Posts: 1,248 Location: New Mexico
Wed 19 Sep, 2007 7:47 pm
I think this may be something of a misunderstanding. I don't think Silver addressed how to block a staff blow with a
shield. My main complaint was the distinction you made between fighting against a shield and fighting against the other five weapons. Silver gave exactly the advance for fighting man with sword & target as a man with a single sword or sword & dagger. While I'm sure fighting against the shield makes a difference, Silver didn't think it mattered enough to mention. In either case, Silver instructed the staff man to strike and then thrust, or thrust and then strike.
Your points 7 and 8 implied that the staff man should strike more against the sword & dagger and less against the sword & target. I still don't see how this works according to Silver's instructions. He was very clear about striking after thrusting and thrusting after striking.
Anyways, it's really a minor quibble, and I'm sorry it's caused such trouble. I am interested to hear your experience sparring against sword & shield with the staff. I wish I could do the same. Next to you, I don't have any credentials. I'm just a guy who's read Silver many times. I spar with my buddies with RSWs fairly often, using Silver's style as best I can, but I don't have any official training.
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The idea that the buckler can parry single, regarless of what it is facing, is also born out in the Italian and German tradition, and is how it is generally depicted in martial iconography, so the idea that this is a truism of sword and buckler combat is hardly far-fetched. |
Well, according Meyer, the rapier (a sword much like Silver's) could block the partisan single (with the flat, no less). We know the masters didn't agree about everything. More interestingly, you included the sword & buckler in your point 7, giving special ability to block the blow only to the sword & target.
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The staff I have handy is 8 feet x 1.5" (a little short for Silver, typical for most other English masters) made of Ash and it weighs 3.7 lbs. Unless you've shod the staff, that's a pretty typical measurement. |
There's no clear right or wrong on the matter, but I have trouble believing a staff of that weight can give blows as strong as Silver's staff blows seem to have been. I like the weight of around five pounds suggested by Paul Wagner in his book on Silver. Also, consider that glaives and partisans are grouped along with staff. Partisans commonly weigh around six pounds. It seems odd to me that Silver's staff would weigh that much less than the other weapons on perfect length.
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It blasted right through his guard and hits him on the head as if he had made no parry. I wasn't trying to kill the man, so no, it didn't knock him down. But it did make him stop dead and take five to shake it off. That was through a 14g barbute. |
Wow. Sounds fun. Makes me wish I had the gear to try that. I am considering getting a couple of RSW polearms from Lance.