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I haven't noticed much difference in heat between the rattlesnake and my standard back of the head protection. It's a bit stiffer and less like a quilt but it doesn't breathe either. It's about on par I'd say.

Many of these, absolutely. The offhand parry is illegal but in a real fight with sharp epees I'd highly recommend it. The cuts also would be ineffective with epees but anything involving the point can also be done with small swords and epees were designed for small swords training. The only thing that may make it more difficult is that epees don't have quillons which aid in capturing and trapping.

@@resolvedinsteel Thanks for replying and explaining. I will be trying these myself and then applying with my fencing club, just for fun. Got a new subscriber!

Happy to be of service. I truly appreciate a writer that's willing to look into the details of the art! So many books and movies are clearly written by people with no idea how a sword is supposed to be used.

@@resolvedinsteel writing it and these videos have gotten me so into the weapon as a whole, it’s so amazing

My pleasure!

Thanks 😁

That's my wife, she's 28 and quite an accomplished fencer and martial artist XD

@@resolvedinsteel i mean i fight against 6 year olds So i do this LARP summer camp (age 6-18) and sometimes the littler ones challenge me to a duel

Yeah, context is everything XD

All the terminology comes from Joaquim Meyer.

@@resolvedinsteel thank you

Yeah I'm starting to think people want less talking and more information in these videos haha.

That is certainly a concern! We do restrict any form of no gear sparring quite strictly to those with the most experience, most control and impeccable control of measure. But, it's never completely safe, of course. I've been considering investing in a couple of those air soft masks that cover the entire face. Or maybe some Mensurbrille, those steel goggles used in German Academic Fencing. Just in case.

XDXD hey, I like whacking people as much as the next guy! I think maybe ego control is the most important lesson from no gear 😌

If you don't learn to control your weapon i'd argue you're more Berserk than a duelist.

@@Salemdacolas How do you understand sword control? What do you think this is? Is this a verifiable result or an abstraction? I'm interested in control, and I often like to joke about this topic, but how to properly check for control? People you know often fence more carefully in sparring because they know when attention is required. But with strangers, it turns out that it is necessary to introduce a testing system based on some normative exercises or tests? Tell us how you see the situation?

It's definitely not the only way we spar. But I believe it has done me good and will do me good and I say God bless it! Hang on... That sounded familiar 🤔

I enjoy sparring in full gear as well but sometimes no gear can give you a different perspective that can lead to master in other areas. I feel it's an important part of the puzzle 😁

You havent lived if you didnt play "knight" with wooden swords and real hits as a child.

@@resolvedinsteel This. Full gear lets you fence with intent (necessary for your development as a fencer). No gear lets you fence with awareness (also necessary).

@@corneliussulla9963 I still remember when I was a teenager, me and some friends came into a pair of Shinai (those bamboo slatted swords used in kendo)... man we beat the hell out of each other with those things. We didn't even wear gloves.

I have a few different sabers for different purposes. In this particular video I'm using a Cold Steel, Hutton training saber. Rose is using a Regenyei Duelist. Both I think fall under the category of gymnasium sabers. Basically a bit longer and a but lighter than real fighting sabers. They're quite nice for both drilling and sparing as you can go fast, and for a long time without much fatigue or getting hit to hard. I also have a Hungarian saber which I love but can't swing for nearly as long before tiring. I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Sigi Saber Pro 🤤

The duelist is definitely better in the thrust as the tip is quite springy and gentle. The Hutton is a bit stiffer but not bad with a jacket.

@@resolvedinsteel Thank You, Sir!

It seemed to be a problem only for my very long lunges. Saber can certainly involve a lunge but I find personally to rarely use very deep lunges in Saber. But I practice British Military Saber so we tend to stay quite upright with the torso even when lunging. Dueling saber focuses a bit more on the lunge which could encounter a similar problem. I'm hoping it loosens up with time though.

@@resolvedinsteel After a few months, have you noticed the tail loosening up any? I am trying to decide between this and the SF plastic helmet and the back of the neck would be a big factor as I practice a more thrust centric style for the spadroon. Thanks!

I've been using it pretty regularly since the review. The tail is still quite stiff but I've found that the back piece moves more easily now and the issue has largely resolved itself. Just not quite in the way I expected haha.

@@resolvedinsteel what do you mean by not in the way you expected?

Well the lobster tail section didn't loosen up at all, but the elastic that holds the back to the top plates and the interaction between those two places seems to have eased up which allows it to move. It's resolved the issue even though the actual tail portion is still stiff.

Most clubs will have a few loaners. It's good to figure out what you like and don't like in a weapon before spending too much money on a nice steel sword. A synthetic is usually a solid first choice. Inexpensive and usually in stock.

@@resolvedinsteel how is the weight for synthetics when compared to steel? is there much difference at all?

Synthetics are generally a bit lighter. They're not perfect but overall a great way to get started.

@@resolvedinsteel alright thanks for the advice man

Spanish fencing is great!

Dexteritinidin din dininninindi dity!

Facts.

More to come!

Yeah I suspect I've only fueled the debate hahaha

I feel like half swording needs to be at least a little further up the blade. Also half swording is generally done by moving the left hand up the blade (for a right hander), not the right. But you know... Devil's in the deetz.

​@@resolvedinsteel But you do realise that when people talk about revese gripping a sword, they mean a reverse grip on the heft, not over the crossguard? Likewise, Ubergriffen is done to place the hand closer to, or over, the point of balance - which is not what reverse grip is about. it is also done specifically in the bind, while reverse grip would be done anywhere as far as zufechten. As such, it's hard to see why, if we strech our defintions so far that uber griffen would be considered reverse grip ... it also wouldn't be considered half-swording.

Oh I don't know, I don't think there's anywhere where we have reverse grip defined so precisely that it could not be with the hand past the point of balance... I'm well aware that the way people generally use reverse grip is on the handle and not above it, but then again I'm also aware that reverse grip really isn't a thing and mostly done to look cool rather than because it's effective. I thought this technique was interesting and applicable to the conversation because it is a real historical example of reversing the orientation of the blade for a particular purpose. Even if it's not the purpose of looking cool and holding the sword upside down from the handle. Now half swording is something that we see quite a bit and it's done because of its efficacy not in spite of it. That one we have much better definition of and use cases for. And those use cases so far as I have seen are not the same as Ubergrieffen nor is the technique performed in the same way. I do appreciate the conversation though 😁 it's always fun to think about these things on a deeper level, Cheers!

@@resolvedinsteel Having throught about this (probbably for way to long :D ) ... have you considered the zweihander? I wouldn't categories Meyer's ubergrieffen as reverse grip - but as transitioning from a normal grip into zweihander halfswording. The latter uses a wide grip (one hand near pommel, the other between crossguard & thungs), and unlike longswors can be done with either hand forward (as crossing arms can be a significant detremental with wider grips) In fact, as Meyer typically uses feders over longswords (and thus have access to what-one-could-consider- pseudo parrying hooks)... and greatswords were a thing in Meyer's time, if does seem to make sense, he'd might want to switch grips to borrow ideas/techniques from a different weapon.

Someone's a little bossy boss 😵

The lie is both that it was never done and that it works XD. It was done in very specific circumstances and never as a general method of fighting, but fundamentally not in the way people think.

Super important the disengage : D

Hey, thanks man!

@@resolvedinsteel I love the reverse grip and am constantly trying to hit Sellsword art, hahaha)

Thanks 🙏 I would be very interested to cross blades with masters of other traditions.

Loooool. No these are practice swords made of spring steel. Real sabers would have been significantly stiffer out of necessity. These are flexible for safety. Though neither sword based its efficacy on its stiffness. The advantage of European swords were in their mechanics not in there craftsmanship. Sabers have better hand protection better engineering for example distal taper etc. Are about as long as a katana but much more nimble.

There are advantages to both ways. It was traditional to wrap the cloak more closely around the arm if you were fighting against someone using a cutting sword or that did more cutting with a heavier rapier. But against the pure thrusting right here or someone that thrusts more often, having the cloak loose was better for entangling the rapier and controlling it.

To a certain degree you're not wrong. Dunno if it's cope per say, and I wouldn't say the "worst". The worst swordsman is likely not a challenge in any way. But a wildly unpredictable but physically capable, young and impetuous fencer with little or no training, certainly warrants observation before engaging.

I also got my start in Foil. Just the training in footwork and the lunge is really quite useful for HEMA.

"Excuse me student of mine, would you mind if I put our sparring footage in a video about how to fight noobs with bad technique?" *loses one student* XDXDXD

I'd be down -one of your students

@@resolvedinsteel That would be a very poor student indeed. Not likely one to keep up the sport if suggesting their beginner form was bad. I liked to think most recent pupils would be open to the fast track of learning through 1 to 1 coaching and would jump at the chance to participate. I also like to think in ideal situations, so maybe I'm completely off here.

@sergemarlon oh I'm just joking about the actual quitting things haha. Really I just try not to cast anyone in poor light if I can help it. Sparring is sparring of course but featuring someone in a video specifically about it seemed distasteful 😅. Thanks for your comments though, cheers!

@@resolvedinsteel lol yes I totally agree. They would need to be a brave sport.

It's true! There are certainly times when I'll end in a double hit and upon reflection can see that I ignored a threat I should have heeded but in the moment I was too invested in my attack 😅

His name was Carlo Giuseppe Colombani.

@@resolvedinsteel you pronounced his name quite well

Thanks! Nah we have classes (and videos) for Rapier, Saber and Longsword. There's just so much high quality longsword content out there already.

@@resolvedinsteel that's great! I'm not even into longsword. I was just surprised. I took fencing in college, so I've been interested in getting into rapier and saber as well.

Gotta love Federico 😎

Happy to be of service 😎

It's super fast, I love it.

We're a young club my friend, gotta work with whatcha got 😂 cheers!

I think people just want to contribute. Not everyone is socially adept 😅

I dunno, he's throwing quite a few cuts in there!