[Dustin Faulkner]

Hello:

First, I hope I chose the correct forum.

I am wondering ... again ... if there is any written information or internet videos showing how swords are made. I am specifically curious about how to make a wooden sword for practice. I recently learned about an ARMA chapter that's closer to me than another one I was thinking about joining one day. I'm sure I'll need a wooden sword for practice with them.

I'd like to make my own wooden sword (or waster) using hickory wood I guess. Maybe a type of oak. My biggest question is how a cross-guard is attached. I assume the blade and handle can be made from one piece. The guard is a seperate piece.

It'd be nice to see a video of a wooden sword being made. I admit I have not done a youtube.com search yet, but I will.

I know wooden swords are available on the internet. However, after recently making a blanket chest for my sister, I'd like to experience the same satisfaction again by making my own wooden sword. I do have my own ideas about how to do this, but I am not sure if they are correct or if they are the most efficient way of making a wooden sword.

I don't know if one concerns himself with points of balance and percussion like you do with real swords. I'm concerned with replicating the same dimensions so I will be used to using something the same size as a real sword.

I am also motivated by the fact I cannot afford a metal practice sword right now.

Thank you everybody.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Well looking at a well made one by Purpleheart can give ideas on how to assemble your own and how to carve into a nice and functional shape: http://www.woodenswords.com/WMA/longsword.htm

I just bought two of the Longswords and two of the Greatswords and tried them out already: They both ( models ) look like new even after a couple of vigourous training sessions where they got hit as hard as possible + normal use. The wood shows very little to show they just didn't just come out of the box.

From their FAQ page about materials: http://www.woodenswords.com/faq.htm#Why%20Ash...%20Staves?

Making it yourself is certainly something you might enjoy but it will be difficult to match the quality of hickory that Purpleheart uses and if you can afford it, I think it would be a good choice.

A good waster can be very durable by the way as I have a couple that have seen 4 years of use and only show a few dimples in the finish.

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

I'd persoanly say buy a Rawling Synthetic Waster, as from what I've experianced, whilst still needing to wear protection, they function more closely to a real sword then any wooden waster I've had try with (also the whole lack of compression or flex when thrusting seems to be a bit of an issue with wooden wasters.)
Then again, I'd also like to make a wooden waster just to add that 'feel' to the rest of the collection
With regards as to how to make it, I have no idea; in a similar way to a real one, but with pegs, glue and leather binding I'd guess.

[Jean Thibodeau]

I have the Rawlings and as far as I'm concerned the jury is still out on whether I like them or not: They do some things very well but other things not so well. They are very much safer for thrusts and to hit with which is useful in checking if one is really in measure. Note, our group trains with almost no protective equipment, just fencing masks and gloves, and use control and stopping our blows just before they touch ...... works for us.

Last time I used the Rawlings against my instructor we found that they slide together almost better than steel but the current model has too much flex and it is difficult to get the feeling at the sword of soft or hard. ( Feedback from pressure on the blades is much harder to feel and read than with steel or wood ).

The " fights " tend to become very quickly sniping at speeds that one couldn't match with a steel blunt.

By the way just before practising with the Rawlings we were free bouting with Albion steel blunts at near maximum speeds and using light touching but pulling pour blows on contact. ( We have started using light contact, but only very controlled contact. Others groups have different ways of training with more protective equipment and harder hitting ).

Oh, after 4 years of training I haven't seen a single serious accident or injury.

Back to the Rawlings: They are relatively very safe for beginners but the flexibility than teach the wrong things since a hit can happen with a whipping action that wouldn't happen with a steel blunt and some people get tempted to try to win this way by gaming the rules to win at all cost for ego reasons rather than more experienced people who can compensate for the excess flexibility and try to get the swords to act like the steel blunts: Or at least when the hits are weird or unrealistic experienced people will realize that the hits where not due to proper use of technique and just nod and discount the hit(s).

There seems to be " improved " version(s) of the Rawlings with stiffer blades in the design prototype stage to get them closer to steel in feel.

Anyway, the Rawlings may have their uses and very useful in addition to wooden wasters and steel blunts: each has it's advantage and disadvantages: Steel blunts are still the best " sharps " simulators but their flaw is that they can be very dangerous if not used with great control + the appropriate level of protective gear depending on style of training.

[Sander Marechal]

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Greg Coffman]

My experience in ARMA is that wooded wasters and synthetic wasters mix okay but not great. We used to use the synthetic ones more, when they first came out, but many didn't like the flex or having to bend it back into shape after three or four exchanges. In a bind against each other, the wooden waster has the advantage because it doesn't flex at all. But that is an unfair and a-historical advantage because real swords flex.

There used to be step by step instructions for a do-it-yourself waster, but I can't find it anymore. Basically, you make the blade grip and some of the pommel out of one piece of wood. Cut, taper, and sand the blade so it handles more like a sword instead of a stick. You can make the crossguard out of four pieces: two long pieces that go on either side of the blade, and two short pieces that go in the gaps between the long pieces. Glue it all together and pin it with dowel rods.

___________________________________________________
______________________long piece____________________I
_____short piece______I___blade____I______short piece___I
______________________long piece____________________I



That's what it should look like. You might want to make the long pieces half the width of the blade so the cross isn't as bulky. For the pommel, you can glue wood around the bottom of the grip, pin it as necessary, and then shape it to whatever pommel type you would like.

Greg Coffman

[Aron M.]

In this thread...

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...highlight=

I wrote some instructions on making a waster.