Fencing:Descriptions Of Weapons And Defensive Objects

Descriptions of Weapons and Defensive Objects

Weapons

1. There are five standard types of weapons in SCA Fencing:
   1. Dagger
   2. Single Sword
   3. Two-Handed Sword
   4. Spear
   5. Projectile Weapons

Metal Bladed Weapons

1. This section refers to metal weapons, which are used in all categories of SCA Fencing. Bladed weapons are daggers, single-handed swords, and two-handed swords.
2. Bladed weapons can be used for thrusts, cuts, and percussive blows as allowed by the category of combat. Other weapons are thrust only.
3. The blade of metal bladed weapons must be made of steel and must be produced by a commercial entity and crafted for the purpose of competitive swordfighting.
   1. Hilts, handles, pommels, and other parts of a weapon not meant to strike the opponent can be made of metal, wood, leather, or reasonable facsimile.
4. Bladed weapons will not have more than one blade.
5. Weapons are to be maintained in good order, with no loose pieces, and no burrs on metal or wooden edges that can snag the opponent's body or clothing.
6. Any blade with kinks or cracks shall not be used. Steel blades that develop these defects cannot be repaired and must be retired. Sharp bends that can be re-curved and not redevelop for at least a day's use may be used. Light Rapier blades with "S" curves shall not be used unless they can be re-curved safely in such a way that it maintains a single, non-"S" curve for at least a day's use.
7. Handles are to be substantially straight, and substantially in line with the main axis of the blade.
8. Open guards, swept hilts, multiple forward-swept quillons, or any component with an opening larger than 3/8 inch (10 mm) and smaller than 1 inch (2.5 cm) are not permitted for use with Light Rapier. Knuckle bows are deemed safe for use with light rapier blades.
9. The ends of quillons must be blunt.
10. Blades are to have a tip that includes the following components:
    1. The end of the metal must be blunt with no sharp edges or corners.
    2. A cover of rubber, shatter-resistant polymer, or leather with a minimum size in any direction that strikes the opponent of 3/8 inch (10 mm)
       1. Rubber and polymer tips must have a minimum of 1/8 inch (3 mm) between the striking surface and the tip or edge of the sword.
       2. Leather must be at a minimum 1.6 mm / 1/16 inch / 4 oz thickness.
    3. Tape, or equivalent, in a contrasting color to the tip and blade that extends both onto the tip and onto the blade. For tips built in a period style, a period alternate to tape may be used, so long as it provides a contrasting color to the blade and the tip and the combination is secured on the sword so that it will not fly off under reasonable fighting conditions.

       (Footnote: The tip should fit snugly on to the sword end; if necessary, wrapping the blade at the point where the tip ends to create a shoulder for the tip to set on without wobbling is encouraged. Although the tape will aid in holding the tip on the blade, its primary function is as a visual cue of where the tip is; if the tip flies off during combat, the tape helps marshals and combatants notice it, and the absence of a tip, with some tape left on the sword, is similarly helpful.

    4. Tape must not cover the front surface of the tip.
    5. Tape should be somewhat resistant to impact with metal, and its adhesive shall have appropriate adherence to rubber and metal. Duct tape, electrical tape, and colored strapping tape are examples of good tapes for this application. Painters tape, masking tape, and other paper based tapes are not.
11. Tips are to be replaced if the tip shows evidence of punch through, cracking or bulging or, in the case of polymer tips, discoloration.
12. Steel blades will not be altered by grinding, cutting, heating, hammering, or other actions that could significantly alter their temper, flexibility or durability. Normal combat stresses and blade care do not violate this rule. Exceptions are:
    1. The tang of the weapon may be altered.
    2. Rapier and Cut & Thrust Combat blades may be shortened so long as they maintain acceptable flexibility.
    3. A nut or other blunt metal object designed to spread impact may be welded to the tip of Rapier and Cut & Thrust blades so long as care is taken to prevent damage to the temper of the blade.
    4. The end of a blade may be filed so as to blunt the tip.
13. The length of the blade and grip define the type of weapon. Blade length is to be measured from the base of the blade (i.e. the front face of the guard, or the front end of the quillons for open guard) to the end of the tip. Grip length makes the remainder of the overall sword length. Curved blade length is measured as a straight line from the tip to the base of the blade.

    (Footnote: The measurement is done in a straight line rather than along the curve because it is specified according to the reach of the weapon. Highly curved blades that skirt the spirit of this law pose potential issues with an exceedingly long aspect ratio, and can be kept from use at the marshal's discretion.)

    1. Blades are to have at most one substantial curve.

       (Footnote: Weapons with multiple small waves about a singular axis, such as flamberge weapons, are considered per their main axis; i.e. each wave is not necessarily a "substantial curve".

    2. Blades that are so curved that the tip does not contact the ground when the grip is perpendicular to the ground (i.e. pointed vertically) are not allowed in SCA Fencing. (See Figure 6.1).

       

       With the handle vertical, the tip must touch the ground. In this example, the sword on the left is allowed, the sword on the right is not.

       (Footnote: Although examples of blades with extreme curves for which this is not the case can be found in period, the use of these swords requires a highly different mechanic than those of the combat intended by these rules, and so are not allowed as weapons in SCA combat, although non-metal versions may be used as a defensive object.

14. No weapon shall be longer than the total weapon length specified below in Table 6.2 and in reference to Figure 6.2.
    1. Exceptions to the blade lengths and grip lengths are allowed on a case by case basis by the Kingdom Fencing Marshal. For example, a weapon with a grip of 11 inches may be allowed, but if the total length is greater than 28 inches (and no greater than 60 inches) then that weapon is deemed a sword.

    

    Parts of a weapon, and measurement of the blade and grip.

15. Blades for Light Rapier and Rapier Combat are to meet or exceed the Greater Flexibility Requirement, and those for Cut & Thrust Combat are to meet or exceed the Lesser Flexibility Requirement in the table below. Blades are tested by being held rigidly horizontally and a 6 oz (170 g) weight is placed at the tip. Any flexure due to the blade's weight itself is not counted in the flexibility standard. The blades must meet this standard in each of two directions (i.e. testing the flexibility of the blade along its flatter dimension, then turn the sword over, 180 degrees, and test it again. Epees are to be tested in both "V-up" and "V-down" configurations).

The lengths allowed for the overall Weapon (W), Blade length (B) and Grip (G). *Note that two-handed sword blade + grip combination must not exceed the maximum sword length of 60 inches (152 cm) overall.

	Weapon length (W = B+G)	Blade length (B)	Grip length (G)
Dagger	W ≤ 28 inches (71 cm)	B ≤ 18 inches ( 45 cm)	G ≤ 10 inches (25 cm)
Single-handed Sword	W ≤ 58 inches (147 cm)	18 inches (45 cm)< B ≤ 48 inches (122 cm)	G ≤ 10 inches (25 cm)
Two-handed Sword	W ≤ 60 inches (152 cm)*	30 inches (76 cm) < B ≤ 48 inches (122 cm)	10 inches (25 cm) < G ≤ 24 inches (60 cm)

Flexibility requirements for metal bladed weapons, when a 6 oz (170 g) weight is placed on the tip, and the blade is held horizontally.

	Greater Flexibility Requirement for Light Rapier and Rapier Combat	Lesser Flexibility Requirement for Cut & Thrust Combat
Dagger	0.5 inch (12 mm)	0.5 inch (12 mm)
Single-handed Sword	1 inch (25 mm)	0.5 inch (12 mm)
Two-handed Sword	1 inch (25 mm)	0.5 inch (12 mm)

Spears

1. Only rubber headed spears are allowed in SCA Fencing.
2. Use of spears in combat requires a separate authorization than other weapons forms.

Rubber Headed Spear Construction

1. Rubber headed spears are to be made of a rattan haft and a flexible rubber head.
2. The spear head must be purchased from a commercial vendor as a spear tip or spike with a minimum head length of 4 inches (10cm) and a maximum head length of 20 inches (51 cm). The rubber at the tip must be at least 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
3. The flexible tip must extend at least four inches past the end of the of the rigid haft.
4. The spear head must flex to 90 degrees with hand pressure, and must substantially return to its original shape within 3 seconds.
5. Hafts are to be made of rattan with a diameter between 1 1/8 inch (28.5 mm) to 1 3/8 inch (35 mm).
6. Maximum overall spear length with spear head attached is 9 feet (275 cm).
7. Spear points will be friction fit to hafts according to manufacturer's instructions and be taped to the haft with reinforced tape such as strapping tape, fiber tape, or duct tape. A bright band of colored tape or well-affixed ribbon that contrasts with the spear head and the haft is to be wrapped around the base of the spear head so that it adds visual contrast should the spear head come off the weapon.
8. The haft must have a flat end at the head end of at least 1/2 inch (12 mm) diameter. The haft may be rounded on the butt end.
9. The haft must be inserted into the rubber spear tip at least 2 inches (5 cm).
10. Tape may be added to the haft to help prolong the life of the haft; paint and other decorations may be added so long as they do not degrade the structure of the haft or pose a safety risk to the opponent.

Projectile Weapons

1. Projectile Weapons include combat archery, throwing weapons, and/or mock gunnery gear (such as rubber-band guns).
2. The projectiles must have a mass no greater than 1 lb (460 g)
3. The projectiles must have a minimum diameter of 1/4 inch (6 mm) in any direction during flight.
4. The striking surface of a projectile must be made of a material with at least 1/4 inch (6 mm) yield.
5. No part of the projectile, including the support material underneath the padding, may be sharp.
6. Projectiles to be fired from bows or crossbows (arrows or bolts) shall be constructed in accordance with the SCA Marshals' Handbook section VII.G.
7. The maximum propulsive force is measured according to the type of apparatus primarily dependent on the means by which the propulsive force is imparted to the projectile:
   1. A bow or similar apparatus that is meant to fire rigid projectiles when drawn, held, and fired by the hands may not have a draw strength of greater than 20 lb (9 kg) in its configured use
   2. A cross bow or similar apparatus that is meant to fire rigid projectiles from a cocked position may not have a draw strength, multiplied by the cocked distance, of greater than 450 inch-pounds (50 Nm)
   3. A rubber band gun or similar apparatus that fires flexible projectiles using the elasticity of the projectiles as the sole propulsion force may not have a draw strength of greater than 30 lbs (13.6 kg) per projectile.
   4. An apparatus that falls outside or between these categories may be used at the discretion of the Kingdom Fencing Marshal or their designated representative.
8. A projectile firing apparatus must be of a mechanism that can be readily checked by a marshal on the field, using equipment that is readily available in the Society, such as a bow poundage gauge.
9. Certain types of projectiles may be disallowed from specific scenarios at the marshals' discretion. For example, ball type projectiles, such as small rubber balls thrown by hand or from a sling, may be unsafe on rigid flooring as they may pose a slip hazard to combatants, but may be safe for use on grass and soft dirt.
10. No material may be used on any striking surface that may flake off when hitting an opponent.
11. The use of projectile weapons is forbidden in any situation where spectators and non-involved combatants cannot be separated from the potential line of fire by more than the effective range of the projectile weapons to be used.

Defensive Objects

1. Defensive objects include bucklers, cloaks, sticks, and other objects that, when wielded against an opponent's weapon, can parry, deflect, or immobilize the weapon with safety for both the opponent and the combatant.
2. There are two main categories of defensive objects: Rigid and Non-Rigid
   1. Rigid parrying devices must be made of sturdy materials, resistant to breakage and splintering.
   2. Soft, non-rigid devices may be made of cloth, leather and similar yielding materials. They may be weighted with soft material such as rope or rolled cloth; they shall not be weighted with any rigid material nor with materials which are heavy enough to turn the device into a flail or impact weapon.
3. Defensive objects which combine both rigid and non-rigid components must meet the above criteria for each part and be wielded by a combatant authorized to use both rigid and nonrigid defensive objects.
4. Cloaks and similar objects may be thrown onto opponents' weapons, body, hands and arms, but may not be thrown deliberately to cover the opponent's face or to cause the opponent to trip.
5. Objects which even temporarily bind the opponent's weapon to their person, or other weapon, or defensive object, whether by design or repeated mishap, are not allowed. This may include ropes or whips used in this manner. Ropes or whips used in such a way as to deflect and not bind are allowed.