Recently Kenton Spaulding and I have been trying to get a cutting session together for the Crecy and the Gjaddhalt. We are planning on using wet newspaper as a target (perhaps some fruit as well), but I'm not sure exactly how to make a stand to support the wet newspaper. I don't think I want to be imitating bone or anything like that right now because I'm not sure about edge maintenance. Is there some sort of way to support the newspaper without wrapping it around a pipe or something? Perhaps using a pool-noodle as the central support rather than a pipe....

Any help would be appreciated.

You might try the smallest dowel you can buy, soaked overnight underwater. (Weigh it down so it won't float.)

try either PVC or cardboard rolll from inside a soll of carper or something similar glue it to a flat piece of board, cardboard or something similarroll up your paper and insert it into to pipe/tube just cut the holder short enough to give clearence to cuttable target. didn't say how thick the wet paper will be just get an appropriatte size

Keep in mind that some fruits contain acid, and can and will rapidly corrode steel if it isn't cleaned immediately afterwards.
I personally verified that fact. Unintentionally. Ouch. :cry:

Thanks for the heads up, Anton. I would certainly want to clean my sword afterwards to get the sticky fruit juice of anyway, even if it isn't very acidic.

Will be sure to post some pics of this sure to be epic cutting session, and of the carnage wrought by the Crecy and the Gaddhjalt. ;)

Kenton

Yeah, I definately do not want to be cleaning acid stains off my crecy....

Does the gala-melon look like this?

[ Linked Image ]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions so far.

Sorry if that sounded rather assinine Thomas :)

Anyway, the results are in, and it was quite epic...
Here are some reasonably bad pictures (I am refusing to post the videos due to their poor quality and lameness)

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7551/pdr05838fo.jpg
Kenton in action!

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/6888/pdr05847yn.jpg
Cross section of a wet newspaper-wrapped cardboard dowel cut by Kenton (I think)

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3892/pdr05884qd.jpg
Milk Carton cut by the Gjaddhalt

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3343/pdr05892yk.jpg
2 Liter seltzer bottle cut by the Crecy

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8380/pdr05940ix.jpg
Pool Noodle cut with the Gjaddhalt I believe

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5954/pdr05952hc.jpg
It was all going splendidly....

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7702/pdr06053ad.jpg
...until we got into a rather heated discussion about whose sword was better :)

There are more pictures, but they're on Kenton's camera :)

What did we learn? Well, for one thing the Crecy does better on light targets (i.e. pool noodles) closer to the tip rather than at the CoP, and that swords are fun (not that we didn't already know that) :D

Thanks Kenton; it was great!

I had a great time Saturday cutting and talking swords with Addison. I am extremely excited to have found somebody in the area (only about 45 minutes from me, which by the standards of rural Maine at least, is close) that shares this, somewhat unusual hobby.

Here are a few pictures I took, no good action shots, but a couple nice ones of the two swords.


http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Redsox...0_0190.jpg

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Redsox...0_0187.jpg

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Redsox...0_0186.jpg

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Redsox...0_0192.jpg

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Redsox...0_0191.jpg

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Redsox...0_0185.jpg

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Redsox...0_0189.jpg

Having reviewed the pictures, are there any suggestions in regards to follow-throughs and such? There are quite a few pictures of follow-throughs (not really intentional), and I was curious as to how much of a follow-through is necessary after a cut.

You might try this. I took a section of 4x4, bored a one inch hole, then inserted a one inch dowel. The tip of the dowel I tapered so that it would insert pretty well. Then I roll up the newspaper, leaving a small gap to force over the dowel. Obviously the bottom of the 4x4 had to be reinforced. I used some planks, running them off each side, and long enough to be sturdy. You can add some weight is you want to use some mats for your cutting.
The dowel only has about 5-6 inches projecting, and I always cut above it. I never soak the paper, as it makes it entirely too easy. Dry newspaper will show just how sharp you edge is. Wouldn't advise fruit cutting, can stain the blade very quickly. When I am doing solme serious cutting, I use pork shooulders with good thick bone. However be aware that this can also stain a blade as well. I've done one helluva lot of cutting, and almost the first thing you need to determine is what you are trying to achieve. Learning to cut, or seeing how the sword cuts through various materials