footwork (lunge and recover, slip), three engaging guards (outside and inside, hanging), six cuts (no thrusts), a few parries ( a universal hanging parry + St George + an outside parry in tierce), and two pummels (a backhander over the left shoulder, and a straight punch with the knucklebow).

--then you could practice cutlass against cutlass (drill then assault)

--then you could practice cutlass against other weapons (e.g. staff or stick, to simulate street action whilst apprehending criminals or intervening against Chartists agitating for universal franchise or arresting suffragettes or protecting property rights and capitalist investment against working-class protesters).

[Thearos]

So I got two of the white plastic "espadas anchas", which can substitute for cutlasses, briquets, épées de soldat, klewang. They're very chunky in outline, which is probably good since it will allow for big gloves if you practice. They, um, have a lot of blade presence, i.e. the POB is about half way down (since there's no distal taper), which make them feel heavy. So they're not bad, as a shorter weapon than a sabre / backsword, etc, but take some getting used to.

[StoneDog]

Might have to look into getting some then.

[Thearos]

After mucking about with them a bit, I'd say that they're a mite heavy as simulators, and have a fair bit of bounce in them in (gentle) sparring-- gentle because they'd probably land a fair whack. Main advantage over wood is precisely the heft. Actually quite enjoyable for form practice, because shorter than the long nylon backsword.

[Thearos]

After some more mucking about, I'd say that they're nice, but the absence of distal taper means that the POB is too far out on the "espada ancha" / cutlass, about 18-20 cm, which results in a tiring wield.