Mace Fighting

[Sir Nate]

Maces do not handle like a sword at all. They're quite heavy and most of the weight is concentrated in the tip. You actually use the weight to increase the force of the blow and it is devastating to say the least. I destroyed a water bottle to bits with my mace and it was with little effort. Also if your lower arm isnt big already regularly using a mace will make it much bigger as what happened to me. As a result my lower right arm is thicker than my left and it made my mace much lighter and swords feel even lighter in my hand. A basket hilt would totally change the way a mace handles and not make it work the right way it's supposed to. Edge alignment is much easier with a mace as you got 6 places you can do it with quite easily. It's actually an easy to use weapon just it requires a lot of strength training in your arm to use it without tiring easily, but once it's built up it's easy to use and brutally effective.

Yes, After handling Sir Aidens Mace I can feel how effective it really is. I wonder if it would handle similar to war axe techniques. I wonder this because of the Surface area both have. Although One can grapple anothers shield with a war axe, and has one area in which you want to strike with, while a mace can hit with any side. Since it is a bludgeon weapon.

[Thorsteinn]

So here is my vid.

On Maces & why they are not swords. Using a Dane axe to show the same motion & theory in a two handed weapon.

I'm using an old shield thats almost dead but is small enough to show what I'm talking about.

Me Fiancee makes an appearance on the 2nd floor coming home from work about 1/2 way through.

And here is my Shield. Almost ready for prime time.

New curved Center Grip Oval. left pic is me holding it where it needs to be held with the grip where it is. The right is where T.s. Morgan & a few other Knights recommend it be held (meaning I need to drill new hols & remount the handle).

I'm thinking remounting is where it's at. it is a test shield after all.

Pic of the back is available.

[Vincent]

Very cool! Thank you, Thorsteinn!

Wow, quite a bit shorter than the sword used in this example. Looks to be roughly a foot from the head of the mace to the tip of the sword. Not that I mind getting up close, just very interesting to see the direct comparison like this.

Really can't wait to get that mace head in and start practicing with it! Doing a mock-auth tomorrow night, then (hopefully) authorizing on Saturday at a local event (Brawl at the Crooked Dragon if anyone else is going). Just going to stick with sword and board for the meantime, but this video is really helpful!

Will continue to pester with questions as they come up. Thanks again for your patience and your help!

[Thorsteinn]

No prob. I've planned on doing a series of vids on WMA for the web series but I've slacked. So I just decided "Ah, F**k it" and added the vid to my youtube channel under SCA &HEMA.

[Lord Chagatai]

I don't always fight mace as a matter of fact not much at all. My best fighting with it though was Mace and shield...although Mace Florentine is pretty fun...and can crush your opponent if you get in there right....


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[Sir Ulrich]

Thats a good video on how to use a mace. I use mine pretty much the same way even though mines steel and yours is an SCA mace. I should start making videos like that too but have yet to get a cam so been lazy on it.

[Vincent]

Alright! Authorized as an SCA heavy fighter, and my kong dog toy has arrived in the mail.

Thorsteinn, in regards to construction of the mace, should I shave more off the rattan wood to get it to fit the toy? Hollow the toy out? Both? Slightly clueless on this, but I would think cutting into the toy too much would affect the amount of 'give' it has, which would cause it to fail. What do you suggest?

[Lord Chagatai]

Shave the rattan a little smaller than the hole on the toy, t.hen using baby powder or some powder that would make the rattan kind of slippery, work the toy on. Takes some work but thats how I got mine to be stable and a good fit. Makes sense?


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[Don Jorge]

Alright! Authorized as an SCA heavy fighter, and my kong dog toy has arrived in the mail.

Thorsteinn, in regards to construction of the mace, should I shave more off the rattan wood to get it to fit the toy? Hollow the toy out? Both? Slightly clueless on this, but I would think cutting into the toy too much would affect the amount of 'give' it has, which would cause it to fail. What do you suggest?

Congratulations on getting authorized. I wanted to do Mace fighting but was told to become more proficient at Sword and Board as a mainly wielding a mace in the tournament field would only stunt my upward movement (Squire -> Knight) down the line...

I am still trying to decide if being a Knight or even Squiring is in the books for me or if I just want to fight and have fun and not worry about politics...so I haven't tried a Mace yet...just thought you should know that some knights want to see us fight in sword and board in tournaments.

[Lord Chagatai]

Alright! Authorized as an SCA heavy fighter, and my kong dog toy has arrived in the mail.

Thorsteinn, in regards to construction of the mace, should I shave more off the rattan wood to get it to fit the toy? Hollow the toy out? Both? Slightly clueless on this, but I would think cutting into the toy too much would affect the amount of 'give' it has, which would cause it to fail. What do you suggest?

Congratulations on getting authorized. I wanted to do Mace fighting but was told to become more proficient at Sword and Board as a mainly wielding a mace in the tournament field would only stunt my upward movement (Squire -> Knight) down the line...

I am still trying to decide if being a Knight or even Squiring is in the books for me or if I just want to fight and have fun and not worry about politics...so I haven't tried a Mace yet...just thought you should know that some knights want to see us fight in sword and board in tournaments.

True, Jorge....but it really depends on the knight....sword and board mastering gives you great defensive and offensive tactics. It also makes the transition to two handed fighting easier.

My knight is a great weapon master and I was lucky enough that he let me train and fight great weapon as well. Another good thing is that I had been fighting for almost two years before he squired me so I had mastered sword and board. I find my two favorite styles of fighting are sword and madu as well as 7'6" glaive. You may also find 6' spear fun as well cause I do..


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[Don Jorge]

Oh noes...madu...STOP POKING MY SHIELDS

[Lord Chagatai]

Oh noes...madu...STOP POKING MY SHIELDS

Lol....yep...until you drop it then blam!!!


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[Thorsteinn]

I wanted to do Mace fighting but was told to become more proficient at Sword and Board as a mainly wielding a mace in the tournament field would only stunt my upward movement (Squire -> Knight) down the line...

If you could politely beat someone over the head if they tell you this I would be grateful. 

Seriously. If you love mace, you will get good at mace, you will win at mace, you will be knighted because of mace. Using a mace shows that you have broad talent.

We have a man who got to his belt partly on the strength of his glaive. We have a Duke who is renowned for his mace work, and has been since before he got his belt 30 years ago. Any knight who is only good at sword & board (or any "jut one" form) is not a knight. A knight is a threat with  chopsticks if need be.

If sword & board is the only way then how come Sir Kief has his belt?

Q: What do you call a mid-level Western Fighter in any other Kingdom?
A: "Your Magesty". <Rimshot>