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Main => The Armoury => Topic started by: Sir Ulrich on 2014-01-29, 02:07:27
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Rawlings synthetic sparring swords review (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYBSVHA9drE#ws)
http://www.woodenswords.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=KS%2DSS (http://www.woodenswords.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=KS%2DSS)
Does anyone know how good these are? I mean I want some training swords and I aint using my blunted steel without hand protection and I don't feel like shelling out 300 bucks for a pair of gauntlets that I am not even gonna use for living history. I do have 2 great helms I assume these plastic wasters wouldn't do denting damage to them either like wood or steel would. I just wish I knew where to find one that would be the equivalent of a 13th century sword, these ones look like they're 15th century styles, I know I am picky about this but I need a bit of help looking around for wasters and not quite sure where to start.
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I haven't watched the video, so I'm not sure what his review says. I'll probably watch it later.
My impression is this (I do own one): For starting out, they're fine. But they're not ideal for learning the art, compared to other options, for two main reasons:
1. They run a little light, which feels great when you're starting out, and make you nice and quick when free-fencing with them. But it doesn't teach you to use a more properly weighted sword, and lack the mass for good parries and deflections.
2. More importantly, IMHO, they're too flexible. This sounds like a great safety feature, and it is. However, someone HAS DIED taking a thrust through the eye with one of these, so it's not a guarantee of being safe by itself. But the main reason to dislike the flexibility is that it will also impact your training, because these swords tend to bend around each other in the bind, making windings very difficult to do, and they're an important part of the art. This also throws off parries and deflections.
Something I also wasn't thrilled with, is that they keep some bend if you leave it in a hot car for a while.
For a better synthetic trainer, I would go with Purple Heart:
http://www.woodenswords.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1513 (http://www.woodenswords.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1513)
These have a more realistic weight, and are built tough. The blades are stiff, but have enough flex. The flex is more on-par with a steel trainer, rather than being flimsy like the Rawlings swords, or completely inflexible like the aluminum trainers.
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Even with synthetic swords you should wear adequate hand protection such as lacrosse or hockey gloves. Nothing interrupts your training longer and faster than broken fingers! :-\
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Even with synthetic swords you should wear adequate hand protection such as lacrosse or hockey gloves. Nothing interrupts your training longer and faster than broken fingers! :-\
And a fencing mask!
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Even with synthetic swords you should wear adequate hand protection such as lacrosse or hockey gloves. Nothing interrupts your training longer and faster than broken fingers! :-\
And a fencing mask!
Definitely a mask too! Someone in Europe/England was killed by a synthetic sword through his eye. They may be "toys" compared to sharps, but they are still to be respected.
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To be fair, they may have altered the design a bit from when I got mine. In the first few moments of the video, he's mentioning that they come in various colors. When I got mine, they were white only. Also, as he strikes them against each other, they make a different sound than mine does, leading me to believe they may be using a harder plastic now, which would be a good thing.
It looks like the newer ones are also thicker, which might aid in the weight as well. The pommel is longer on that longsword too. I'd have to handle one of the newer ones and see how it compares. It looks like they've updated it quite a bit.
The new modularity looks pretty cool.
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Even with synthetic swords you should wear adequate hand protection such as lacrosse or hockey gloves. Nothing interrupts your training longer and faster than broken fingers! :-\
Sounds advice from a man who knows. Right, Sir Thumbs?? :)
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Even with synthetic swords you should wear adequate hand protection such as lacrosse or hockey gloves. Nothing interrupts your training longer and faster than broken fingers! :-\
Sounds advice from a man who knows. Right, Sir Thumbs?? :)
I'm not in the 'know'! - I'm an authority! ;)
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I have one of these and like it - still while using gloves & mask, of course :)
http://revival.us/spadadazoghosparringsword-2.aspx (http://revival.us/spadadazoghosparringsword-2.aspx)