Today, we will discuss one of my favorite flow drills to get fencers used to moving with a sword and buckler. The techniques in I.33 require quite a bit of fluidity in bringing the sword and buckler together. This can be overwhelming for new fencers, so this is a valuable drill for building flow and comfort with the weapon set. Details of the DrillThis drill is based on the British military sabre drills from Henry Angelo. This drill starts with the fencer in the second ward. From there, deliver a cut from your shoulder to your knee on the opposite side and end in the first ward. Next, deliver a cut from the buckler side shoulder to the opposite knee. This is done by extending the buckler arm forward with the thumb down to move the elbow out of the way of the sword. End this cut into the fifth ward. Now, cut up above the buckler and end in the third ward. Next, perform another rising cut above the buckler and end in the second ward. Now, deliver a horizontal cut under the buckler and end in the first ward. Then, deliver a horizontal cut back under the buckler and into the second ward. Finally, deliver a vertical cut above the head and bring it towards the buckler. Then, recover into the second ward. The intent of this drill is to help a fencer get comfortable with using the sword and buckler as a weapon pair. Be sure to emphasize bringing the sword and buckler together and positioning the buckler to defend the hand along the path of the cut. When doing this drill, it is important to practice retracting the buckler during the cut and to keep the sword hand either at or behind it, ensuring the safety of the sword hand. Variations of the DrillThe drill can also be modified in several ways. One modification is to step with each cut. This adds the practice of using footwork while focusing on sword and buckler placement. I commonly drill this by stepping forward with the first action and then stepping back with the next. This helps the fencer practice not narrowing their stance when performing sword actions. Another variation involves using the paths of the cut described but not fully ending in the ward. This can be beneficial to practice quicker elbow or wrist cuts while in a bind. However, while this drill is faster, it also can be sloppier without the fencer having an end ward for each action. To combat this, focus on transitioning naturally into the next action while ensuring the sword and buckler are close, and the sword hand stays behind the buckler. The third modification (and certainly not the last) is to change what cuts are performed. For example, only the third and fourth actions with the rising cuts could be performed if the fencer would prefer to practice those cuts. Alternately, thrusts could be mixed instead of cuts to practice transitioning thrusts and cuts while keeping the sword and buckler together. The Meyer’s Cross can also be used for different variations on this drill. Closing ThoughtsThis drill is a fantastic drill for sword and buckler fencers at all levels. Sword and buckler, especially I.33, relies heavily on the fencer feeling comfortable with using the weapon set together. By practicing these flow drills, fencers can build the muscle memory and discipline needed to fence effectively with this weapon combo.
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Last weekend, Danial and I teamed up to host another historical demonstration at Uhuburg Castle at their CastleFaire event. What we did not realize going into the event was that our first day was about to become a research project on weather’s impact to sword and buckler. Bundled in cloaks and wool in our period clothing to combat the cold, Danial and I fought through the mud and the rain in front of a small crowd to better understand what the cold, rain, and the mud would do to our technique. My ObservationsThe first significant change to my historical kit was the inclusion of the cloak to help insulate myself and keep me warm. After researching, I selected the bocksten cloak by Grommet Leathercraft because of the historical evidence of this cloak style. It also freed my sword hand, which felt like an advantage over a more traditional cloak like what Danial chose. With the cloak thrown back to free my buckler hand, the cloak minimally impacted my overall technique and even assisted in a blade grab where Danial’s sword got caught in my cloak on a missed thrust. My footwear remained the same simple leather shoes I had worn for other historical demonstrations. These shoes feature little tread, forcing me to use shallow steps like I had to do with different rough terrain sparring. Unfortunately, even while trying to maintain these shallow steps, I still slipped when stepping forward to attack my opponent. Fortunately, I never fell into the mud, but more arm and rib cuts occurred than deeper target hits on days 2 and 3 of the demonstration. The risk of over-extending was likely the culprit for this because I did not want to slip in the mud reaching for a thrust to miss and get hit by Danial. While my shoes had been soaked through, my feet were not wet thanks to the assistance of the chausses I was wearing. The shoes even dried out before the second day which was an added bonus. Danial’s ObservationsFrom a perspective of fighting in Historical Clothing/footwear in inclement conditions, footwear significantly impacts the bad conditions. Clothing hinders and protects in equal measure, but historical footwear is objectively a downgrade. A long cloak was used to stay warm for the demonstration. The cloak I used prevented the utilization of several wards (Namely 1st and 5th), even when thrown back over the shoulders. This was due to the risk of tangling a sword in the cloak and being unable to respond to a siege or any other defensive action required. However, it did provide some level of protection from strikes when it turned blades flat or, better yet, slowed blows to allow for grabs or other entangling actions. Beyond that, the length of a woolen cloak (especially one close to the ground) can stretch while wet, which increases the risk of slipping or tripping, which did happen on several occasions. This led me to use much tighter and more controlled lunges and steps, even with modern shoes. Footwear now is an entirely different story. The slick conditions of rain and mud were nearly ignored while using modern soles, and this allowed me to exploit a lunging distance that was unopposed by a fighter wearing historical shoes. The ability to put this consideration out of my mind certainly gave a mental advantage in the fight as it was one less thing to consider with actions. Knowing that my opponent was wearing historical footwear also allowed me to press my advantage to advance and retreat much faster than he could safely, which defeats a common maxim (It is faster to advance than retreat). So, as anyone could conclude, any step up in footwear will pay dividends, especially as the ground conditions become worse. Closing ThoughtsWe were both acclimated to the temperature after standing in the rain and lecturing for minutes before sparring. We also had the opportunity to survey the ground during this time, which allowed us to think about how we would fight in the muddy and rainy conditions. Ultimately, fighting in rain and mud felt similar to other rough terrain I had experimented with. However, I may have felt slow and sluggish if the heavy rain had soaked my clothes. Thanks to our cloaks, most of our layers were protected from the rain, allowing us to fight freely without being soaked. Because of this, I believe that cloaks for rainy weather were more beneficial to preserving swordsmanship technique in the rain than we had initially considered going into the shows for this weekend.
As always, we had a blast teaching and demonstrating historical fencing to the visitors of Uhuburg Castle. We had a great time meeting new people, trading sword stories with others, and making history fun for everyone. We owe a huge thank you to the staff of Uhuburg Castle for running an excellent event. We also want to thank Ash, Rachelle, and Don, our support staff, for helping our table booth run smoothly. One of my go-to tournament arming swords is the Full-Contact I.33 Sword by Regenyei Armory. I first purchased this sword back in 2018, and unfortunately, it finally broke while sparring at the end of 2023. This sword has been a workhorse for me through the years, and I am excited to review it for you today! MeasurementsBelow is a table including the measurements I took of my sword I purchased in 2018 and my 2023-purchased sword. I also included the reported measurements from Purpleheart Armory and HEMA supplies converted from cm to in. Note that the measurements of the 2018 sword were taken after years of use and after the sword was broken. DurabilityThis sword has been one of the most durable swords used in my class and proved to be low maintenance. One of the advantageous of this sword and why I suspect it gets the “full-contact” label by Regenyei is the blade construction which lacks a fuller and has well-rounded edges. The lack of fuller makes cleaning the blade simple because it is a flat surface. The rounded edge reduces the chance of chips and burs forming. After nearly 5 years of use, I have never had to file the edge of the blade for safety purposes. The 2018 blade is still generally smooth after years of use as seen in the following image. However, the sword is not invulnerable. The first issue that occurred was the crossguard becoming loose. This happened because the handle's wood core was compressed and chipped enough to free the crossguard. I tried to extend the handle with leather spacers and attempted to use washers to secure the crossguard, but eventually, it would come loose again. However, this has occurred with most of my arming swords from various makers given enough time. Another issue was that the wrap on the handle eventually had to be replaced. This is a common issue for cord wraps because they begin to unravel once they are struck and the cord is cut. Brittany Saint Leafy has an excellent video on re-wrapping a cord wrap on a sword that one of my students has used. I opted to use a leather wrap to replace the cord wrap, which did not have to be replaced after being applied. The sword ultimately broke from a strike against the pommel from a Regenyei messer that sheared the pommel from the blade. Since the sword is peened, repairing it was not possible without serious blacksmithing. This was not the first strike against the pommel the sword had received, so it was likely just multiple strikes against the pommel that eventually led to the failure. CostAt the time of writing this review, in the United States, the sword can be found at Purpleheart Armoury for $240.00 plus shipping and handling. Alternatively, the sword can be found for $300.00 plus shipping and handling at HEMA Supplies. Aesthetics The Full-Contact I.33 Sword by Regenyei Armory is about as simple as a sword can get in HEMA. Without a fuller and with the blade being flat, the sword loses a great deal of aesthetic value. While the sword is balanced well and feels like other swords I have, the Full-Contact I.33 Sword lacks the look of a sword to a certain degree especially when compared to Regenyei’s other I.33 swords available. Feel and HandlingWhile this sword lacks some features that make it look more like a sword, the handling of the full-contact I.33 sword certainly feels like a sword. This sword handles like the Standard I.33 Arming Sword I by Regenyei, which features a diamond profile on the blade. The sword has a great binding presence while effectively being weighted for cutting and thrusting actions. With the tapering of the blade, the sword is well balanced while still having enough weight and feeling to feel present in the hand. While using this sword, you can feel how it is moving and the responses in the bind, making it very effective for executing I.33 techniques. The blade also has some flexibility to protect fencers when receiving a thrust. However, like many arming swords, the flex is not as much as seen in the longer feder blades of longsword in HEMA. Commentary on it being a “I.33 Sword”This sword is excellent in binding and can execute cuts and thrusts. The crossguard is a great size for keeping the sword hand safe while not getting in the way of buckler actions when the hands are kept together. I have had no problem executing I.33 techniques with this sword and have chosen to use this sword over others in HEMA tournaments. However, One of my bigger pet peeves in HEMA gear is advertising a sword for a specific system. Regenyei advertising this sword as an “I.33” sword is like Albion advertising their “I.33” sword or other companies making “Fiore” swords. For new fencers, it can be helpful to be directed to a specific sword for their study source. However, this type of marketing can also give the wrong impression of what swords can and cannot be used for I.33. it also can present the wrong impression that this sword can only be used for I.33 techniques instead of other sword and buckler techniques like Paulus Kal. From a historical perspective, the art in the manuscript is not consistent enough to pinpoint a specific Oakeshott sword typology. Furthermore, the late 13th century to the early 14th century, when the manuscript was likely written, was a period of quite a large amount of variation in the traditional arming swords that are available. David Rawlings has an excellent video discussing this topic that I recommend for more information. Can this sword be used to execute I.33 techniques? Yes. Is this THE sword shown in the I.33 manuscript? Even if the full-contact I.33 sword had a diamond profile like the standard I.33 sword I by Regenyei, the answer would be inconclusive based on the art and the swords available at the time. Who I recommend it to When compared to the $225.00 Type XVI sword by VB currently available at Purpleheart Armoury, the Full-Contact I.33 Sword is a great arming sword at any fencing experience level. I would recommend this sword slightly over a Type XVI sword by VB because of the variability discussed in the product review for that sword. However, this sword may not be for everyone due to the lack of fuller and simple aesthetics. That being said, do not make the mistake of assuming the lack of aesthetics translates to not feeling like a real sword. This is a great training arming sword. Closing ThoughtsFor tournaments, I have been switching between my standard I.33 sword I by Regenyei and the full-contact I.33 sword by Regenyei. While I like the look of the standard I.33 sword more, the blade has a habit of getting chips and burs that I need to file out before and after use.
This highlights the main advantage of the full-contact I.33 sword for HEMA tournaments: the durability. In tournaments, various swords of different steels and weights are used, and this sword has proven to take a beating while still not damaging the blade. The sword has kept its shape with minimal damage, even against strong cuts aimed at breaking through my defense. The sword’s weight and handling allow me to execute the techniques I study, which makes it an easy recommendation for all HEMA practitioners at all levels. |
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